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Real estate glossaryNational exam concept

Encroachment

An encroachment is an unauthorized physical intrusion by an improvement onto another parcel or into a protected area, such as a fence, garage, or roof crossing a boundary line.

Exam area: Property Ownership

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What does “encroachment” mean in real estate?

An encroachment is an unauthorized physical intrusion by an improvement onto another parcel or into a protected area, such as a fence, garage, or roof crossing a boundary line.

How is “encroachment” different from the closest wrong answer?

An encroachment is a physical intrusion. An easement is a legal right to use another's land. A license is revocable permission.

What is the Georgia-specific rule?

This is a national ownership concept on the Georgia exam. A survey and the recorded title documents are the evidence to examine in a real Georgia transaction.

Worked exam example

Scenario

A survey shows that a neighbor's garage extends eighteen inches across the recorded lot line without an easement.

What is the most common exam trap?

Trap correction

Do not choose easement merely because another parcel is affected. Ask whether there is a legal right or an unauthorized object.

Original exam check

Apply the definition

A new survey shows the neighbor's wooden fence sits two feet inside the buyer's recorded lot line. There is no written agreement, no recorded easement, and no permission from the owner. What is the fence?

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Recommended next complete lesson

Continue with Property Ownership complete lesson. It places this term inside the full rule, worked examples, exam traps, and mixed practice required for mastery.