As a land owner, knowing the location of your property lines is one of the best ways to avoid disputes with your neighbors.
Property lines, or boundary lines, are the defined points where one owner’s land ends and the neighboring property begins. A property owner uses boundary lines to determine where he can legally place items like fences, driveways, outbuildings like post barns, or anything else. Erecting a structure on or partially on someone else’s land can lead to lawsuits and unpleasant situations with neighbors.
1. Check your writing. The deed contains the legal description of your property, which is basically the measurements and boundaries of the property in words. For most people, the property description can be difficult to interpret, so you may not find it useful. However, sometimes the legal description uses benchmarks and measurements that you can interpret. If that is the case, measure from the reference points in the description to the property lines. Mark each corner with a stake or other marker. Measure from each stake to the next around your property to make sure the measured lines match the deed. Physically measuring the boundaries will allow you to visually determine where the lines are and avoid encroaching on your neighbor’s land. Just be careful: an old description may be based on the location of a tree that no longer exists or a stream that has dried up.
2. Consult the official website of the appraiser’s office in your municipality. Some advisers have mapping tools available online for all real estate in the area. You can use the maps to find your property lines and determine where nearby landmarks are, such as the east line of your street. You can use these reference points as fixed points to measure from. Using a tape measure or wheel measure, measure the distance from each of the landmarks to your property line, as shown on the maps.
3. If you don’t have a copy and nothing is available online, visit your county recorder’s office or assessor’s office. When you purchased your property, you may have received a flat map that shows the lines and measurements of the property. If it was not included with your documentation, check with your local clerk’s or surveyor’s office. Ask if there are maps available to the public that include your neighborhood and street. Some of these maps may be available online, while others will be hard copies or microfiche. Even maps of neighboring properties can be valuable if they show shared property lines.
4. Last but not least, hire a surveyor. The safest way to determine legal property lines is to hire a professional. The surveyor can measure and map the property and will usually mark the corners of the property with stakes as well. It is always a good idea to be present when the surveyor comes to measure his property so that he can review the property lines with you. The cost of a survey will vary based on your location, lot size, and other variables. The surveyor must be licensed by their state and must carry professional liability insurance, which may cover you if the surveyor makes a survey error.