WHY DO I NEED A SURVEY?

(From The New York State Association of Professional Land Surveyors)

It's in your Interest to contact a surveyor if :

You are Selling Property

* You may have to provide your buyer with an up-to-date survey of your property in order to:

* Give your buyer confidence in the purchase
* Allow your buyer to register the transaction at the County Clerk's office
* Enable your buyer to make mortgage arrangements. Verify to your buyer the size and extent of the property
* Avoid later legal disputes arising from inadequate or inaccurate property description 

You are Buying Property

You  need to know what you're getting. Only a map of the survey made by a  licensed land surveyor can define what you've purchased. Your surveyor  will undertake the necessary research, survey the property and prepare a  survey map that will reveal:

* Whether other people are entitled to partial use of your property through easements for utilities or rights-of-way.
*  Whether fences, trees, buildings, gardens, embankments, driveways,  walkways, swimming pools, house additions and other property
* Whether your deed describes your property accurately
*  Your survey thus gives you a form of protection in addition to  clarifying what you've bought, since it will reveal any encroachments or  other irregularities that might be the cause of later legal disputes.  In addition, your surveyor can mark the exact corners of your site with  survey monuments. 

Building Fencing or Adding on

You  need to protect your investment by making sure you are building on you  own property. A mislocated fence, driveway or carport can cause legal  problems and extra construction costs. Before you build, let a licensed  land surveyor determine your property boundaries, replacing missing  stakes if necessary. Allowing a surveyor to mark the location of your  building on site before construction begins will also ensure that you  meet setback requirements and other restrictions enforced by the  municipality in their zoning laws. Failure to comply with zoning By-Laws  could result in the loss of a future sale if the purchasers have an  up-to-date survey done. Mortgage lenders generally do not advance money  until zoning law infringements are cleared up.

You are Subdividing

A licensed professional surveyor will:

* Check and ensure extent of title, and note planning restrictions, easements and other legalities
* Survey the site
*  Engage other consultants to carry out preliminary studies, Engineering,  Planning & Environmental issues to submit with draft plan
* Draft a proposed subdivision plan
* Prepare final plans 

Refinancing or Obtaining a Mortgage
 

A  mortgage company, whether it be a bank, trust company or others,  usually requires a survey before they will lend money. Why is this a  necessity and why are you often asked for an up-to-date survey?

Do the lot size, building set backs, pool and fence locations meet with local Zoning Laws?

The  mortgage company will require the survey to protect their investment.  They want to be sure that the land and buildings on which they are  lending money are as described in the documents which accompany the  transaction. They also wish to know that if they have to foreclose there  will be no problems in re-selling the property.

According to New  York State law, only surveys made by licensed and registered New York  Land Surveyors are legal. Only registered Land Surveyors have completed  the academic requirements and practical training before licensing. Only  registered Land Surveyors are required to maintain the necessary  theoretical, practical and ethical standards set by legislation.

WHAT WILL IT COST

Depending  on the nature and extent of the work, anywhere from a few hundred to  several thousand dollars. Fees for surveys are determined on an  individual basis, depending mainly on the amount of time required for  the research and the survey. Prior to engaging your surveyor, you may  wish to inquire of the likely estimate of the fees that the survey will  entail, along with the expected completion date.

YOUR ASSURANCE

In  cases of dispute, your surveyor is an expert witness in court and  assumes full professional responsibility for the accuracy of your  survey. The cost of the survey as a percentage of your total investment  is small and a reasonable price to pay for peace of mind.

SALE OR PURCHASE OF LAND

Typically  your house and land represent your largest assets. If you are  contemplating purchasing property, you should know as much as possible  about the piece of land in which you are going to invest. Obtaining a  survey may be the most important thing you do before you close the deal  on any purchase. Without a survey, you do not know the extent of your  property, as only a licensed surveyor can provide you with this  information. Without the survey, there is too much you do not know and  you are risking both friendly neighbors and your investment.

It  pays to know the boundaries of your land. A small distance can make a  big difference. The erection of a fence can be the source off expensive  litigation and ill will between neighbors. Your licensed land surveyor  can help you avoid disputes.h here. 

At Paul B Koerts Professional Land Surveying, we utilize the cutting  edge of surveying technology. Our company owns and operates more GPS  (Global Positioning System) units than any other licensed surveyor in  the New York Southern Tier region.  When GPS is implemented on the  field, our crew can work more quickly, efficiently and more accurately  than what was ever before possible. For the customer, this means a lower  overall cost thanks to reduced hours in the field compared to surveyors  who only use conventional methods.

     Paul B Koerts  Professional Land Surveying is a Better Business Bureau accredited  business with an A+ rating. Our review can read on their website  at bbb.org 

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