Buyers who purchase lots or homes on lots in established subdivisions rarely have to worry about a survey. The one on record will be accurate. Buying acreage tracts is a different story. It will be necessary to have the property surveyed if you are buying a parcel out of a larger tract. You will also need a survey if the last one done was not metes and bounds or is out of date. In the case of a dispute, the ALTA land title surveys Georgia courts have on record can decide the outcome.
Legal descriptions are not always accurate. Metes and bounds surveys map boundary lines in minute detail. This is especially important if the property you purchase is irregular or is bordered with creeks or trees. It can also make a big difference if you decide to put up a fence on what you believe to be the boundary between you and your neighbor. You might be in for an unpleasant surprise if that neighbor can prove you have encroached on his or her property.
Joint driveways and roads are not uncommon in rural areas. If you share space with your neighbor, you are both responsible for maintaining it for its intended use. Sometimes property is landlocked, which means there is no way to access it without an easement through an adjoining landowner's property. If there is such an easement on the acreage you buy, you must allow your neighbor to use it in order to get to a thoroughfare.
You need to know if there are utility easements on your property as well. If there are poles and electrical wires running above your land, you know about it, but underground utility cables and drainage easements are another thing. Utility companies may have the right to use a portion of your property to maintain their lines. You certainly need to know exactly where any underground cables are before you build anything.
When you buy acreage you have to know how much road frontage it has and how you can get to it. A survey has ingress and egress information that will let you know where you can place a driveway and how far back your house has to be from the road. Commercial developers are particularly interested in ingress because they may need public parking entrances and exits.
Boundary lines aren't the only things on a survey. Surveyors map the position of existing buildings, wells, and septic tanks. They will show the setback lines and baselines. You might find that you have an old cemetery on your land, and you need to know where it is. If the previous owner has built a structure that is in violation of county regulations, your survey will show it.
Residential, commercial, and agriculture are probably the most common zoning classifications. Within these classifications however, there are a number of subcategories. The category your property falls into may determine not only what kind of structures you can build, but what you can do with them.
There are a lot of details to be handled when it comes to purchasing acreage tracts. It may be tempting to buy the property according to the legal description of record. Unfortunately many people who do that live to regret it.
Legal descriptions are not always accurate. Metes and bounds surveys map boundary lines in minute detail. This is especially important if the property you purchase is irregular or is bordered with creeks or trees. It can also make a big difference if you decide to put up a fence on what you believe to be the boundary between you and your neighbor. You might be in for an unpleasant surprise if that neighbor can prove you have encroached on his or her property.
Joint driveways and roads are not uncommon in rural areas. If you share space with your neighbor, you are both responsible for maintaining it for its intended use. Sometimes property is landlocked, which means there is no way to access it without an easement through an adjoining landowner's property. If there is such an easement on the acreage you buy, you must allow your neighbor to use it in order to get to a thoroughfare.
You need to know if there are utility easements on your property as well. If there are poles and electrical wires running above your land, you know about it, but underground utility cables and drainage easements are another thing. Utility companies may have the right to use a portion of your property to maintain their lines. You certainly need to know exactly where any underground cables are before you build anything.
When you buy acreage you have to know how much road frontage it has and how you can get to it. A survey has ingress and egress information that will let you know where you can place a driveway and how far back your house has to be from the road. Commercial developers are particularly interested in ingress because they may need public parking entrances and exits.
Boundary lines aren't the only things on a survey. Surveyors map the position of existing buildings, wells, and septic tanks. They will show the setback lines and baselines. You might find that you have an old cemetery on your land, and you need to know where it is. If the previous owner has built a structure that is in violation of county regulations, your survey will show it.
Residential, commercial, and agriculture are probably the most common zoning classifications. Within these classifications however, there are a number of subcategories. The category your property falls into may determine not only what kind of structures you can build, but what you can do with them.
There are a lot of details to be handled when it comes to purchasing acreage tracts. It may be tempting to buy the property according to the legal description of record. Unfortunately many people who do that live to regret it.
About the Author:
When you are looking for the facts about ALTA land title surveys Georgia residents can come to our web pages online today. More details are available at http://lrssurveying.com now.
