Hello everyone I just read a number of posts but did not really find the answers I am looking for.

We have an 87 acre property in Upstate NY landlocked by another 87 acre property. These were part of one parcel that was split in two and one given to the son and the other the daughter 100 years ago. When that was done we were given an easement over the front property to access our property to the seasonal dirt road. Our deed states this easement as "...along the maple trees." All the land has been in the family for almost 200 years.

Recently my grandmother's cousin, the owner of the front parcel passed away, leaving it to his children. They are now trying to sell it. We made an offer but were rejected. I have 3 questions?

1 - How does an easement over a property affect the sale of it? We have taken our papers to an attorney that assured us we have a valid right of way.

2 - We have always treated the whole 174 acres as ours taking care of it, as the owner of the front half moved away in the 1940's and never used it. Foolishly, assuming it would never leave the family, we made improvements to their parcel rebuilding a road, planting a number of apple trees, and re-seeding some small meadows in the last 5 years about $10,000 in cost. Does this give us any rights to the property or to re-coup the investment?

3 - Lastly there are two access roads that cross the front property for sale that we use to access ours. Both have always been there and been used, but our deed only says about one described as "along the maples" which could describe either one. Do we have a right to continue to use both if a new owner wants to be a pain?

Lastly this land is simply used for hunting and camping, and does not have any power to it.

Thanks,