Is Land Surveying Meant for Residential Properties?

The short answer is yes — land surveying can and should be done on residential properties. One of the common mistakes home buyers make is failing to have a proper survey done before they purchase a home. What they don’t realize is that without an American Land Title Association or ALTA survey, they will have no recourse later if the fences turn out to encroach on the adjacent lot, or if any rights-to-easement issues some up.

This is why if you are planning to buy a home, make sure to contact a reputable and reliable survey corporation in your state. Doing so will put your mind at ease, knowing that any future patios, drives, garages, pools, or building extensions you construct in the future will be within your property lines. An ALTA Land survey will effectively define your lot’s dimensions and determine easement positions and building limits. More importantly, a land survey can outline improvements and determine whether they might encroach upon the neighbor’s property, or if they might create access barriers or go beyond building limits.

Most banks and mortgage lenders also request land surveys to insure themselves against future problems that may arise because of the failure to do a proper survey prior to the purchase. Read the Buyer’s Title Insurance small print and you will find ‘survey matters’ listed under exceptions. Before 1997, all mortgage lenders required a land survey prior to granting a loan, but these days, some lenders no longer ask for it. They have passed on all risks to you as the buyer, so you will have to protect yourself—and the best way to do this is to have a proper land survey done.

Investing in land surveyor services provides very good value for your money. Should defects be found, you can save yourself from future headaches by simply walking away from the property and finding another. You can also use the survey findings as leverage to bargain down the purchase price if you wish.