Which statement best describes what should be included when disclosing property descriptions in a real estate contract?

• A. It requires only the street address
• B. It is optional
• C. It requires both the legal description and street address
• D. It relates to value only

Answer: (C)

In real estate contracts, precise identification of the property is essential. A street address by itself often isn’t enough because addresses can be shared, changed, or not uniquely identify a parcel in public records. The legal description—whether it’s metes and bounds, a lot and block from a recorded plat, or another formal description—records the exact boundaries and location of the property in official documents. Including both the legal description and the street address gives a clear, unambiguous reference that title companies, lenders, and the parties can rely on to locate and transfer the correct parcel. The street address is helpful for reference and communication, but the legal description provides the definitive identification. Options that rely on only one element or treat the description as optional miss this precision or misinterpret the nature of the description, which is about identifying the property, not its value.