Property lines and easements

[MrLonzo]

I’m wondering where my property begins and ends. I’m talking mostly about the property between my house and my neighbor’s house. I'm in a courtyard villa, so it should be simple.

I read the Property Rights section of the CC&Rs which talks about easements and dominant/servient tenements, etc. – it’s easy to get lost in the legal terms. A picture would be helpful. Do you know where I can find one?

[retiredguy123]

For an overview, go to this website and click on "courtyard villa maintenance":

Forms and Publications (https://www.districtgov.org/departments/community-standards/forms.aspx)

You really need a copy of the official recorded plat for your house. You can get one by calling your county records office. You can also call The Villages administration office and they may help you. Your warranty deed will tell you the official plat page where your plat is recorded. But, basically, the property lines for courtyard villas are usually located midway between the houses. Courtyard villas are about 10 feet apart and the property line is about 5 feet from the exterior wall of your house.

[Marathon Man]

Property lines do not matter in courtyard villas. All owners agree to what I believe is called "right of use". Look at the drawings to get a simple and accurate illustration. https://www.districtgov.org/departments/community-standards/images/CourtYard.pdf

[Bill14564]

Shortly after closing I received a .pdf with architectural drawings of my house including property lines. Perhaps contact the Warranty Dept or Customer Service.

[retiredguy123]

I’m wondering where my property begins and ends. I’m talking mostly about the property between my house and my neighbor’s house. I'm in a courtyard villa, so it should be simple.

I read the Property Rights section of the CC&Rs which talks about easements and dominant/servient tenements, etc. – it’s easy to get lost in the legal terms. A picture would be helpful. Do you know where I can find one?
Here is a picture. I got it as part of my closing document information. The shaded parts show the areas of maintenance that are also described in the deed restriction document.

[Papa_lecki]

I got a copy of all my construction drawings, as well as my plot plan from Sumter County.
I requested it online, I forget the exact spot, if it was the county site or the tax collector’s site. Got an emailed package

[villagetinker]

I’m wondering where my property begins and ends. I’m talking mostly about the property between my house and my neighbor’s house. I'm in a courtyard villa, so it should be simple.

I read the Property Rights section of the CC&Rs which talks about easements and dominant/servient tenements, etc. – it’s easy to get lost in the legal terms. A picture would be helpful. Do you know where I can find one?

When we were on our lifestyle tour, we took one look at the CYVs and the dual access issue, and ran from them. Told our agent we wanted our own lot without any neighbor access. We found the whole arrangement to be very confusing and problematic if you have a neighbor you do not get along with.

[Topspinmo]

I’m wondering where my property begins and ends. I’m talking mostly about the property between my house and my neighbor’s house. I'm in a courtyard villa, so it should be simple.

I read the Property Rights section of the CC&Rs which talks about easements and dominant/servient tenements, etc. – it’s easy to get lost in the legal terms. A picture would be helpful. Do you know where I can find one?

Nothing simple in CYVs :22yikes:

[JoMar]

Property lines do not matter in courtyard villas. All owners agree to what I believe is called "right of use". Look at the drawings to get a simple and accurate illustration. https://www.districtgov.org/departments/community-standards/images/CourtYard.pdf

Property Lines always matter.

[retiredguy123]

Property Lines always matter.
I agree. But, if you examine the drawing in Post No. 5, there is a fair amount of land located outside of the homeowner's lot line that is required to be maintained by the homeowner. These areas include land located on the neighbor's property as well as the right of way area adjacent to the street. And, there is a fair amount of land on the homeowner's property that is maintained, controlled, and used by the neighbor. Welcome to courtyard villa living in The Villages.

[Bill14564]

Property Lines always matter.

In what way do they matter in a CYV?

[Marathon Man]

Property Lines always matter.

Not when you sign a contract agreeing that they don't.

[MrLonzo]

Property lines do not matter in courtyard villas. All owners agree to what I believe is called "right of use". Look at the drawings to get a simple and accurate illustration. https://www.districtgov.org/departments/community-standards/images/CourtYard.pdf

The diagram is helpful. If you look at the lots in the diagram, A, B, and C, my house is like B. So owner of A cuts the lawn between A and B in back of the gate, which includes some of my property indicated by dashed line. I maintain the lawn in the front of the gate which includes some of the A lot. So the gate is 'shared' property? Who repairs it if a hinge or latch breaks? Or do the A and B owners share the expense?

[JGibson]

Property lines do not matter in courtyard villas. All owners agree to what I believe is called "right of use". Look at the drawings to get a simple and accurate illustration. https://www.districtgov.org/departments/community-standards/images/CourtYard.pdf

Does that diagram mean my neighbor is responsible for pressure washing my house wall inside her gate or just the concrete wall?

[JGibson]

Nothing simple in CYVs :22yikes:

100% agree unless you have a dog or MUST have a wall that doesn't even extend the whole length of the house I would not advise buying a CYV especially with them becoming a hot commodity for Airbnb.

The area along the side of the house turns into the party area and your bedrooms are right there.

I can hear every single word of their conversation in the side yard and I’m in the bedroom.

I was thinking of putting up soundproofing on the bedroom walls for those nights I get lucky. lol.

[retiredguy123]

Does that diagram mean my neighbor is responsible for pressure washing my house wall inside her gate or just the concrete wall?
No. You are not allowed to do anything to the neighbor's exterior house wall, or attach anything to it.

[retiredguy123]

The diagram is helpful. If you look at the lots in the diagram, A, B, and C, my house is like B. So owner of A cuts the lawn between A and B in back of the gate, which includes some of my property indicated by dashed line. I maintain the lawn in the front of the gate which includes some of the A lot. So the gate is 'shared' property? Who repairs it if a hinge or latch breaks? Or do the A and B owners share the expense?
The diagram in Post No. 5 explains that. You are responsible for maintaining and/or repairing the gate on the side of your house where you enter your back yard.

[Keefelane66]

With all the posts about lawn maintenance and irrigation I’m glad with the purchase of a CYV.

[banjobob]

The hot commodity in airBNB renting are patio villas

[GizmoWhiskers]

I’m wondering where my property begins and ends. I’m talking mostly about the property between my house and my neighbor’s house. I'm in a courtyard villa, so it should be simple.

I read the Property Rights section of the CC&Rs which talks about easements and dominant/servient tenements, etc. – it’s easy to get lost in the legal terms. A picture would be helpful. Do you know where I can find one?

In a Villa your property lines are set approximately (or about 2 ft from your house) to the end of your white picket fence toward your right and on your left at the point your neighbors white picket fence ends on the left. The neighbor on the left maintains the entire area up to your home and driveway. You maintain up to your neighbors on the right.

You can see your property lines by going online and looking at the county property appraiser website.

[GizmoWhiskers]

For an overview, go to this website and click on "courtyard villa maintenance":

Forms and Publications (https://www.districtgov.org/departments/community-standards/forms.aspx)

You really need a copy of the official recorded plat for your house. You can get one by calling your county records office. You can also call The Villages administration office and they may help you. Your warranty deed will tell you the official plat page where your plat is recorded. But, basically, the property lines for courtyard villas are usually located midway between the houses. Courtyard villas are about 10 feet apart and the property line is about 5 feet from the exterior wall of your house.

Oops... thought OP was in a Villa.

[retiredguy123]

In a Villa your property lines are set approximately (or about 2 ft from your house) to the end of your white picket fence toward your right and on your left at the point your neighbors white picket fence ends on the left. The neighbor on the left maintains the entire area up to your home and driveway. You maintain up to your neighbors on the right.

You can see your property lines by going online and looking at the county property appraiser website.
Courtyard villas are approximately 10 feet apart, and the property line runs down the center of the space between the houses. My property line is 5 feet from my exterior wall on both sides. You can see this on the diagrams referred to in Post Nos. 2 and 5.

[Gunny2403]

Go to sumterpa.com. Look up property by name, address or parcel. Lots of info, including a very property map

[retiredguy123]

Go to sumterpa.com. Look up property by name, address or parcel. Lots of info, including a very property map
Only if you live in Sumter County.

[wawriwwawriw]

In my case, my gardening responsibilities lines is different from my properties lines. When I closed the purchase of this house, I was given two documents, one reflecting the property, lines, and one reflecting my responsibility for gardening.

[kendi]

Does that diagram mean my neighbor is responsible for pressure washing my house wall inside her gate or just the concrete wall?

You are responsible for your house walks. Your neighbor has to allow access for it to be cleaned. Your neighbor is only responsible for the landscaping next to your house. If by “concrete wall” you mean the your privacy wall, yes you clean your side of the wall. Neighbor cleans their side.

[Marathon Man]

Does that diagram mean my neighbor is responsible for pressure washing my house wall inside her gate or just the concrete wall?

Your neighbor is responsible for everything inside the gate except for your house.

As far as property lines go, the line cut through the garage of my old villa. Ignore the lines, follow the diagram.

[rogerk]

Look at your site plan. It is included in your closing documents. Possibly you can get a copy from Architecture Review Committee (ARC).

[Topspinmo]

100% agree unless you have a dog or MUST have a wall that doesn't even extend the whole length of the house I would not advise buying a CYV especially with them becoming a hot commodity for Airbnb.

The area along the side of the house turns into the party area and your bedrooms are right there.

I can hear every single word of their conversation in the side yard and I’m in the bedroom.

I was thinking of putting up soundproofing on the bedroom walls for those nights I get lucky. lol.

Won’t do no good sound comes from attics vents up to attic through Ac/heat ducting.

[fishon]

Nearly half of the homes in the courtyard villas have had the boundary corners staked by a surveyor. In the front yard look in the driveway for a nail with washer corner marker. It should be straight towards the street from the side concrete walk and 6 or 7 feet from the edge of pavement.
In the back yard you will need a metal detector to find the rebar corner marker, often 1 foot along the sideline from the true corner, because the true corner is beneath a wall.

[JGibson]

Thanks, I got it.

[JGibson]

Won’t do no good sound comes from attics vents up to attic through Ac/heat ducting.

You're probably right.

The whole CYV design is odd between the curved driveways and the property line inside your neighbor's fence.

I think if they ran the concrete wall the full length of the house it would be more ideal.

They put a dam inflatable pool alongside my house and technically some of that pool is on my property.

Also I see a big diaper box out in the garbage this morning which explains the inflatable pool.

I see nothing but problems with this Airbnb thing.