The term accretion is pre-own in real estate law to accredit an increase of land due to the accumulation of soil on the shoreline of a lake, stream, or sea. In other words, accretion real estate is a gift bestowed to landowners by Mother Nature. The land can also decrease in size through erosion and avulsion.
Accretion in real estate works on a somewhat smaller scale for most of the landowners. Thus slowly increasing or decreasing the actual amount of landmass owned by various landowners. The three ways which are moving water and can influence a property’s geography include accretion, avulsion, and reliction.
Accretion
Accretion is defined as the gradual increase of landmass by the washing up of silt or soil, caused by the movement of neighboring water. For example, Arnold’s farm borders a large lake, which is enticed by various tourists and locals during the summer season. Arnold’s grandfather bought the land before passing it down to Arnold.
He recalls spending time as a boy at the lake over which the large house has glanced. The shoreline, as Arnold recall it, was much closer to the house and immediate yard. In this example of accretion real estate, the silt and soil are slowly deposited with each wave that surfs the shore of the lake.
While in this example of accretion. Arnold is contemplated to be the owner of the increased land surface left behind over the past half-century. Should that accretion landmass happen upon an existing right of way, the landowner has no more claim to the area than he had before the accretion occurred?
Avulsion
An avulsion is a sudden, obvious change in the land caused by water. For instance, during a storm, a river may swell, the water running higher on its banks than on normal days. This can wash away large chunks of unstable soil, carrying it downstream. For example, Neal and John bought a small piece of real estate property adjoining to the medium-sized tributary of a large river. The pair had caught the gold-panning fever and planned to pan on their little slice of the shore.
One day, a large storm brought avalanche after avalanche. The swollen stream weakened the banks, and a large chunk of Neal’s and John’s parcel joined the rushing water of the lake. The laws in reference to the avulsion of real estate property generally administer that the actual soil that is broken off remains the property of the original owner. In this case, had the men been searching for gold in the very location from which the large chunk of land had been washed away, as they might want to pursue where it landed? While the law may back their continued ownership of the soil.
Reliction
Reliction is the opposite of accretion. In reliction, the land area is deliberately increased because the waterline is receding, or moving farther out. Reliction may also refer to a change in the boundaries of the real estate property. Thus resulting from a river’s or stream’s change of course over time.
In general, real estate property is gained by reliction accorded to the owner of the real estate property. For example, Millie’s family has owned a home that edges up against a small river for generations. Over the past few decades, the water of the river has moved the soil. Thus taking some with it on its journey, and leaving some further down the way. This has deliberately pushed the river out of its course, thus changing the real estate property lines on both sides.
The sandy riverbank on which the family had been assets family picnics and get-togethers has grown wider over the last few years. Because the land gained by reliction belongs to the owner of the real estate property adjacent to the river water. Thus commissioning a new survey of the real estate property might increase the value of the property.
How one can calculate accretion?
The accretion real estate is termed as the aggregation of additional income which an investor of the real estate property expects to receive after purchasing a bond at a discount and holding until maturity value. In other words, the rate of accretion is determined by dividing a bond’s discount by the number of years in its term to its maturity.
