Property access

• Questions to answer

Ingress and egress are terms used in real estate to describe the ability to access a property. Ingress refers to entering the property, while egress refers to exiting it. When building a home or doing a major renovation, it's crucial to ensure proper ingress and egress to the property, as it can impact the functionality, safety, and value of your home.

There are a few things you'll want to look into more as it pertains to property access:

Legal access:¶

Confirm that your property has legal access to a public road or that there's an access easement in place, granting you the right to cross a neighboring property to reach your land. Lack of legal access can cause disputes with neighbors and make it difficult to secure financing or building permits.

Driveway placement and design:¶

The location and design of your driveway will play a significant role in your property's ingress and egress. Consider factors such as visibility from the road, slope, turning radius, and distance from neighboring driveways and intersections. A well-designed driveway will provide safe and easy access to your home, while also complementing the overall aesthetics of your property.

Emergency access¶

Ensure that your property can be easily accessed by emergency vehicles, such as fire trucks and ambulances. This may include meeting minimum width requirements for driveways, providing turnaround areas, or ensuring that gates and other access points can be quickly opened in case of an emergency.

Maintenance and snow removal¶

Ingress and egress can be affected by weather conditions, such as snow and ice. Plan for proper maintenance and snow removal to keep your driveway and access points clear and safe year-round.

Impact on property value¶

Properties with convenient and safe ingress and egress are generally more desirable and may have higher market values. Conversely, limited or challenging access to a property can negatively affect its value and appeal to potential buyers.

Ensuring proper ingress and egress is essential for the functionality, safety, and value of your home. Thoroughly evaluate your property's access and work with professionals to design a driveway and access points that meet your needs and local regulations.

Questions to answer¶

After reading this section on ingress and egress, consider asking yourself the following questions to ensure you have a clear understanding of your property's access and how it impacts your home project:

• Have you confirmed that your property has legal access to a public road or an access easement in place? Are there any potential disputes with neighbors that you should be aware of?

• How will you design your driveway to provide safe and easy access to your home? What factors, such as visibility, slope, turning radius, and distance from neighboring driveways and intersections, will you consider in the placement and design?

• Can emergency vehicles easily access your property? Are there any specific requirements, such as minimum driveway width or turnaround areas, that you need to meet to ensure proper emergency access?

• How will you plan for maintenance and snow removal to keep your driveway and access points clear and safe throughout the year?

• Have you considered how ingress and egress might impact your property's value? What steps can you take to ensure that your property's access is both convenient and safe, thereby increasing its appeal to potential buyers?