Right of way
A type of easement giving someone else the right to travel across your land. Roads, utility corridors, and shared driveways are common examples.
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Free to set up. No credit card.Part 1 of 4
Why a seller cares
A right of way lets somebody cross your land, and it stays with the property. A shared driveway or a utility corridor is common; the title commitment lists it, and buyers want to know exactly where it runs.
Part 2 of 4
A simple example
The neighbor behind you reaches their lot by a recorded right of way along your side yard. The buyer's survey shows it as a twelve-foot strip.
| The right of way | What it means for the buyer |
|---|---|
| A shared driveway | Another car on it, and a maintenance question the agreement answers |
| A utility corridor | No building on that strip |
| An unrecorded path the neighbor uses | A question worth settling on paper before closing |
A right of way is somebody else's route across your land, and the buyer inherits the traffic.
Part 3 of 4
What people get wrong
That the owner can close it off. A recorded right of way stays until the holder gives it up.
Part 4 of 4 · where to read next
Where it appears in the sale
What a definition is, and what it isn't
Keighbor is a software company, not a law firm, brokerage, or tax adviser. This is general information, not legal, tax, financial, or real estate advice about your sale. Your situation may differ. Before acting on a contract, disclosure, title, tax, or pricing question, ask an appropriately licensed professional in your state.
Written and researched by Keighbor Research · drawn from the reference glossary · how we research and check what we publish
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