fence encroaching property in north carolina

[onesugarft]

I purchased house in north Carolina. Upon closing, I was told merritage placed fence on 15 feet on my property. This fence was present before I signed contract to purchase house. Am I at risk for losing the property on the other side of the fence? There is a main road there and they may widen it in the future.

 

[ShyCat]

Who or what is "merritage"?

 

[onesugarft]

Who or what is "merritage"?

The builder who built the house

 

[not2cleverRed]

Use a search engine and search "adverse possession law North Carolina", as that is what you seem to be asking about.

What is on the other side of the fence? Is there any question that the adjacent owner would consider/act like the fence is a legitimate boundary between your properties?

 

[LdiJ]

I purchased house in north Carolina. Upon closing, I was told merritage placed fence on 15 feet on my property. This fence was present before I signed contract to purchase house. Am I at risk for losing the property on the other side of the fence? There is a main road there and they may widen it in the future.

No, you are not at risk of losing that property, at least not without some sort of compensation.

 

[onesugarft]

Use a search engine and search "adverse possession law North Carolina", as that is what you seem to be asking about.

What is on the other side of the fence? Is there any question that the adjacent owner would consider/act like the fence is a legitimate boundary between your properties?

The fence was present before I signed the contract to buy the property and have Merritage (the builder) build a house. It went down alongside the entire road and I thought that was the end of my property. There is about 10-15 feet of my property on the other side of the fence and then I guess the rest of the land/grass belongs to the state. Then there is a major road. I did not find out my property was on the other side of the fence until I went to closing. There has been some talk about the state possibly widening the road

 

[onesugarft]

The fence was present before I signed the contract to buy the property and have Merritage (the builder) build a house. It went down alongside the entire road and I thought that was the end of my property. There is about 10-15 feet of my property on the other side of the fence and then I guess the rest of the land/grass belongs to the state. Then there is a major road. I did not find out my property was on the other side of the fence until I went to closing. There has been some talk about the state possibly widening the road

So when I read about adverse possession, it makes me think that if I don’t take down the fence, Merritage,the builder would own it in 20 years. I am in a subdivision and I just can’t take down the fence... what are my options?