NCEES Principles and Practice of Surveying Practice Exam

How is a Metes Description typically initiated?

1. By establishing a point of interest (p.o.b.) and walking the perimeter.

2. By providing a map detailing property boundaries.

3. By obtaining a surveyor's report on land measurements.

4. By listing the legal description in a deed document.

The correct answer is: By establishing a point of interest (p.o.b.) and walking the perimeter.

A Metes Description is a method of describing a parcel of land by using linear measurements and directions, often initiated from a specific starting point known as the point of beginning (p.o.b.). This approach is particularly useful when delineating irregularly shaped parcels, as it allows for precise and clear delineation of boundaries. Beginning the process at the point of beginning allows surveyors or property owners to walk the perimeter of the parcel, recording distances and angles as they proceed along the boundaries. This method provides a systematic way to document how the property unfolds spatially from one reference point to another, ensuring accuracy in representing the property’s dimensions and shape. In contrast, providing a map detailing property boundaries does not initiate the description but rather serves as a supplementary tool that visually represents the data. Obtaining a surveyor's report on land measurements is also not an initiation method; it is part of the subsequent verification and documentation phase that typically follows the metes-and-bounds measurement. Finally, listing a legal description in a deed document represents the culmination of the descriptive process, providing a formal record of the property’s boundaries, but does not initiate the description itself. Thus, starting with the point of beginning and describing the land with metes is the proper way to initiate