Selling a House on a Private Road with No Recorded Easement in Utah
What Is a Private Road Easement?
If your home is accessed by a private road — especially in rural parts of Utah — an easement is a legal agreement that allows you (and future owners) the right to use someone else’s land to reach your property.
But what if there’s no recorded easement? That’s a big problem when you go to sell.
Why This Matters to Home Sellers
Here’s the bottom line: if your home sits on or is only accessible by a private road and you don’t have a recorded easement, most banks won’t approve a mortgage. That immediately shrinks your buyer pool to cash-only buyers or investors who understand how to navigate title risks.
And in some cases, the buyer’s title company may refuse to insure the deal at all.
Common Scenarios We See in Utah
- Cabins or homes in rural Utah with dirt roads or seasonal access
- Older homes where previous owners used access paths informally for decades
- Inherited property where access was always “understood” but never recorded
- Family land that was divided informally and lacks updated surveys or easements
These situations are more common than most sellers realize — especially outside city limits in places like Moab, Cache County, or Iron County.
The Risks of Selling Without a Legal Easement
- Mortgage Denials
Most lenders require legal access to the home. No easement = no loan = no buyer. - Title Insurance Problems
Title companies may refuse to issue insurance, which is typically required for a sale to close. - Legal Disputes
If a neighbor decides to block access or sell their portion of the road, you or your buyer could lose the only entry point to the home. - Lower Property Value
Buyers may see the home as too risky or complicated — driving down your sale price significantly.
Options If You Want to Sell Anyway
Option 1: Try to Create a Legal Easement
This usually requires:
- A formal land survey
- Legal cooperation from the neighboring landowner(s)
- Filing the easement with the county recorder’s office
Downside: This can take weeks or months and may involve paying the neighbor for access rights. There’s no guarantee they’ll agree.
Option 2: Sell As-Is to a Cash Home Buyer
If you want to avoid the legal headache, you can sell to a professional cash home buyer — like Scout Peak Home Buyers — who:
- Understands how to assess risk on properties without easements
- Can close quickly without relying on lender requirements
- Pays cash for homes as-is, even with access complications
We Buy Utah Homes Without Easements
At Scout Peak Home Buyers, we specialize in unique and hard-to-sell properties, including:
- Homes on private roads with no legal access
- Landlocked land
- Unpermitted structures
- Inherited property with family access issues
We buy houses, land, and multifamily properties across Utah — whether or not there’s a recorded easement — and can close in as little as 7 days. Scout Peak Home Buyers to get started.