Definition of "Abutting"

Joshua L. Cole real estate agent

Written by

Joshua L. Coleelite badge icon

Venture Realty Group

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!

 

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Terms

In a mortgage, a provision that allows part of the security to be released from any further lien obligations upon the borrower's making a given payment. For example, a person may get a ...

Linear measurement of property abutting a road or water body acting as a boundary market. ...

Same as term soil porosity: Extent to which soil has cavities or pores, thereby allowing water to pass through. ...

Unfortunately, we encounter false advertising daily. False advertising refers to deceptive or misleading ads and commercials that fail to showcase a product’s or service’s ...

Details of a contract of sale including a financial statement, legal description, type of deed, place, date and time of closing of title. ...

As a legal term, abandonment defines a deliberate renunciation of rights to an asset or a business relationship. What does abandonment mean in real estate? In real estate, abandonment, ...

The prepared form used to specify the terms of the listing contract. Usually a listing form consists of blanks the real estate agent fills in to provide the necessary information needed to ...

Method of selling and obtains possession, but the seller retains the title. ...

(1) Method of measurement lumber using the board foot cubic measure. The board measure is used to estimate quantities and prices of lumber materials. (2) Method of estimating lumber ...

Popular Real Estate Questions