Land Surveys are Must When Buying Property

 

1. The Title Company and/or underwriter is not requiring a survey?

The fact is survey errors could have an adverse impact on the title, use, marketability and the value of the

property. The buyer cannot seek recourse from the title company for survey issues, because they usually take

exception to survey related matters and any matters that a ‘correct’ survey would disclose. The only course of

action would be to seek damages from the past seller of the property.

 

2. They have an old survey we reviewed?

The results of an old survey can be certified for a seller but the old survey should not be acceptable to a new buyer.

 

A current survey will identify and locate new structures, fences, walls and additions. A new land survey will also

identify recent, missing, destroyed and erroneous property corners. Flood hazard areas will also be delineated, as they relate to the subject property and the improvements. A new survey has to be conducted and certified to the buyer. A new survey is an original creation and it is protected by the federal copyright laws. Hence it is

important that a new survey has to be conducted; otherwise the purchase of the property is without much of

evidence.

 

3. The property is in a platted subdivision?

A platted subdivision does not mean there are no encroachments on the property, or buildings or other

improvements in easements. A platted subdivision does not mean all the property corners are in the ground,

fences are located within the property line or all easements are shown which impact the property. Property

corners get destroyed, fences are misplaced and neighbors are not the best source for your property line location.

 

4. The cost of the survey is not fixed or sounds expensive.

Typically the seller will pay at least 50% of the survey cost. The cost of land survey varies on the type of survey

you undertake. It depends on the kind of work that is been undertaken for research, the size and scale of the

project and the property in itself, the period in which the survey is taking place, the weather conditions, what is the number of visits that are required to fulfill the desired results and the accurate comparisons of the present data and the future results. It is very important to note the basic fact that the cost of the survey depends on the kind of work that is required to be undertaken.

 

5. My client didn’t request a survey.

Building additions to an existing property, fence installation, or any project which requires a building permit also

requires an Improvement Survey Plat for the permit process. Clients who paid for a survey at closing have some of the necessary documentation for permitting without a large additional expenses during the design period.