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CONTRIBUTED BY OUR PARTNERS AT RGS TITLE INSURANCE
One of the questions frequently asked when buying a home is “do I really need to have a survey done?” More and more, lenders are not requiring a survey as a loan requirement and the prospect of saving a few hundred dollars is appealing to most buyers.
But saving a few hundred dollars now could cost you a few thousand dollars in the future. For a few hundred dollars, the survey will disclose the position of structures and improvements on the property in relation to the lot lines of the property. Translation – the survey will disclose if fences, walls, buildings, pools, sheds, driveways, porches, decks, etc. cross over building restriction lines or boundary lines.
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It is far better to know now (before you go to the settlement of your property) if there are survey issues that need to be discussed or negotiated with the current owner/seller of the property. Maybe a fence encroaches so far onto the neighboring property that you will require the seller to move the fence before you purchase the property. Maybe the shed that you fell in love with when you saw the property straddles the property line of the rear neighbor – and maybe someday that neighbor try to claim it as his. Maybe that driveway that the seller represented as his is actually shared with the neighbor next door.
All of these potential scenarios can and do happen. These survey issues are best discovered, and dealt with, before closing. I think a few hundred dollars is worth the knowledge upfront. Anyone disagree?
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This has been a guest blog by our friends at RGS Title Insurance. If you have any questions, drop a comment below or reach out to them directly! Thank you, Helen Dankos of RGS Title! If you have any other questions about purchasing a home, download our Savvy Buyer Guide today.
