Do I Need a Property Survey to Buy a Home?

Working with buyers, I often get asked this question: “Do I need a property survey to buy a home?”  The answer is not usually, but it is highly recommended, depending on the type of the lot of the home you are thinking of buying.   

What Exactly is a Property Survey?

A property survey is a diagram of boundaries, angles, and measurements.  It shows where the property is exactly located by dimensions.   It is done by a professional, licensed surveyor.   It also shows all the structures and any features that may be on the property, like trees, brooks, sheds, garages, power lines, etc.  It will show the extent of the land surrounding the house.

The survey will also show if part of the land is being used by other parties, such as the electric or gas company, because their lines may run across a portion of the property.  These are called easements.  Landmarks and monuments are also shown on the survey.  Monument is a small metal disk located on a property that the surveyor uses to give them a starting point to measure the land.  Surveys can also show changes past owners such as:  new structures, additions to the home, new pavement, new fences, etc.

Once the survey is completed, the buyer will receive a legal description (it looks like a letter) of the property with the surveyor’s seal.  This form is a legal document.  This legal description will also be in the deed and in the title documents.  The surveyor can also provide a drawing showing the property, the lot lines, dimensions, and the features on the land.  This will also be sealed by the licensed surveyor.

Does a Buyer Really Need a Property Survey?

When a buyer finds a home, they want to buy and have it under contract after the offer is accepted, then the title company starts to do a title search.  The title search reviews the history of who owned the property in the past.  This title search does not include a property survey. 

Let’s say a buyer is interested in buying a home and wants to install a fence but it is not clear where the property starts and stops.  Then I recommend getting a survey.  If they want to install a pool, a shed, a garage, an addition – then get a survey.  If a buyer decides they want to get a survey done, then the buyer will need to request it early as possible in the transaction.  They can request it from the title company or have their real estate agent recommend one.  This is an additional cost that will be paid at closing, if the title company ordered it.  If not, then the buyer will pay the surveyor directly out of their pocket. 

Sometimes, the buyer’s home or mortgage insurance company may request that a property survey must be completed for the buyer to obtain insurance, which they will need in order to complete the closing.

In addition to knowing how much land you are getting in a survey, sometimes a buyer may want to know if the neighbor’s fence, garage, shed, etc, may be encroaching on the property that is being purchased.  Encroaching means a property owner is violating the rights of another by building or extending a structure to the neighbor’s land or property intentionally or otherwise.  This can cause disputes between neighbors and can end up in court.  That is why getting a survey can show a buyer if this may be an issue and can give them time to  have it resolved before closing.  

Either way, the buyer will want to know that the existing fences and trees surrounding the property are in the right places.  Also, they will know where underground utilities exist, where they can dig and where to plant new trees and shrubs, put a pool in, put a new walkway, etc.

Once a survey is done, it will be filed with the town, as a public document.  So, before you order a new survey, you may want to check with the town to see if a recent one is on file.  If so, this will lower the cost of getting a new one. 

How is the Survey Done?

A licensed surveyor will go to the site with the existing home deed, including the legal description, and the home’s historical records and maps.   They will use a piece of equipment called a transit to measure the land.  The existing legal description was written by the previous surveyor.  This information will help the new surveyor to identify dimensions and borderlines and will check the accuracy of the existing legal description.  They will also check the legal description of the adjacent properties, to make sure all the existing records match.

The surveyor will be mapping the property lines and reviewing metes and bounds.  Metes and bounds are a method of describing the boundaries of a parcel of land using natural or artificial landmarks, distances, and directions.   Landmarks can change, so the surveyor will actually measure the land, and note where utilities, setbacks, and easements are.  All this will be written in the legal property description. 

If the survey was conducted through the title company, they would check between the surveyors notes and the existing recorded documents to make sure there are no discrepancies. 

If requested by the buyer, the surveyor can have stakes installed in the actual property at all the property lines.  That way, the buyer can physically see the extent of the property surrounding their new home.  This can also help with fence installation.    Note that to get fence installed, the buyer or their fence contractor will need to bring the survey to the township to obtain a permit. 

How Much Does a Property Survey Cost?

Surveys cost between $300 to $3,000 and above.  It depends on how much updated information is available.  The more information readily available for the surveyor, the lower the cost.  Also, the complexity of the lot can add to the cost and time of preparing the survey.  That is why, if a buyer wants a survey done, they should have it ordered as early in the transaction as possible so it can be completed in time for closing.   A buyer can choose to have the contract on the house contingent upon the survey.  That means that if an issue comes up on a survey, the buyer can choose to resolve it or cancel the contract and get their deposit back.  Or if a dispute arises, then lawyers will need to get involved if it cannot be resolved between the parties. 

I hope this gives you a better understanding of property surveys and that you are better informed on what they are so when you buy your home, you can decide if you want to get one. 

For more information on property surveys feel free to email me at ccr@ccrsellsrealestate.com. 

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