property is very vaguely described by old deeds. "Fifty acres
more or less bounded on the east by the highway, northerly by land
owned by Jones, westerly to that of or recently owned by Smith, and
southerly by that of Brown," illustrates roughly an old title
description. You may get forty-five or fifty-five acres, and it is up
to you to establish just what fences and so forth are your actual
boundaries.

A surveyor reduces all this to exact measurements and puts definite
markers at the corners and wherever else the party lines change
direction. When finished, he provides you with a certified copy of his
survey in map form, giving distances and indicating location of his
monuments. These are usually either iron stakes driven two or three
feet into the ground or concrete posts about two inches square set in
the ground and plainly visible. It is illegal to move such marks.

With title clear and the survey completed, everything is ready for the
title closing, as lawyers call the time when title to the property
passes from seller to buyer. The latter's lawyer should have
investigated and passed on all steps prior to this and adjusted any
minor details with the seller's lawyer. The buyer and his lawyer and
the seller and his lawyer should all be present at a title closing.
The paid tax bills for the current year are first presented and any
minor adjustments made. Then the buyer presents a certified check or
actual cash for the amount he has agreed to pay. He also has a small
amount of money on hand to meet any adjustments such as taxes,
insurance, and the like. Lastly, the deed, which has been carefully
reviewed by the buyer's lawyer, is signed by the seller and, for
better or worse, you have become a country property owner.

CALL IN AN ARCHITECT

[Illustration]

_CHAPTER IV_

CALL IN AN ARCHITECT

The prospective country dweller is now owner of a piece of property
and his ideas are probably fairly definite as to how his home is going
to look when his family is actually living there. But seldom is it a
simple matter of gathering the household goods into a moving van,
having them set down in the new place, and then going out on the
terrace to watch the sunset while deft workers within set things to
rights.

There may be no house at all on his new holding, much less a terrace.
At the time of purchase, an old mill, barn or other combination of
walls and roof may stand in place of his imaginary home. Even