For lots of us, when we look out into our yards, all we see is maybe some grass, a fence that outlines the property, possibly a patio, a pool, and maybe even a second house in the backyard. All of these individual additions make up the overall value of the property, but if we back up in time and go over the experiences that had to be handled just to add each and every single one of those additions, you will find that it is actually a pretty difficult and time consuming process to navigate through.
To add additions like the ones we mentioned above, often time you will need a legal and official document that outlines the boundaries of the property as well as the utilities that run underneath, overhead, and even around that property. This document, that honestly looks more like a map or blueprint, is called a home survey, or property survey.
Below is a brief explanation of what exactly a home survey is, why you need one, and how and where you can obtain a copy of your specific home survey.
Why do I need a copy of my home survey?
The reasons as to why you would need to have a copy of your home/property survey can vary, but a majority of the reasons touch on making additions to the existing property. Owners who want to add in extras like a pool, a Jacuzzi, an extension of a patio or deck, or more commonly, a fence that encloses the property are reasons that bringing up a property survey is necessary. To start, we’ll talk about what it would look like just to add a fence that surrounds your property.
To successfully make the move to enclose your home and property with a fence, chances are that your HOA (Home Owners Association) will want to have some kind of official measuring to take place. It’s not just because they are being picky (although sometimes they can be), it’s to make sure that you are not having your property encroach onto your neighbors. It’s a safe guard to protect their borders and yours.
Where can I find mine?
To procure such an official measuring, you can refer to the property survey that you most likely were given a copy of at the closing of your home sale. Both your lawyer who oversaw the lease signing as well as the realtor(s) who were involved in the process should have access to your particular document, so keep those specific individuals in mind for a moment.
At the closing of the deal, you were given the deed or some kind of paperwork that marked you as the official owner of the property, and along with that official document you were most likely given a copy of the property survey that outlined where your new property begins and ends and included. We say “most likely given a copy” because not all states, counties, and jurisdictions make it mandatory to have a copy of your survey be handed to you as the owner, even though the survey was still taken. If you do not have a copy of the survey in your records, here is how you can track a copy down.
Who would have a copy of my survey?
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Try your realtor or lawyer
Remember that we said you should keep your lawyer and realtor in mind for a moment? Here is why: they can help you track down your survey pretty fast. If they still have your sale on file along with the legal paperwork that is connected to your lease agreement and property ownership, then chances are they have some variant of your survey as well, or at the very least can refer you to the survey company that has a copy of your particular survey.
If neither your realtor nor your lawyer or law office that oversaw the closing of the deal and lease signing have access to your survey, and they cannot help you find the company that conducted your survey, there is still hope. Read on.
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Try your local tax collectors and engineers
If you came up empty handed with your realtors and lawyers, then you can turn to your tax evaluators and collectors, as they have to assess how much property tax you have to pay, they have a record of what exactly your property is, and therefore have a copy of a version of your property survey.
If you checked there, and that still doesn’t work, then you may consider finding your local civil engineering company and talking to them on how you can track down your specific property survey. They can look in their database and hopefully pull up a copy for you, or at least find out the location of another field office that may have your particular file on hand. Not all survey companies work together, but the information they all pool should be connected via database, as the work they conduct is so that the city is built as best as it can be for the people who live in it, and that can only happen if all the surveys are working together.
If they cannot look in their database and find your records, don’t give up hope just yet, there are still other places that you can try.
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Country Records Office
If you came up empty with the people you are still familiar with from your official sale, then it’s time to turn to the county records office. Here, you can find at the very least a variant of your property survey. It probably won’t be the ideal and detailed document that you may have been hoping for, but it will have the minimum information that is being asked for such as property outlines and underworkings.
What to do if you cannot track down your survey.
If you have tried all of these places and still come up empty handed as to your own home and property survey, you can have another one conducted for your land. Hiring surveyors can be a little costly (you can look forward to paying up to about and a little over $1000). It’s costly, but if you want to add in extras to your property while keeping the HOA off your back, then it’s a cost that must be paid.
Having a survey conducted for your property is a necessary part of home ownership, as it protects both you and others from having their property lines be encroached upon, as well as keep your investment safe from damages that may occur from you trying to dig your own pool and accidentally picking into a water pipe that you did not otherwise know was there.
If you absolutely cannot find a copy of your survey, then consider having an updated one conducted. It will save you and your family time and trouble for the future. Happy surveying!
The post How do I get a Copy of my Home Survey? appeared first on WalletPath.