A flag lot is a property located behind another another property, with an access strip of land to get back to it from a public street. The access strip is the “flagpole” and the lot is the “flag.”

    Two types are shown above, and the left one is the typical configuration we see in the country around North Florida, when a landowner decides to sell off the the back half of their long and narrow acreage. In this case, the pole is deeded to the new property owner in the back.

    A flag lot layout that is more complicated legally is the one at right. It is more often done in urban or suburban property, and the complication is that the pole becomes an easement and is not deeded to a specific property owner. Since the easement is a road that must be maintained in good condition, disputes over sharing responsibility for maintenance can arise.

    A flag lot can be quieter because it is back from the street, but not everyone wants to live behind someone else’s property, so a flag lot may be less valuable and have a more limited resale market of potential buyers than a lot with street frontage.

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Here’s links to a collection of our other blog posts about a home’s SITE:

• Why do so many more sinkholes open up after a hurricane?

• Should I seal the pavers at my patio and driveway or not? 

• What is a flag lot?

• How much is the ground required to slope away from a house? 

 • How do I recognize structural problems in a retaining wall?  

• What are the warning signs of a sinkhole? 

• How can homebuyers protect themselves against buying a house over a sinkhole?  

• What should I do about a tree with roots running under my house?

• Will the electric company trim branches rubbing against the overhead service lines to my house?

• How can trees damage a house? 

•  What causes cracks in a driveway?

• What is my chance of buying a Florida home over a sinkhole? 

    Visit our SITE page for other related blog posts on this subject, or go to the INDEX for a complete listing of all our articles.