I'm a single line (paragraph) per course guy too.
I just completed an 82 course description (1,008.838 acres) and every course runs 3-4 LINES each. It is currently 7 pages (Times New Roman @ font size 12), but I know that it will get smashed together into a nearly unreadable mess at some point.
When I get one of those "run-on" descriptions, I use 5 different color highlighters just to make sense of them (I HATE that). If they show up in a text or word processing file, then I simple break each course apart from the smeared together mess, which makes review (and CAD/COGO entry) MUCH easier.
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I was hoping some would pick up on this issue. Different styles in different places.
Over 95 percent of all plats and deed descriptions I have encountered are of the run-on style instead of the line by line style.
I have no problem reading with all caps on plats but I find it exceedingly difficult to read on a 8.5x14" deed description.
Whoa, a deed description and a map are two different horses.?ÿ Of course I use English with proper upper/lowercase in a deed with proper capitalization concerning reference documents, apt use of commas, semicolons; precise use of both.?ÿ A deed is a narrative so should be clear in all aspects as to which calls are are paramount.
It's hard to explain but consider this:
"thence NXX?øxx'xx"E?ÿ xx.xx', thence Sxx?øxx'xx"W xx.xx' ad nauseum."
Conversely "thence NXX?øxx'xx"E?ÿ xx.xx' to the NW boundary of Smith's property (ref) xxx.xx' from the Northern terminus thereof, thence along said line to the?ÿ NW corner of Smith's to an iron monument with tag #12345 etc.?ÿ Thence along the southern line of Smith's property (ref) xxx.xx'; to the point of beginning".
I abhor actual bearing and distance calls without reference to adjacent record lines in deeds.?ÿ Be upfront and state "to the NW corner of Smith's land".?ÿ I've actually written deeds where there's no BD calls whatsoever that were held in court.
But if you're a measurer have an angle and you can make an mess, don't do that.
The same information should be shown on your drawing as is described in your property description.
No more or no less.
We have been doing that since the 90s.?ÿ
All descriptions are written one course to a line:
thence (bearing) (distance), (record info if needed) (calls to irons, lines, ROW, deeds, etc);
thence N 45d30'25" W 100.05 feet,?ÿ (99.5' Rec) to the South ROW of Smith Lane;
thence N 89d00'20" W?ÿ 900.00 feet,?ÿ along said ROW, to the Point of Beginning.
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Always times new roman, always 12pt.?ÿ We also indent so that all of the record and call info is lines up in paragraph format to the right of the measured distance info. The result is all of the measured info neatly in a 2 column format on the left side of the document - very easy to read and follow.?ÿ Yes it does take up more space, but I feel it makes a better product, and had become one of our hallmarks.
Title companies fell in love with us when we started.?ÿ I still get compliments on our style as everyone around here just runs it on and on and on - and usually just printed in some standard CAD font that is tough to read anyway.
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That is the way I've been doing it for the last 3 decades or so for any documents to be recorded.?ÿ Mine are also full upper case to boot.?ÿ They are very easy to read when scanned.?ÿ Paper is cheap.
