LAND SURVEY FAQS – ARKANSAS
What Is A Land Survey?
A residential boundary survey identifies the borderlines of the property from corner to corner. Boundary surveys may be used in the case of property disputes or before you build on the land.
Mortgage surveys are used by lenders, title companies and other parties in a property transaction to determine if improvements to a property, such as driveways, sidewalks, garages, decks or swimming pools have crossed the recorded borderline to an adjoining property. If there are encroachment issues, this can cause a delay in closing.
Do I Need A Survey?
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.
What Does A Land Surveyor Do?
In the office, a surveyor uses software such as Auto-cad, to draft plans and map the measurements determined in the field. Surveyors also use online resources to determine existing property legal descriptions, previous surveys and any additional information that will help them provide the most accurate survey possible.
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.
How Much Does A Property Survey Cost?
Who Pays For A Survey When Buying A Home Or Land?
Smart Land Survey Tips
- It’s always a good idea to request a survey if you are buying property in a remote or rural area or if you’re buying an irregular
lot, so that you’ll know the exact boundaries. - If you are buying a property, it’s advisable to include a survey contingency in a purchase agreement for a couple of reasons. First, to protect yourself if the survey comes back vastly different than anticipated. And secondly, to allow room for renegotiating the price of the property if a problem is discovered.
- If you are buying a vacant lot with intentions of
building , a survey showing setback and boundary lines will determine the size of a structure you’ll be allowed to build, before you invest in architectural plans. - A certified building inspector can advise whether you should 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 bank or mortgage company will accept a survey that has been done within the past few years, you might be able to use
an previous survey provided by the seller to save on your closing costs. - Understand as much as you can about the property you are buying, especially if you’re aware of or suspect incidents of ground instability, flooding or seismic shifts in the area.