Guidelines in Reading a Property Survey

Whenever you are to buy a new property, one of the most significant part of your decision is your ability to interpret basic information on a survey.. What you will need to learn is how to read property surveys.

Real Property Reports or simply Property Surveys provide information about physical qualities of the property in question. They contain details about the physical aspects of a property including boundary lines, easements, location of underground utilities and zoning category. For a property survey to be considered as valid, it should be completed by a certified land surveyor, embossed with the surveyor’s seal and affixed with his original signature. The surveyor will provide the property owner or potential buyer with an illustration of the property and a written report of survey findings.

Things You Will Need:
• Property survey illustration
• Property survey written report

Instructions
1. Open the property survey illustration on a large flat surface for easy viewing. Place the written report next to the illustration so that it can be used as a reference point when viewing the property survey illustration.

2. Identify the physical address of the property stated on the survey . Compare this address to the official homeowner recorded address listed on the deed. Make sure the two addresses match exactly as written on the homeowner deed. In case of any misprint, report immediately to the certified land surveyor to have the corrections made.

3. Locate the property on the survey illustration to view visual information of the property, such as physical boundaries and any overlapping or spacing between this property and any adjacent properties.

Also, note the physical location of:
• Water structures on the property, such as a lake or stream
• Access points used for entering and exiting the property
• Any adjacent roadways and property driveways
• Any areas of the property that may be shared with a next-door neighbor, such as a driveway, sidewalk or fenced-in area.
The illustration may also include:
• Boundary lines
• Buildings and other improvements, alterations, and repairs to your property that exist at the time of the survey
• Locations of utilities or utility companies (water, electricity, gas, telephone, drains, wires, cables, vaults, manhole covers, lines and poles)

4. Read the property survey written report to find a legal description of the property and comments the surveyor may have.

This will include:
• Official property measurements
• Any additional buildings or structures within property boundaries and the presence of any existing easements. (An easement provides legal access to the property by a third party, such as a next-door neighbor or utility company)
• Additional: Property improvements that have been completed since the last survey report on file and whether they meet code enforcement guidelines
• Tthe property’s zoning classification, indicating whether it is zoned for residential or commercial use
Tips & Warnings
• A property survey may cost you about $200 to $600. The size of the property may further affect the pricing.
• Solely make use of the services of a registered surveyor in order to finish the project . An unregistered surveyor may appear to be the cheaper option but will end up costing more since invalid survey reports are not recognized by the court in the event of legal action on behalf of a property owner or potential buyer. An additional cost will involve hiring a certified surveyor to fix the mistakes and oversights.