How to Measure Land on a Property

Measure land before purchasing it.

Make an informed decision when contemplating a land lease, purchase or sale of a piece of property. Knowing the size of the parcel beforehand becomes critical when establishing costs. Gauge the size of a specific piece of land utilizing basic tools well-suited for the job. There's only one way to measure land, and that begins by putting your feet on the ground. Calculating the size of a piece of land intimidates many who make the attempt; and measuring some parcels can involve time and patience.

Things You'll Need

• Clip board
• Letter size paper
• Magnetic, hand-held compass
• 100 foot length of rope
• 50 foot tape measure
• Pocket calculator
• Pencil

Instructions

1. Identify the land you need to measure using property records. View land deed records, generally at no cost, at the county assessor's office located in the city hall or town hall that has jurisdiction over the area in question.

2. Copy the property's dimensions from the land deed onto letter sized paper; draw out a diagram of the land you intend to measure. Secure your data, along with your diagram, to the clip board.

3. Involve a land owner that is adjacent to the land you wish to measure in your search. With his or her assistance you can expedite searching for and locating property markers.

4. Determine the location of a boundary marker, called a "pin", in a corner of the property. These pins come in all shapes, sizes and types: a simple metal stake, driven into the ground; a pile of rocks with a prominent rock in the center; a cross painted or etched on a large rock or a pile of rocks with an iron or wooden stake in the center.

5. Orient your location at a land pin with your compass; identify this as your starting point on the diagram taken from the land deed. Referring to your diagram, move along in one compass direction towards the next corner or boundary. Measure distances by laying out the rope for longer measurements and the tape measure for fractional measurements. Transfer all measurements to the diagram paper. The measuring procedure becomes complete upon arriving back at your starting boundary pin.

6. Tabulate all measurements. Determine the square footage of the measured land by multiplying the length by the width; the total will represent the number of square feet.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a shovel to probe for existing property markers.

• A metal detector is helpful for locating metal property pins.

• 1 acre equals 43,560 square feet.

• Thorny undergrowth and low-hanging tree branches can harm you. Wear sturdy footwear and headgear when measuring land.

References

• "Maryland Cooperative Extension": How To Determine Your Property Boundaries
• "City Of Coon Rapids Community Development Department - Inspection Division": Property Line Location
• "Maryland Cooperative Extension": How To Measure Your Yard