About Surveys

 

What is a Survey?

There is more than one type of land survey that you may need if you are buying or selling a property.

A residential boundary survey identifies the borderlines of the property from corner to corner.

A mortgage survey is used by lenders, title companies and other parties in a transaction to determine if improvements to a property, such as driveways, sidewalks, garages, decks or swimming pools have encroached or spread across the recorded borderline to an adjoining property. Encroachment issues can delay a closing.

If you are considering buying or building on a cliff or hillside land, near a fault line or in a flood zone, you will want to be sure to ask for a Geological Report to assess potential geological hazards before you proceed. (In parts of California, the seller may be required to provide this type of report.)

What does a surveyor do?

A surveyor is a licensed engineer who stakes the boundaries of the property and creates a scale drawing that shows the location of the residence, fence lines, and any improvements that have been made to the property (patio, garage) to be sure that they do not encroach on an adjoining property.

A surveyor will also point out any established easements, access to any public right of way and determine if there are any building setback violations.

A geological engineer will review public geological surveys and map out the distance of a property to a known fault line and any other geological hazards, such as unstable ground that may be a threat to your investment.

Specialty engineers can also assess ground water and storm water management, slope instability, land fill conditions and make recommendations for water well and drainage pumping systems.

When is a survey necessary?

A boundary survey is not always required — different states have different requirements, but, if you are the buyer, it is to your benefit to know exactly how much land you are paying for. Surveyors often find defects that could lead to renegotiating the price of the property you are buying.

A fence that divides a property from a neighbor may not be built along the boundary line of the adjoining properties. The property's driveway may encroach on a neighbor's land. A neighbor may have built a deck that extends over the borderline. Issues like these should be addressed before you close a transaction.

How much does it cost?

The price of a survey is based on the service and the size of the property. It can range from $200 to $600, though the average is around $350. If a title company sends its own surveyor to define the boundaries of the property, there will likely be a separate charge for that service. A basic geological report is around $100.

Who pays?

Generally the buyer pays for the survey as part of the closing costs, unless a different arrangement has been made with the seller prior to signing the purchase agreement.

Smart Tips

  • It's always wise to order a survey if you are buying property in a rural area or an irregular lot, so that you know its precise boundaries.
  • If you are buying, be sure to include a survey contingency in a purchase agreement not just to protect yourself from a serious problem, but to allow room for renegotiating the price of the property if a problem is discovered.
  • If you are buying a vacant lot with the intention of building, a survey showing setback and boundary lines will determine how large a structure you will be allowed to build, before you invest in formal architectural plans. 
  • A qualified building inspector can recommend whether it's important to order a survey. If a structure has been built close to a lot line, a survey is recommended so that there won't be any problems with title clearance.
  • If your lender accepts surveys that have been taken within the past few years, you may be able to use an earlier survey provided by the seller and save on closing costs.
  • Know as much as you can about the land you are buying, particularly if you are aware of or suspect historical incidents of ground instability, flooding or seismic shifts in the area.

 

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