Reasons to Survey Your Land

Although a land survey may seem tedious and unnecessary, actually there are lots of cases in which you ought to have your land surveyed, to save confusion or legal troubles later.

Assuming you have two surveys done, they will nearly always have slight differences, because land surveying is as much a skill as a science. Measurements are always subject to error. In land surveying, these measurements are often taken from landmarks such as fence posts; in two separate surveys, exactly the same landmarks is probably not available, or may have shifted.

A land surveyor will research the documents available about your land, including titles and previous surveys. Then, they'll physically gauge the property, and check these dimensions contrary to the previous records to find any discrepancies. Land surveyors can also use electronic equipment, GPS positioning, or other devices to determine the boundaries of your property.

You should always consider a new land survey when you are buying a piece of real estate. Even though many mortgage companies or title insurance firms usually do not require one, it really is still smart to have a survey done. You ought to know of any boundary discrepancies which could affect the value of one's property before purchasing it. Any disputes concerning the boundaries of the house ought to be settled before you consent to purchase it, or you can be set for a legal headache later.

You may also want to consider having a land survey done if you're planning to sell your premises. It really is especially important in areas where road access is questionable. Determining Check over here of roads on your land might help your realtor regulate how marketable the house is. Shoreline footage and acreage are two more selling points that could be measured by way of a land survey. Some buyers might put in an offer that's contingent on a survey; if you have the survey done in advance, it is possible to save time and increase the chances of selling your premises quickly.

Before building a shed, fence, or other structure on the edges of one's land, consider having a land surveyor mark the exact edges of one's property. That way, you can be assured that you will be not building on your own neighbor's land, and you could assure yourself that you will be not fencing out any land that's actually yours. This is especially important when creating a house or other large, permanent structure. There are numerous things to keep in mind when situating such a building, including easements, setbacks, and other requirements that'll be marked on your own new land survey. Do not let your contractor or builder determine where to place this structure, because they will most likely not be any more aware of your boundaries than you're.

Conversely, if your neighbor is building this type of structure and you believe it to be on your own property, have a land survey completed. This can be the first rung on the ladder towards resolving the problem and ensuring that your land remains yours to use.


Utilizing an outdated survey to determine either of the matters puts you at a disadvantage. Newer measuring techniques, including GPS, mean that newer surveys is definitely the most accurate. Some areas, especially rural land, have not been surveyed since the nineteenth century, meaning that oftentimes neighbors may be unknowingly encroaching on each other's land.