Deep in My Library

Deep in my library, beyond Willa Cather's O Pioneers!, William J.
O'Neil's How to Make Money in Stocks, and down the aisle from
Blitzer's Algebra & Trigonometry, and other exciting Sunday afternoon
perusals through the collected knowledge of humanity, you'll find the
map room. Don't turn away just yet...don't let the large flat-files
turn you off, or the listless Replogle globe spin you around, for this
is, unbeknown to most, the best part of the library. That which lists
of figures & text will just begin to whisper to you, maps will grab
you by your lapels, scream into your ears, and check to see if you're
still listening. Here's what's known as a Block and Lot map, the key
to understanding the area in which you're looking to buy a house.
Your town or county may not use exactly this system, but I'll bet
they've got something similar.

Blocks are defined by the surrounding streets, and the blocks are
comprised of lots. Whether you're looking at a newly defined set of
lots out of town or at an old part of town first inhabited hundreds
of years ago, the mapping of the deed-based land will be the same.

Differently and more generally than a survey or the actual Deed, the
block and lot map will show you both where your property lines and
also describe the boundaries of all your neighbors parcels.

Want to find out more? Take a day to go down to your local planning, assessment
or Deeds office to research your future community. Take a pen and
paper and record that research!