What type of easement benefits a specific parcel of land and transfers with it?

An easement appurtenant is a type of easement that directly benefits a specific parcel of land, known as the dominant estate, and it "runs with the land." This means that when the property is sold or transferred, the easement continues to exist and is automatically transferred to the new owner of the dominant estate. The easement appurtenant is tied to the particular parcel and is tied to the land, rather than the owner personally.

This is in contrast to other forms of easements. For example, an easement in gross benefits an individual or entity rather than a parcel of land; it does not transfer with the land when sold. An exclusive easement can imply certain rights regarding usage, but it does not inherently convey the benefit of the easement to a specific piece of land. An easement by necessity arises due to particular circumstances, often related to access issues, but it does not imply that it transfers automatically with ownership like an easement appurtenant does.

Thus, the defining characteristic of an easement appurtenant is its connection to a specific parcel of land and the way it adheres to that land irrespective of ownership changes, making it the correct answer.