Working with Legal Descriptions
(ce broker #20-919260 Formerly TREC #7723)
1 Introduction
1.1 Purpose of Course
This course will expand the learners’ comprehension of property legal descriptions as found in deeds. This course provides three continuing education hours for Realtors.
1.2 Course Description
As the first person dealing with the property, a listing agent must be able to understand what it is that the client is listing. This course teaches Realtors how to read, write, and plot legal descriptions as well as identify the age or potential integrity of a description in order for the Realtor to serve their clients by anticipating issues.
1.3 Target Audience
Tennessee Realtors who list properties and may encounter metes and bounds descriptions.
1.4 Knowledge and Skill Prerequisites
The following knowledge and skill prerequisites are required from the participants:
- English language skills (written and verbal)
- Rudimentary geometry
1.5 Delivery Methods
This course is divided into 3 – 1-hour modules. Each module is comprised of individual lessons conveying information required for subsequent lessons.
Delivery of information takes place in a classroom setting as an interactive lecture. Graphic augmentation of the lecture content uses Prezi, PowerPoint, or slides/handouts. (Instructor will modify depending on available technology in the room.
2 Course Overview
2.1 Course Goals
Given access to the appropriate tools, the participant should be able to:
- Identify issues pertaining to a metes and bounds description
- Read and interpret a metes and bounds legal description
- Plot a metes and bounds legal description on paper
- Write a metes and bounds legal description
- Compare a metes and bounds legal description to a survey plat.
2.2 Learning Environment
The course will be offered in any venue that “contains adequate space, seating, and equipment” (TREC Rule 1260-05-.03(1)(b)) and not prohibited by TREC Rule 1260-05-.06(1)(a) “conducted in a facility which is also utilized for conducting business of a broker or brokerage firm.”
The layout and availability of equipment will dictate the use of overhead projection or paper handouts.
2.3 Course Outline
| Module/Lesson | Objective |
| Module 1: Reading Legal Descriptions | The leaners should be able to interpret a legal description, identify in what era the description was written, and discern irregularities within a given description. |
| Lesson 1: Elements | The participants should be able to:· Identify issues pertaining to the age of a legal description.· Convert distances between rods, chains, and feet.· Describe the difference between a bearing and an azimuth.
· Demonstrate the proper use of a protractor and engineer’s scale. |
| Lesson 2: Drawing Part 1 | The participants should be able to plot a simple metes and bounds description with a scale and protractor. |
| Summary |
| Module/Lesson | Objective |
| Module 2: Plotting Legal Descriptions | Learners should be able plot a metes and bounds description on paper and read a survey plat. |
| Lesson 1: Drawing Part 2 | The participants should be able to plot a moderately complex metes and bounds description with a scale and protractor. |
| Lesson 2: Reading a Plat | The participants should be able to:· Identify elements of a survey plat.· Determine north on a survey plat.· Identify the Point of Beginning on a plat
· Verbally describe the property shown in proper vernacular and in sequential order |
| Summary |
| Module/Lesson | Objective |
| Module 3: Writing Legal Descriptions | Given a plat, learners should be able to write a simple metes and bounds legal description and compare a written description against a survey plat. |
| Lesson 1: Writing a legal description | The participants should be able to:· Write a legal description· Compare a written description to a plat |
| Summary |
2.4 Approximate Module Duration
| Module | Approximate Duration (Minutes) |
| Module 1: Background Information | 50 |
| Module 2: Reading Elevation Certificates | 50 |
| Module 3: Reading Elevation Certificates | 50 |
| Total Module Duration | 150 minutes |
2.5 Approximate Course Duration
Total duration for the Working with Legal Descriptions course is 3 hours (150 minutes of instruction with 30 minutes of breaks).
3 Detailed Design
3.1 Module 1: Reading Legal Descriptions
Module Objective: The leaners should be able to interpret a legal description, identify in what era the description was written, and discern irregularities within a given description.
| Lesson 1: The Elements | ||
| Lesson Objective: The participants should be able to identify issues pertaining to the age of a legal description, convert distances between rods, chains, and feet, describe the difference between a bearing and an azimuth, and demonstrate the proper use of a protractor and engineer’s scale. | ||
| Topic | Objective | Instructional Activities |
| Topic 1: Elements | The participants should be able to:· Identify issues pertaining to the age of a legal description. | Explain:· Introduce learners to the terms, variables, and factors encountered in metes and bounds descriptions.Activity:Given visual aids/handouts the correct tools: ask students to approximate the age of various descriptions and justify their responses. |
| Topic 2: Geometry | The participants should be able to:· Convert distances between rods, chains, and feet.· Describe the difference between a bearing and an azimuth.· Demonstrate the proper use of a protractor and engineer’s scale. | Explain:· Discuss the elements of a metes and bounds description including converting angles and distances.· Demonstrate how to utilize a proctor and engineer’s scale.Activity:
Given visual aids/handouts the correct tools: · Ask students to measure angles and distances. · Have students plot angles and distances. |
| Summary | ||
| Lesson 2: Plotting Part 1 | ||
| Lesson Objective: The participants should be able to plot a simple metes and bounds description with a scale and protractor. | ||
| Topic | Objective | Instructional Activities |
| Topic 1: | The participants should be able to plot a simple metes and bounds description with a scale and protractor. | Activity:Have the students plot a simple metes and bounds description.Explain:Demonstrate how to calculate the vertices and plot the lines correctly. |
| Summary | ||
3.2 Module 2: Plotting Legal Descriptions
Module Objective: Learners should be able plot a metes and bounds description on paper and read a survey plat.
| Lesson 1: Plotting Part 2 | ||
| Lesson Objective: The participants should be able to plot a simple metes and bounds description with a scale and protractor. | ||
| Topic | Objective | Instructional Activities |
| Topic 1: | The participants should be able to Plot a simple metes and bounds description with a scale and protractor. | Activity:Have the students plot a moderately complex metes and bounds description.Explain:Demonstrate how to calculate the vertices and plot the lines correctly as well as draw curves. |
| Summary | ||
| Lesson 2: Reading a Plat | ||
| Lesson Objective: The participants should be able to identify elements of a survey plat, determine north on a survey plat, identify the Point of Beginning on a plat, and verbally describe the property shown in proper vernacular and in sequential order | ||
| Topic | Objective | Instructional Activities |
| Topic 1: | The participants should be able to:· Identify elements of a survey plat.· Determine north on a survey plat.· Identify the point of beginning on a plat
· Verbally describe the property shown in proper vernacular and in sequential order |
Activity:Hand out survey plats of varying complexity.Explain:Explain the elements found on a survey.
Activity: Have the learners coherently read aloud descriptions from various survey plats. |
| Summary | ||
3.3 Module 3: Writing Legal Descriptions
Module Objective: Given a plat, learners should be able to write a simple metes and bounds legal description and compare a written description against a survey plat.
| Lesson 1: Writing a legal description | ||
| Lesson Objective: The participants should be able to write a legal description and compare a written description to a plat | ||
| Topic | Objective | Instructional Activities |
| Topic 1: Writing a Legal | The participants should be able to write a legal description. | Activity:Hand out various plats.Explain:As a whole and with individual assistance, lead the learners through the process of writing descriptions from survey plats. |
| Topic 2: Comparing a Legal | The participants should be able to compare a written description to a plat. | Activity:Learners will exchange their written descriptions with classmates and subsequently compare the written description against the plat.Explain:Work with individual learners to assist in this task. |
| Summary | ||
