A gravel road, a neighbor's wave, and everyone who has always driven it.
None of that shows up at closing.
Across Solano, Napa, and Yolo counties, plenty of land sits at the end of a road nobody ever recorded. The parcel looks the same on tour day. It becomes a different parcel when a lender, an insurer, or a new neighbor asks to see the paper.
A road with no recorded right behind it is a favor, and favors end when the neighbor sells.
Six things to confirm in writing
Who owns the road. County-maintained public road or private road.
The recorded easement or deed. The actual document that grants access, found in the title report.
The parcel match. The easement names your APN and legal description and passes with the land at closing.
The survey. Where the road runs, compared to where the easement says it runs.
What the access allows. Residential use, utilities, construction vehicles, emergency access, gates, and who holds the keys.
Maintenance and title coverage. A road maintenance agreement, and what your title officer says the policy covers.
If You're Selling
Pull this before you list. Buyers, their lenders, and their title company will all ask for the access paper. Finding the gap in week one of escrow gives you a deal with a problem. Finding it before you list gives you time to fix it.
Get the Full Checklist Download
General information, not legal advice. Your title officer and an attorney can confirm what applies to your parcel.
Gaul Culley | DRE 02045974
Gaul Culley Land Group | KW Vaca Valley