What is required for the validity of legal descriptions in property transactions?

A legal description is critical for ensuring that a property can be specifically identified and distinguished from other parcels. For a legal description to be valid, it must provide specific location details—such as metes and bounds, lot numbers, or reference to a recorded plat—to accurately define the property's boundaries and location on the earth's surface.

Specific location details help form a clear and unambiguous reference that allows anyone—such as buyers, sellers, or legal entities—to pinpoint precisely where the property is situated. This is vital for transactions, title searches, and resolving any disputes that might arise regarding property lines or ownership. Without these details, misunderstandings could proliferate, affecting ownership rights and the integrity of the transaction.

While historical significance may contribute to a property's value or interest, it does not contribute to the clarity or validity of the legal description itself. Similarly, while certification by a licensed surveyor and marked boundaries are useful in the appraisal process and for ensuring accuracy, they do not in themselves form the basis for a valid legal property description, which primarily hinges on the specificity of location details.