Should I Get a Survey Done When Buying a House?

When acquiring a new home, a property survey defines the exact boundaries and dimensions of the land. This process clarifies what is being purchased, establishing the precise limits of the property. It provides a legal depiction of the parcel, useful in real estate transactions.

What a Property Survey Reveals

A property survey provides specific details about a parcel of land, offering clarity that can prevent future complications. It accurately identifies the property’s boundary lines and corners, often not visibly marked by fences or hedges.

The survey also indicates the location of existing structures on the property, such as the house, garage, sheds, and fences, relative to these boundaries. This helps ensure all improvements are situated correctly within the property lines. It can also identify structures too close to setback requirements, which are distances structures must maintain from property lines according to local regulations.

Surveys disclose easements, which are legal rights allowing others to use a portion of your property for specific purposes, such as utility lines or shared access roads. Additionally, they reveal encroachments, which occur when a structure from an adjacent property extends onto your land without permission. These could include a neighbor’s fence, driveway, or even a building that crosses the property line.

A survey can uncover discrepancies with existing deeds or plat maps, ensuring the legal description of the property matches its physical reality. It may also show visible utilities and assess compliance with local zoning regulations regarding how the land can be used and what structures can be built.

Types of Property Surveys

Various types of property surveys serve different purposes for a homebuyer, each offering a distinct level of detail. A Boundary Survey is common, primarily focusing on determining and marking the property lines. This survey helps establish the legal limits of the land and may involve setting or recovering property corners.

An ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey is a comprehensive survey often required by lenders or title companies for complex transactions. This survey provides extensive information beyond just boundaries, including improvements, easements, and other features relevant to title insurance. It adheres to standards developed jointly by the American Land Title Association and the National Society of Professional Surveyors.

A Mortgage Survey, also known as a Location Survey or Plot Plan, is a less detailed option frequently requested by lenders. Its purpose is to show the improvements on the property relative to the boundary lines, primarily to meet lending requirements.

Topographic Surveys are occasionally used for residential properties, particularly if there are plans for significant landscaping or construction that involve changes in elevation. This survey illustrates the contours of the land, showing elevation changes and the location of natural and human-made features.

Selecting a Surveyor and the Process

Engaging a professional land surveyor involves a selection process to ensure qualifications and experience. It is beneficial to research credentials and confirm the surveyor is licensed in your state. State licensing boards and professional surveying associations often provide online directories to help locate qualified professionals.

When contacting potential surveyors, asking about their experience with residential properties and their scope of work is helpful. Obtaining quotes from several surveyors allows for comparison, as costs can vary depending on factors such as property size, complexity, location, and the specific type of survey required. A typical residential survey might range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars, with more complex properties or detailed surveys incurring higher costs.

Once a surveyor is selected, the process typically begins with obtaining existing deeds and property information from public records. This research helps establish a base understanding of the property’s legal description and historical data. The surveyor then conducts fieldwork, which involves physically measuring and locating property monuments, structures, and other features on the land.

Following the fieldwork, the surveyor drafts a detailed survey plat and report, which visually represents the property and its features, along with written findings. This document is a legal record of the survey’s findings. The final step involves the delivery of these survey documents to the client.

Acting on Survey Findings

After receiving the completed property survey report, reviewing the document carefully is an important next step. The survey plat will visually depict property lines, structures, easements, and any discrepancies found. Understanding these elements on the map and in the accompanying report provides a clear picture of the property’s actual condition and legal standing.

The survey may reveal issues such as boundary disputes, where property lines are unclear or contested, or encroachments, indicating that a neighbor’s structure extends onto your land. It might also identify unrecorded easements that were not previously disclosed or zoning violations related to existing structures. Addressing these findings promptly can prevent future legal or financial complications.

For issues like boundary disputes or significant encroachments, consulting a real estate attorney is often advisable to understand the legal implications and available options. This might involve negotiating with the seller for resolution, such as price adjustments or the removal of an encroaching structure. Alternatively, solutions could include formalizing an easement agreement to permit the encroachment or initiating legal action if a resolution cannot be reached.

The survey findings should also be cross-referenced with other important documents, such as the title report, the property deed, and the purchase agreement. This comparison ensures all aspects of the property align across legal and financial documents. Any inconsistencies can then be addressed with the seller, title company, or legal counsel before finalizing the property transaction.