FAQs is FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
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WHY YOU NEED YOUR LAND SURVEYED?
For most people, the purchase of a home, or the purchase of land and the construction of a home, represents the largest single investment of a lifetime. A wise investor will therefore take advantage of every opportunity to protect that investment.
Many services are available, which can assure a person of the soundness of a real estate investment. The services of an attorney will, among other things, assure an understanding of the documents necessary to the transaction and the obligations incurred by signing those documents. A title search with title insurance will ensure that the seller owns the property which he has contracted to sell. The search may find a lien, or an unpaid mortgage, or it may uncover a restriction on the use of the land.
There are many questions to ask before purchasing land. Among the most important are:
1) Exactly where on the ground is the property which I have contracted to purchase?
2) Are the physical improvements (house, garage, fences, etc.) that I was shown actually on the property?
The answers to these questions can be reassuring or distressing, but if they are discovered after closing the sale, the result may be a financial disaster.
WHY ARE THESE QUESTIONS IMPORTANT TO YOU?
They are important because the property described in a contract often is not exactly as it was shown or as it appeared to the purchaser. Sometimes property which has been improved and maintained by a seller actually belongs to a neighbor. The property lines may go through a garden, or a garage, or even a house! Occasionally, a contract describes completely different land than that shown to the purchaser.
WHO CAN ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS?
A person legally licensed and registered to practice land surveying may provide the services to answer these vital questions. A licensed land surveyor is an expert at interpreting descriptions of property and is uniquely qualified to accurately and precisely locate property lines.
WHAT WILL A SURVEYOR DO TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS?
The surveyor will study the documents which you supply, including those in your title search. Then a field survey will be conducted, searching for and obtaining evidence of the property's boundaries, and locating any visible improvements on or near the property. When the field survey is completed, the measurements and evidence found are mathematically proven. Then the location of the property lines and other described lines are determined by the surveyor, and a report is prepared, usually in the form of a survey map.
WHAT WILL THE SURVEY MAP SHOW ME?
The survey map will show you the location of the lines of the property, as described in the contract of purchase. It will show you the dimensions of the land and the location of other lines, described in you documents, which affect the property, such as easements and rights-of-way. It will note variations from the described angles, lengths, and areas which the surveyor may find. The map will also depict the location of visible improvements on or near the property, and the relation of those improvements to the property's boundary.
It may report that the garden you admired actually belongs to a neighbor, or that a part of the land is being used by others. It may show you that the easement, reserved for others, in the contract is just the place where you thought your pool might go someday! Possibly, there will be physical evidence of an easement which is not recorded.
With the survey map, your attorney can be determined if the property conforms with certain aspects of the local zoning laws. It frequently assists him in evaluating the effect of covenants and restrictions on the property.
WHAT IF THE SELLER HAS A SURVEY?
First, be sure that it is a survey prepared by a licensed land surveyor. Not all maps are based on actual surveys. A map that is not a survey is not reliable. If the seller provides a survey, it may not be adequate for your needs. Since the date of the survey, there may have been changes in the property lines, or perhaps improvements were made which affect the use and value of the land. As property values increase, the requirements of a survey change and become more rigid. Only the surveyor who prepared the seller's survey can state that his survey will meet your present needs. You should consult with him to learn if the survey is adequate. You should be sure that the surveyor is willing to certify his survey to you personally, because certifications are not transferable to additional institutions or subsequent owners. Certifications are only to the person for whom the survey is prepared.
WHAT WILL A SURVEY COST?
The costs of surveys differ because of varying sizes and locations of properties. Such things as the complexity of the descriptions, terrain, the shape of the property, and the origin of the parcel are factors which must be considered. As a result, only a surveyor can accurately estimate the cost of a survey.
The cost of a survey can range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars. However, most surveyors are willing to discuss their fees and offer an estimate before you authorize a survey. You should keep in mind that the cost of a survey represents a very small percentage of your total investment, but it can help you avoid costly and aggravating problems in the future.