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Should you get a lot surveyed before buying?

On Behalf of | Jan 11, 2021 | Real Estate Law

You find a home that looks perfect. The walk-through goes well, the price is right and you don’t see any major defects. You know you’re going to have an inspection done anyway, just in case, but should you also call a surveyor? 

Most people think that a surveyor may be overkill — but here’s why you should consider hiring one.

Don’t make assumptions about the boundaries of a piece of property

Some experts note that most people actually don’t know what land they own — even when they already own their homes. They never get the lane surveyed and so they have no idea where the lines are. 

Instead, they tend to make assumptions. If you ask them where the back of the lot ends, they’ll just nod toward the back fence. But is that really accurate? You never want to make assumptions about something that could get so expensive. 

For instance, say you assume that the fence is on the lot line. You want to replace it. You take the fence down and start installing the new one, pouring concrete to set the posts. Then a new homeowner buys the house next to you. They have a survey carried out. What they find is that the old fence was actually two feet onto their property. All of your new posts are in the wrong spot. Now you have to tear everything up, move the fence so that it’s properly offset from the line, and start again. 

And a fence could be a minor example. Some people don’t find out about these issues until they have a home or garage built. 

Are you having issues with your lot?

If you are having any of these issues or if you have questions, it helps to work with an experienced professional to guide you through the process.