Land Locked

[TEX23]

I have land locked property in Texas. What can I do to get access to my property?

[aaron]

One way would be to purchase a right-of-way over a neighboring parcel of land.

How did the property come to be landlocked? Were you the owner at that time, or was the property landlocked when you acquired it?

[TEX23]

It was land locked when I purchased it. I have tried to get access from the neighbors but have not had any luck.

[lwpat]

You have to research the title to see how it originally became landlocked. Then you can get an easement by necessity.

[aaron]

Up here in Michigan I dealt with a case a while back in which a buyer knowingly purchased a landlocked parcel of land, then tried to get an easement or right-of-way over a neighbor's property (which would have created windfall profits, as well as burdening the neighbor). The neighbor prevailed in court.

The history of how the parcel became landlocked can be useful - as lwpat suggests, an easement may have been created when the parcel was divided, or there may even be a recorded easement over neighboring land. It's definitely worth researching.