Kovats Real Estate School Practice Test

By what means can the boundary of your property line be modified?

1. Dedication

2. Accretion

3. Easements

4. Adverse possession

The correct answer is: Accretion

The modification of a property line can occur through the process of accretion. Accretion refers to the gradual increase of land along a shoreline or riverbank due to the deposit of soil, silt, or other materials carried by water. This natural process can alter the boundaries of a property by adding land to it, thus changing the property line over time. When landowners experience accretion, the additional land that forms becomes part of their property, enhancing the total area owned. It is vital to understand how this process operates within the context of property rights and local laws, as property lines are not static, and natural processes can influence ownership. In contrast, dedication involves a formal transfer of land to public use, which does not inherently change a property line for private landowners. Easements are typically rights granted for specific uses of a portion of someone else's land and do not affect the ownership boundaries themselves. Adverse possession allows someone to claim ownership of land under certain conditions, but it does not modify original property lines in the way that accretion does. Therefore, accretion is the process that directly alters the property line by increasing the land area due to natural forces.