Who got a land survey when they purchased? (how much, house)

[wanderintonc]

Originally Posted by LisaZ

I did actually. But I was still commenting on the survey. I can not believe it is not required in a closing. In NY and CT it is.

It's not required in CT and in fact, I never even heard of a survey until this thread! I have purchased, and sold, a home in Ct. I do believe, based on what I have read here, that I will get a survey when I buy a home in NC.

[DanielChang]

I didn't understand what the survey was when I purchased first house. Now I understand it's importance and would definitely order a survey when I make my next purchase.

[mom2joshcanpark]

I talked to the county surveyor today and he said he is going to do some research on it and come out monday and try to find the front markers.

If I have 2 corner markers on one side, 1 is mine and 1 is my neighbors, surely there is a survey. 1 person owned all this up to 1990 I think, and he said our far back stake between him and us is a marker.

Anyway, I don't see how you can go over on an even 290x300x290x300 piece of property. I believe the curve in the street is throwing him off. How can my property be even 300 feet all the way across (back, front, middle) but then way off measuring from 2nd neighbors stake across the street all the way to my yard, the only logic is the curve in front of his property is adding in all those feet.

The realtor says by law it is my property until proved it isn't, which means he has to pay for a survey to claim it. My problem with that is, can a surveyor be persueded to say it is his? I do not have the money for this right now and it isn't fair my kids have to give up their play area as well, he is the new person, seems he'd hold off moving my stuff, ya know.

[thomasj]

Yes, for getting the survey. If you are writing the contract on a pre-sale, the survey may not be available now, but it should be available as the builder does get permit, etc. Sounds like they are selling the lot that is not permitted to sell...I came across this a lot.

[rodwoman]

Originally Posted by VickiR

Well, to be honest...I very very rarely have a sale "fall through". I usually leave ordering the survey up to the closing attorney. They typically order the survey the last 2 weeks before closing. By then, if we've encountered any issues, we have gotten them resolved.

However, if a sale fell through, I would expect my buyers to still pay the surveyor and the termite inspector and the home inspector.

Have you had buyers order a survey through you and not pay? Do you require payment in advance? I usually have the attorney put it on the closing statement and the check is then written from the attorney to the surveyor.

Vicki

You darn right we have had buyers, lawyers, banks, mortgage lenders, not pay for our surveys! And it seems there is no one who cares either if we get paid. It is not right. We did the job and we should be paid!
Can you shop in a store and not pay? I wish I knew why people don't think they have to pay. Most people have no clue what kind of work, the length of time it takes to do a survey, who does the work, who pays for the survey, but everyone "knows" where there "pins" are.
Property corners are not called pins, they are iron rods which are , or if it's not an iron rod, it could an axel, pipe, depending on which state you live in.
I just wish people would pay up as we are owed thousands of dollars right now and with the economy doing so poorly we could use the money.
My husband worked hard for those license...studying for hours, weekends and then taking 2 -8 hour tests. People have no clue just how difficult it is to get these licenses. Another thing too, I know many surveyors who have taken their test over and over and over before they passed! So just because someone says he is a "registered land surveyor", think again.
My husband passed his the first time in N.C. and FL! He is smart and he always wins an arguement too! And he does his own fieldwork too, not many surveyors do that. He is picky.
Not all surveys costs $350 either and with good cause. I never quite appriatated what he did until I started working with him. Now I get in those bushes with spiders, the high grass where there could be a snake, wetlands (close to gators), groves, weeds, climb over fenses in order to get to someone's property corner which is located between the 4 fenses at the corner.
It has been a real treasure working with my husband. He is very good to me and very patient too. He has taught me so much.
I wish others could appreciate the work land surveyors do, we are just dirty working people trying to make a buck. We are educated.

[rodwoman]

Originally Posted by mom2joshcanpark

I talked to the county surveyor today and he said he is going to do some research on it and come out monday and try to find the front markers.

If I have 2 corner markers on one side, 1 is mine and 1 is my neighbors, surely there is a survey. 1 person owned all this up to 1990 I think, and he said our far back stake between him and us is a marker.

Anyway, I don't see how you can go over on an even 290x300x290x300 piece of property. I believe the curve in the street is throwing him off. How can my property be even 300 feet all the way across (back, front, middle) but then way off measuring from 2nd neighbors stake across the street all the way to my yard, the only logic is the curve in front of his property is adding in all those feet.

The realtor says by law it is my property until proved it isn't, which means he has to pay for a survey to claim it. My problem with that is, can a surveyor be persueded to say it is his? I do not have the money for this right now and it isn't fair my kids have to give up their play area as well, he is the new person, seems he'd hold off moving my stuff, ya know.

Sorry, but just because you found a marker doesn't mean there isn't another one or even two more. That is why you hire a registered land surveyor who is insured, just in case he is wrong. Lots of times people call my husband, who is a registered land surveyor and mapper here in FL, and ask him just to locate their property line for a fence. Well, if he were to do that, how does he know what he found is correct without finging all of the property corners? The boundary lines all have to fit together like a puzzle so the math has to be done literally. Many times my husband will check the adjacent property corners just to make sure he is right. There is lots of geometry in land surveying and you are paying for their expertise because they are professionals. My husband does his own field work, not many surveyors do, so I can only speak for him, but the men who come out and do the field work are working under a registered land surveyor's license so the fieldwork is usually checked by someone who is registered.

[rodwoman]

Originally Posted by rodwoman

Sorry, but just because you found a marker doesn't mean there isn't another one or even two more. That is why you hire a registered land surveyor who is insured, just in case he is wrong. Lots of times people call my husband, who is a registered land surveyor and mapper here in FL, and ask him just to locate their property line for a fence. Well, if he were to do that, how does he know what he found is correct without finging all of the property corners? The boundary lines all have to fit together like a puzzle so the math has to be done literally. Many times my husband will check the adjacent property corners just to make sure he is right. There is lots of geometry in land surveying and you are paying for their expertise because they are professionals. My husband does his own field work, not many surveyors do, so I can only speak for him, but the men who come out and do the field work are working under a registered land surveyor's license so the fieldwork is usually checked by someone who is registered.

Also, we do surveys that large and larger all the time. Don't ask me how he finds the corners in the middle of a wetlands,but he does. It's amazing to watch him.

[JimmyO]

So, instead of posting a new topic, I used the search function and found this older thread.

We're building new, closing in several weeks, and now the topic of a lot survey arranged by the closing attorney has come up. We're being quoted $350-450. Is that too much? Should I look into getting my own surveyor?

I see how a lot survey is valuable, I'm just very wary of all the nickel and dime stuff that comes along with making a big purchase, and don't want to get hosed too badly (i.e. "rustproofing" when buying a new car or "electricity access" when paying for a wedding reception), especially when the cost of a lot survey represents a significant chunk of the new TV I want to buy.

[rodwoman]

Originally Posted by JimmyO

So, instead of posting a new topic, I used the search function and found this older thread.

We're building new, closing in several weeks, and now the topic of a lot survey arranged by the closing attorney has come up. We're being quoted $350-450. Is that too much? Should I look into getting my own surveyor?

I see how a lot survey is valuable, I'm just very wary of all the nickel and dime stuff that comes along with making a big purchase, and don't want to get hosed too badly (i.e. "rustproofing" when buying a new car or "electricity access" when paying for a wedding reception), especially when the cost of a lot survey represents a significant chunk of the new TV I want to buy.

Being a surveyor's wife of 36 yrs. I hear this question all of the time. I am guessing people don't realize the work and liability involved in a land survey. Isn't your boundary more important to you than a new TV?
Now that I help him, I have a new appreciation for land surveyors. They really do earn their money & more IF they are good. Just like any other service, there are good ones and not so good ones. Most of the time people don't realize the time and effort we spend on one job.
But "yes", its well worth the $350-$400 you spend.

He took a 16 hour to get his license, plus he has to keep up with CEUs (continuing education), liability insurance (not cheap), expensive equipment. etc.
Hope this helps you and others understand. He is not just standing on property looking through an instrument.

Here are the steps involved.
Drive to the property.
Find the corners by digging till its(sometimes more than one is found at one corner of the property, he has to make a decision and calculate which one is correct) located. And hope that we can not just find them, but be able to get to them. There are plenty of locked fenses, mean dogs, nosey neighbors asking private questions about what we are doing and why, this all takes up our time. Sometimes lots have clutter in the yards next to these fenses, heavy objects, bushes, trees are in the way. Just take a look at your yard.
Once corners are found they have to be shot to locate them with the instrument. We do that together. He sets up the instrument while I go back to each and every corner with the rod for a shot.
Then everything gets measured, the house, all concrete, location of the A/C, sheds, fenses, driveways, pools. Sometimes these corners are on the other side of a fense so I have to climb a ladder for those shots).
Then we return to the office and has draws up a survey.
Sound like a lot of work? Some are easy, but some can be a real pain.
Yes he earn his money.

[rodwoman]

Originally Posted by mom2joshcanpark

I talked to the county surveyor today and he said he is going to do some research on it and come out monday and try to find the front markers.

If I have 2 corner markers on one side, 1 is mine and 1 is my neighbors, surely there is a survey. 1 person owned all this up to 1990 I think, and he said our far back stake between him and us is a marker.

Anyway, I don't see how you can go over on an even 290x300x290x300 piece of property. I believe the curve in the street is throwing him off. How can my property be even 300 feet all the way across (back, front, middle) but then way off measuring from 2nd neighbors stake across the street all the way to my yard, the only logic is the curve in front of his property is adding in all those feet.

The realtor says by law it is my property until proved it isn't, which means he has to pay for a survey to claim it. My problem with that is, can a surveyor be persueded to say it is his? I do not have the money for this right now and it isn't fair my kids have to give up their play area as well, he is the new person, seems he'd hold off moving my stuff, ya know.

I was reading over your question and at the bottom you asked, "can a surveyor be persueded to say it is his?"
Are you kidding???? That would get that surveyor in such deep trouble. You do realize Registered Land Surveyors have a license don't you?
As my husband put it, who is the mapper and surveyor of 36 yrs., I only write down what I find in the field"