When buying a piece of real estate, you hope that there will not be any disputes or conflicts with the neighbors. You also don’t want to run into any issues with the seller, perhaps feeling like the property was misrepresented or that you didn’t get exactly what you were paying for.
One way to avoid some of these problems is to have a survey done. Rather than just assuming you know where the property lines are or relying on historical records, you can work with a professional land surveyor. They can distinctly establish exactly where the property lines are and they can give you the documentation to prove it.
Boundary issues
So how does this stop disputes from occurring? Many conflicts over property lines or boundary issues just happen because two people don’t agree on where the property lines are.
For example, maybe one of the first things you want to do after you buy the property is to build a fence. You have a dog and small children, and you want the backyard to be contained.
But this could cause a dispute with your neighbor if you build the fence and they say it is too close to the property line or even on the wrong side of that line. This can be very complicated to figure out after the fact. But if you have the survey done in advance, you can simply show your neighbors where the property lines are, and they will understand that you have built the fence in the correct position.
Resolving property disputes
Unfortunately, not all disputes are so simply solved. If you find yourself in this position, make sure you know what legal steps you can take.