If you own or plan to own real estate in Georgia, you may be wondering how easement agreements and other agreements to use or enter onto the real property of another may affect your property and its value.

An easement, otherwise known as a right of way, is a right granted to the holder of the easement to use property not owned by the holder. An easement agreement can grant an affirmative easement, such as allowing an individual to drive across a neighboring property to reach a public road, or a negative easement, such as preventing an individual from building a fence that would obstruct his neighbor’s view. An easement generally runs with the land, meaning that such agreements can affect your property well into the future.

Many homes, particularly in more rural Georgia counties, have shared (or common) driveways. Sharing a driveway comes with both benefits and frustrations. A major advantage of a shared driveway is that it generally means the costs of maintenance and repair are shared between you and the other owners. On the other hand, you may be limited in how you can use the driveway, which can often lead to disagreements between neighbors. The exact arrangement of a shared driveway agreement can vary, but a well-drafted agreement establishes rules that dictate how the driveway will be cared for and how disagreements will be handled should they arise.

Ever wonder where the exact line of your property ends and your neighbor’s property begins? Questions about the precise edges of neighboring boundaries can arise for a number of reasons from survey discrepancies over the many times the property has changed hands over the years to assumptions based on existing fences or landscape boundaries. While the boundary lines of your property aren’t always clear, you don’t have to leave it up to chance or guesswork. Having an experienced real estate attorney assist you in drafting an enforceable boundary line agreement can help alleviate uncertainty and resolve any inconsistencies or disputes between neighbors.