Easement
An easement is a legal right allowing one party to use a portion of another party's land for a defined purpose — such as access, utilities, or drainage — without owning it.
What an easement is
An easement grants a specific, limited right to use land the easement holder does not own. The land stays in the owner's title, but the holder may use the defined portion for the stated purpose. Easements run with the land, meaning they typically survive a sale and bind future owners.
Common types of easements
Frequent types include access or right-of-way easements (crossing a parcel to reach another), utility easements (power, water, sewer, pipeline), drainage easements, and conservation easements that restrict development to preserve open space. Each can reduce the usable, developable area of a parcel.
Why easements matter in diligence
An easement can sharply limit what a buyer can build, where, and how. Identifying easements is a core part of due diligence — they appear in the title report and recorded documents, and they should be reconciled against the parcel's boundaries and intended use before closing. Paxiv's parcel and ownership intelligence, with one-click links to authoritative county records, helps teams research a parcel before ordering full title work.
Frequently asked questions
What is an easement in real estate?
An easement is a legal right to use a portion of someone else's land for a specific purpose — such as access, utilities, or drainage — without owning that land. Easements usually run with the land and bind future owners.
Do easements transfer when a property is sold?
Most easements run with the land, meaning they survive a sale and bind subsequent owners. They are typically recorded and appear in the title report, which is why identifying them is part of due diligence.
How do easements affect land value?
An easement can reduce a parcel's usable or developable area and constrain what can be built, which can lower its value. The impact depends on the easement's type, location, and scope relative to the intended use.