An easement is a legal right allowing a person or entity to use a portion of another owner's property for a defined purpose, without owning the land itself. The property owner retains title but must allow the permitted use.
Common examples include a utility easement letting a power or water company access lines, a right-of-way allowing a neighbor to cross a driveway, or a shared access easement for a private road. Easements can run with the land, meaning they remain in effect when the property is sold.
Because easements can limit how an owner uses or develops their land, buyers should understand any easements affecting a property before purchase. They usually appear in the title search and are recorded in public records.