Landlocked

A landlocked parcel is a tract of land with no legal access to a public road, surrounded entirely by privately owned properties. Without a legal means of ingress and egress, the parcel's utility and marketability are significantly limited.

In transactions, a landlocked property typically requires a recorded easement granting the right to cross an adjacent parcel to be considered functional and financeable. Most lenders will not approve financing on a property lacking documented access, as it fails a basic requirement for market acceptance.

For appraisers, absent legal access is a material condition that must be addressed in the valuation report, often resulting in a significant downward adjustment or limiting condition. Loan originators should identify access status early in the file to avoid late-stage underwriting complications, and buyers should conduct thorough title research before proceeding with any landlocked purchase.