Three Steps to Research Acquiring Adjoining Property

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Dear Monty: In the back of my neighborhood is an abandoned school. It was purchased recently, with a section now being used for a cell tower (the tower is outside my line of sight when looking straight from my back door). I wanted to know how to research the possibility and process of purchasing a piece of that parcel, specifically, the part/land touching the end of my backyard, and whether that’s even possible. Where do I start?

Monty’s Answer: Acquiring adjoining property appears to have become more prevalent in recent years. Different reasons driving this trend include growing vegetables, more room for your animals to play and additional privacy. Two consenting owners adding adjoining partial parcels can vary from simple and relatively inexpensive to complicated and time-consuming projects. The forces that can complicate matters are zoning and subdivision regulations, homeowners association (HOA) rules and your neighbors.

The Process

No. 1: Determine the identity of the owner. In most of the country, technology has made this process relatively simple. Go to your computer and type the name of the municipality or county, plus three letters, “GIS,” into the navigation bar. If no result appears, call the city and ask which department handles land records. You are looking for an overview map that identifies the school property’s owner and neighboring parcels’ owners. Your property should also appear on the map. The map you are looking at will provide much information. Some GIS maps may not show the owner’s name but instead reveal a parcel number associated with the property tax record, which is also often available online.