The term abutting comes from the verb “to abut” and the definition of abutting denotes more proximity than “adjacent”. Abutting is often used in real estate to discuss properties that don’t have between them any land or specific border to work as a limit. These properties are referred to as abutting properties. The term abutting is not only used when referring to two homes that share a boundary, but people can also use it in case of a home abutting a highway or industrial parks that are abutting a market. The meaning of abutting implies a shared boundary between a fence, a wall of a building, an outer wall of a home, or even a line drawn on the grass.
What is an abutting property?
An abutting building can be a home, townhouse, a high-rise condominium or an apartment complex. In architecture, the term abutting building refers to buildings with exterior walls that touch or are almost touching. They are regarded as abutting properties by building codes, and even when they have a seismic separation they are still regarded as abutting properties.
People make another comparison with the term “neighbor”. Still, while a neighbor can be the person living next door to you or the one from across the street, an abutter (the owner of the abutting property) can only be the one next door to you, but only if you share a common border between the two properties.
One of the requirements of abutting properties is that the expenses of specific projects to be split between the two. The neighbor from across the street, if the road is private or public domain, is not an abutter, but if the street is split between the two property owners, then the owners will split the costs of repairs. This right as well as other rights, regulations and guidelines are drafted in the Abutter’s rights and the owners of the abutting properties need to respect them.
Real Estate Tip:
Start abutting yourself to people who’ll get you where you want to be: a real estate deal! Find a local real estate agent now!
Popular Real Estate Terms
The prime rate, a benchmark interest rate banks use, plays a significant role in the real estate market. Essentially, it’s the interest rate that commercial banks charge their most ...
An offering of securities, stock and/or debt, directly to investors rather then through the public exchange markets. An advantage of a private placement to a real estate business is that ...
(1) Judgment against a defendant who does not respond to the plaintiffs lawsuit or fails to appear in court at the hearing or trial date. (2) Judgment issued by the court against the ...
Formal statement by an auditor, after through examination and consideration, as to whether a real estate company's financial statements fairly present financial position and operating ...
The appraisal approach is used to estimate the value of an asset, based on various factors to reach the closest educated guess of the asset. While an appraisal approach does consider the ...
Judicially determined minimum selling price for auctioned property. For example, a judge rules that a foreclosed home may be sold for less than $200,000, ...
person designating an agent to act for him. Primary individual having full financial liability. Amount being risked in a real estate investment. Owner of a real estate business. ...
A reciprocal transfer of property from one entity to another. A market for securities of a real estate companies, such as the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) ...
Legal proceeding whereby a person's property is attached and used to pay an obligation. The employer may withhold part of the employee's salary to the court until the debt has been paid. ...

Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.