Why Land Surveys Are Important Before Buying a Property
Having a land survey conducted before you buy a home is very important. This article discusses some of the problems that you can avoid when you conduct such a survey before you close on the home purchase.
Extensions Exceeding Property Limits
Over time, homeowners can make modifications, such as adding an attached garage, to address their evolving needs. The contractor can make a mistake during the construction and exceed the boundaries of the property. Such an encroachment on a neighbour's property can set the ground for unexpected liability claims in future in case you don't detect the encroachment through a survey before you buy the home.
Encroachment on Utility Easements
A land survey is also critical so that you can know whether any aspect of the property encroached onto the easements that must be left for utilities, such as power and water. This information is necessary because the utility companies can later force you to demolish the offending section of your property once the encroachment is discovered. For example, you may be compelled to destroy the fence and move it further into the property in case insufficient clearance was left between that fence and the utility lines.
Bigger Flood Zone
Your area may have restrictions on what developments can be done in the flood zone within your property. Knowing the size of the flood zone and what you can do in it can help you to make an informed decision about the suitability of the property for the modifications that you want in future, such as constructing a patio or swimming pool in the yard.
Property Line Errors
A land survey can also identify any errors that were made when placing boundary markers on the property that you wish to buy. This outcome is likely given the fact that land surveyors today have access to better equipment when compared to the equipment/techniques that were available to surveyors in the past. The identification and correction of those errors can end up increasing the amount of space that you can use to develop the property further once you own it.
You should not disregard the importance of having a land survey performed just because the mortgage lender has not asked you for one. The survey protects your interests since the mortgage lender will also request for any relevant information that protects their interests. Get the survey done so that you avoid the issues in the discussion above.