Why do I need a survey?
The purchase of land and especially a home
is often the single most financially important
and expensive decision a person will make
during their lifetime. One of the questions
you need to ask yourself is do you really
want to trust that what you are legally
obtaining ownership to is what the seller’s or
real estate agent’s opinion of where the
property is located or would you prefer to
have the opinion of a land surveyor who is
licensed by the State to determine the
location of boundary lines?
Do you really want to find out after you have
purchased the property that there are
encroachments onto or from the adjoining
property? Or where you wanted to build a
swimming pool is directly over an easement?
Why can’t I just use the old
survey provided by the
seller?
You can, in many cases, use a previous
survey however the title insurance
company will take an exception, typically
in Schedule “B” of the policy, in its
coverage stating: “Any encroachment,
encumbrance, violation, variation, or
adverse circumstance affecting the title
that would be disclosed by an accurate
and complete survey of the land.” It is
very important that you note and
understand this exception prior to
purchasing the title insurance policy.
If the old survey provided was
completed a year or several years
previously then it will not reflect any
infringements (encroachments,
easements or other matters of record)
on the property that may have occurred
since. The old survey may not
accurately depict the current location of
FEMA defined Special Flood Hazard
Areas. The old survey may limit liability
to the commitment the survey was
prepared for. Whether you want to risk
the liability is a decision you will have to
make. Is the potential liability worth the
cost of not having a new survey
conducted?
What is the cost of a
survey?
The cost of a survey depends on many
factors, such as:
•
The type of survey: ALTA, Title,
Boundary and/or Topographic.
•
The type equipment that will be required
such as GPS or conventional.
•
The amount of deed research and field
time needed to verify no overlaps or
gores with the deeds of the adjoining
properties.
•
The number and type of structures on
the property.
•
The area to be surveyed.
•
The terrain and density of trees on the
property.
•
The number of unknown or missing
corners that might have to be set.
•
The number of easements that must be
located.
The aforementioned factors and others will
determine the cost. However if you can
provide the type of survey required and the
location of the property Delta Land
Surveying will provide you with an estimated
cost and approximate turn-around time.
Frequently asked
questions:
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