What to Look for in a Property Survey?

When conducting a property survey the most important thing to look for are the legal property boundary lines.

For many years people living in single family communities across the country have disputed the boundary lines of their property. In some cases these disputes became so serious that they had to be resolved in court.

If you are thinking about buying a property, one of the first things you need to do is to purchase a survey report of the property so you can determine the legal boundary lines. By doing this you will know exactly how much property and acreage you truly have. This information will also be helpful when it comes to negotiating a price with the seller.

Knowing where legal boundary lines are may not seem like a big deal before you purchase a home, but knowing where boundary lines lie can potentially become very important down the road. For example, after you purchase the property and move into your home, you may want to plant a large garden or a tree in the front yard. If you don't truly know the boundary lines, you could potentially plant your garden or tree on your neighbor's property. This type of situation happens a lot more often than most people think. This is why it is strongly recommended to pay for a property survey report “before” you officially purchase a home. This way, you will know exactly how much land you legally have, which in turn will help you know exactly where you can plant a tree or garden. Having this information will also be helpful if you ever want to extend your porch or side driveway.

Unfortunately in many cases the average homeowner does not realize that they have exceeded their property boundary lines until they begin planting a garden or adding additions to their home. At this point they run the risk of being potentially sued by a neighbor. There have been cases where settling these type of lawsuits have cost thousands of dollars.

Other key items you should look for in a property survey include the location of above and underground electrical wiring and the location of drainage ditches. This information is important to have in case you plan on doing any major exterior renovation projects in the future. Say for example you want to build a garage or outhouse in your backyard. However, as you start digging the foundation you discover that there is a drainage ditch or wiring running under your property. Aside from the potential of getting electrocuted, you may also receive a fine from your county.

Additional things you should look for in a property survey include the exact location of manhole covers, power poles, water catch basins and previous reports of structural damage.