Before Purchasing Land: Get Surveyed by Professional Land Surveyors

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Because the piece of land or real estate you are buying is a significant purchase, you need to make sure that it is in good standing and is actually worth the money you are paying so you can be at peace with your investment decision. A professional land survey protects your hard-earned money by providing you critical information about the property on hand, thus helping you determine whether or not the piece of real estate or the land you are planning to buy is a fair deal.

A lot of first-time real property investors think that a land survey is just another added expense that they can forgo. After all, buying land is already a costly endeavor. What many don’t realize is that a professional land survey done by trained and experienced land surveyors can be invaluable to their investment. Land surveying is more than just a process of defining, plotting, and validating the boundary lines of and the structures within a real property. It also provides a detailed report about other important related features that are specified in the deed, making sure that it is up to date and accurate. In addition to verifying the accuracy of the property’s deed, a land survey can also expose potential issues that may cause problems and losses, when left undetected.

From determining boundary measurements to ensure that what the deed says matches the actual land you believe you are buying to pointing out which buildings, sidewalks, driveways, and fences line on the property, and whether a neighboring property encroaches the land you are wishing to purchase, a land surveyor can help you address these issues early on.

Professional land surveyors are also knowledgeable in current building, zoning, and wetland regulations, which can be especially useful when buying a piece of land that you wish to build on. By performing a land survey on an empty piece of property, you catch potential issues that may affect not only the value, but the structural integrity of the property you wish to build. Evaluating technical aspects of the land you wish to build upon as well as determining the possibilities and legalities of developing or subdividing the property are also among the things that a professional land surveyor can help you with.

Relying on old land surveys is not a wise way to go when making a property investment, as these documents may not include recent changes made to the land, or take into account current standards and regulations that affect the property at the time of your purchase. 

About the Author:

Armando Dupont, a professional land surveyor, started his career in surveying in 1977 and has extensive experience in managing personnel and projects. His experience includes: topographic mapping, boundary surveys and analysis, construction and control surveying, preparation of tract and parcel maps, earth work calculation and quantities, targeting and control for photogrammetric, and land title surveys in accordance with the American Land Title Association and the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping. Mr. DuPont founded Calvada Surveying, Inc. in 1989 and is a licensed Professional Land Surveyor in the State of California.