Maryland Land Title Association Pre-Licensing Practice Test 2026 - Free Practice Questions and Study Guide

The method that utilizes a series of courses and distances as determined by a land surveyor is known as metes and bounds. This traditional surveying technique involves specifying the boundaries of a property based on physical landmarks, directional angles, and measurable distances. Each boundary is described using precise language that often references natural landmarks, such as trees or streams, along with compass directions (north, south, east, west) and distances (feet, meters).

Metes and bounds are particularly valuable in areas where more standardized methods like lot and block cannot be applied. This technique allows for a more individual and unique description of tracts of land, accommodating varied shapes and sizes of parcels. While other methods, like lot and block or platted legal descriptions, rely on a specific grid system or pre-planned layouts, metes and bounds provides flexibility through natural markers and allows for accurate defining of irregularly-shaped parcels or land that has not been subdivided.

In summary, the metes and bounds method is essential for establishing precise legal descriptions of property by relying on the professional judgment of surveyors and their expertise in interpreting land contours and boundaries, which sets it apart from other legal description methods.