When purchasing a home, there are a number of items to attend to before you can close on the property. Some of the most obvious include getting the home inspected and securing the necessary financing. Yet, one thing that isn’t always such a stand-out – but is equally as essential – is getting your future home surveyed.

In fact, the importance of getting a property surveyed may be greater today than ever before. Given all of the variables that are necessary in purchasing a new home, it isn’t always easy to tell whether or not you’re really getting what you’re paying for. With this in mind, you will want to know if there are any issues that should be disclosed prior to the closing.

Why Home Buyers Should Get a Survey

As a property buyer, some of the key reasons why you should consider getting survey done include:

  • Encroachments on the Property – An encroachment on your property could become a much larger issue in the future. For instance, your neighbor’s fence, or even another structure, could be on your property.
  • Disputes About the Property Line(s) – A survey can reveal many things, including whether there are any disputes with the property line(s) and / or the corners of the property.
  • Missing Corner – Likewise, a corner of the property could even be missing altogether. This can become a major issue if you ever plan to put up a fence in the future because you will need to know exactly where the property line is located.
  • Division of the Property Issues – If you ever decide to divide the property to sell a portion of it or to give a parcel to an heir, a survey can let you know which regulations may affect your plans. For example, some cities and counties have certain restrictions on how property can be divided – or whether it can be divided at all.
  • Protection of Your Investment – Given the many issues with property boundaries, having a survey performed prior to making a purchase can help you to protect your investment in the long run. By revealing the exact dimensions of the property, as well as any improvements that have been performed, you will know exactly where you stand at the time of purchase.

Sellers Should Consider Surveys, Too

While surveys can be incredibly helpful as a buyer, you should also consider having a survey performed if you are a seller. One of the key reasons for this is so that you can be prepared with the information that a potential buyer may need.

However, you may also consider having a survey performed so that if there are any issues prior to listing your property for sale – such as a fence over the property line – they can be properly addressed before you move forward with the sale.

If you’re ready to purchase or sell, review these reasons you may want to hire a surveyor and give us a call, we’d love to help. We’d be happy to provide you with a free market analysis of what your home is worth in today’s real estate market. So, contact us today.