Property Boundary

[pegbar]

I live in a Grantham Courtyard Villa. I know that my property extends to the right of the path leading to my neighbors yard.
On the survey for my property it shows an area with a width of 5.35 feet but does not document the length.
I would appreciate information as to the entire size of this area since it it my responsibility to maintain.Thanks in advance.

[BrianL99]

I live in a Grantham Courtyard Villa. I know that my property extends to the right of the path leading to my neighbors yard.
On the survey for my property it shows an area with a width of 5.35 feet but does not document the length.
I would appreciate information as to the entire size of this area since it it my responsibility to maintain.Thanks in advance.

It would be very odd for a real survey to dimension something and not include width and length (unless one or the other, extended beyond the limits of the survey). If you don't get a better answer, post a photo of the survey.

[retiredguy123]

I live in a Grantham Courtyard Villa. I know that my property extends to the right of the path leading to my neighbors yard.
On the survey for my property it shows an area with a width of 5.35 feet but does not document the length.
I would appreciate information as to the entire size of this area since it it my responsibility to maintain.Thanks in advance.
It's complicated. But your maintenance responsibility is detailed in your deed restriction document and in your signed plat. I had to read the deed restriction document about 5 times before I understood it. You are responsible for maintaining part of the property that is actually owned by your next door neighbor. I am attaching a sample plat that shows the areas you are responsible to maintain as a shaded area.

[retiredguy123]

It would be very odd for a real survey to dimension something and not include width and length (unless one or the other, extended beyond the limits of the survey). If you don't get a better answer, post a photo of the survey.
Note that a real survey is different from the routine maintenance plat that they require you to sign at the closing. The one you get at the closing defines your maintenance responsibilities detailed in the deed restrictions document. It shows lot lines, but it also shows the easement areas that you are required to maintain, per the deed restrictions. You really need both plats to fully understand the areas that you are required to maintain and the boundaries of your property. See the attachment in Post No. 3.

[ltcdfancher]

I live in a Grantham Courtyard Villa.

I tried to find the correct document on District dot gov for your village. I couldn’t find an exact reference to Grantham, but I think this might help.
https://www.districtgov.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/declaration-of-restrictions-sumter-d7-S7-800-anita.pdf

If not, it should be a simple task to find the correct documents there; you know your address ;)

[retiredguy123]

I tried to find the correct document on District dot gov for your village. I couldn’t find an exact reference to Grantham, but I think this might help.
https://www.districtgov.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/declaration-of-restrictions-sumter-d7-S7-800-anita.pdf

If not, it should be a simple task to find the correct documents there; you know your address ;)
This link will take you to your specific deed restriction document:

Community Standards - The Villages Community Development Districts (https://www.districtgov.org/services/resident/community-standards/)

[pegbar]

Thanks for this info. Did not know where to look.

[pegbar]

Thanks for this info.

[jimhoward]

In the purchase agreement that I signed on my property there were 2 drawings in the document. One was a routine maintenance plan like the one you showed. Right behind it was a plot plan showing and dimensioning all the boundaries. It may not be an official survey, but all the dimensions are shown. I thought that was standard...evidently not.

As others have pointed out there should be an accessible document on record with the county. You can probably get this from your address, but definitely from the plat book. Your purchase and sale agreement must have the legal description of the property (book number, page number, lot #, unit # etc).

[bobeaston]

Try the Sumpter County Property Appraiser (https://www.sumterpa.com/) (or Lake, or Marion).
For Sumpter there's a big read button on the front page: "Search Records," which leads to a page for multiple ways to search.

There, you will find a map of your legal parcel, minus setback from any roads.

[crash]

Try the Sumpter County Property Appraiser (https://www.sumterpa.com/) (or Lake, or Marion).
For Sumpter there's a big read button on the front page: "Search Records," which leads to a page for multiple ways to search.

There, you will find a map of your legal parcel, minus setback from any roads.

How long have you lived in The Villages? Drop the p it is Sumter.

[pegbar]

Thanks. Will check that

[defrey12]

I live in a Grantham Courtyard Villa. I know that my property extends to the right of the path leading to my neighbors yard.
On the survey for my property it shows an area with a width of 5.35 feet but does not document the length.
I would appreciate information as to the entire size of this area since it it my responsibility to maintain.Thanks in advance.

My god, man! Do you want to be a good neighbor in TV? If it LOOKS like part of your house/yard, take care of it. If your sprinklers water it, it’s yours. Precisely why we didn’t get a corner lot.

[mraines]

It's complicated. But your maintenance responsibility is detailed in your deed restriction document and in your signed plat. I had to read the deed restriction document about 5 times before I understood it. You are responsible for maintaining part of the property that is actually owned by your next door neighbor. I am attaching a sample plat that shows the areas you are responsible to maintain as a shaded area.
That makes no sense but I get it. I lived in a patio villa and kind of the same thing. I really don't like the way that is designed. I moved into a regular home and maintain my own property.

[MrLonzo]

The first photo shows the space between my CV and my neighbor’s. If you draw a line along the left side of the sidewalk and extend it down through the front lawn, everything to the right is my property and my responsibility. Everything to the left is my neighbor’s. That is my belief, and what I’ve been told. Easier to look at a picture than to read through technical jargon trying to describe it! I believe, too, that the bushes to the left of the sidewalk are on my neighbor’s property and their responsibility (2nd photo).

As you go through the gate toward the rear of the house (3rd photo), I believe my property line ends at the left side of the sidewalk since it’s only reasonable that my neighbor would need maintenance access to his side of the house. I don’t know if that is the neighbor’s property, ‘common’ property, or if it’s controlled by an easement. However, I do believe the rocky area with the plants is my responsibility to maintain since the sprinklers which water the plants are on my sprinkler system.

Thanks for any clarification -- perhaps it’s easier to comment on a photo than a blueprint.

[retiredguy123]

The first photo shows the space between my CV and my neighbor’s. If you draw a line along the left side of the sidewalk and extend it down through the front lawn, everything to the right is my property and my responsibility. Everything to the left is my neighbor’s. That is my belief, and what I’ve been told. Easier to look at a picture than to read through technical jargon trying to describe it! I believe, too, that the bushes to the left of the sidewalk are on my neighbor’s property and their responsibility (2nd photo).

As you go through the gate toward the rear of the house (3rd photo), I believe my property line ends at the left side of the sidewalk since it’s only reasonable that my neighbor would need maintenance access to his side of the house. I don’t know if that is the neighbor’s property, ‘common’ property, or if it’s controlled by an easement. However, I do believe the rocky area with the plants is my responsibility to maintain since the sprinklers which water the plants are on my sprinkler system.

Thanks for any clarification -- perhaps it’s easier to comment on a photo than a blueprint.
Typically, there is no "common" property in a courtyard villla. Most CY villas are about 10 feet apart and the property line runs midway between the properties. However, when you get inside the gate, you are required to maintain all of the property inside your back yard, even though your neighbor owns a 5-foot strip of land in your back yard. This is called a sideyard easement. Outside of the gate, you are responsible for maintaining all of the land from your house to the exterior wall of the neighbor's house. This is also called a sideyard easement. The purpose for this rule is so you can control the appearance of the front part of your house. Again, there is no common property, only easements.

[jimhoward]

I get what they did. The lots are all rectangles or simple polygons that fill the space and are easy to survey. But then the house designers go for more complicated shapes for aesthetic or functional reasons. They don’t bother re-laying out the plots, they mesh the two with easements. No big deal.

A five foot strip of my side yard is owned by my neighbor but I use it and I maintain it. He does not use it and can’t even see it and it’s inside my fence. He has the same situation on the other side of his house. It’s weird but okay.

One complication though is if you want a pool or birdcage or similar. Your set back starts from your actual lot line not your apparent one. Or at least I think it does.

[retiredguy123]

I get what they did. The lots are all rectangles or simple polygons that fill the space and are easy to survey. But then the house designers go for more complicated shapes for aesthetic or functional reasons. They don’t bother re-laying out the plots, they mesh the two with easements. No big deal.

A five foot strip of my side yard is owned by my neighbor but I use it and I maintain it. He does not use it and can’t even see it and it’s inside my fence. He has the same situation on the other side of his house. It’s weird but okay.

One complication though is if you want a pool or birdcage or similar. Your set back starts from your actual lot line not your apparent one. Or at least I think it does.
I think you've got it. A lot of people don't.

[BrianL99]

Thanks for any clarification -- perhaps it’s easier to comment on a photo than a blueprint.

Commenting or drawing conclusions from a photo, is likely to lead to trouble. You need to see a Plot Plan at a minimum, preferably a legitimate Survey Plan.

For example, if that walk-way in the last photo is on an easement, it's unlikely that someone has a right to put an HVAC unit and partially block access. You need to see a plan, then you need to read the Grant of the Easements.

[retiredguy123]

Commenting or drawing conclusions from a photo, is likely to lead to trouble. You need to see a Plot Plan at a minimum, preferably a legitimate Survey Plan.

For example, if that walk-way in the last photo is on an easement, it's unlikely that someone has a right to put an HVAC unit and partially block access. You need to see a plan, then you need to read the Grant of the Easements.
It appears as though the AC unit is on the property owned by the house on the right, and it is not in the easement area. The easement area is on the left side of the yard next to the house on the left.