Property Survey.

In plain English

A property survey is a measured drawing made by a licensed surveyor that shows the legal boundaries of a piece of land and where things like the house, fence, driveway, and easements fall within them. It tells you exactly where your lot ends and the neighbor's begins, which a deed description alone often does not make obvious. Lenders sometimes require one before a mortgage closes, and buyers order one to confirm there are no boundary problems before they own them. It is different from a home inspection, which checks the condition of the house rather than the lines of the land.

01Why it matters

A fence or shed sitting a few feet over the line can turn into an expensive dispute or a forced teardown after you buy. A survey catches that before it becomes your problem.

02The math, step by step

Before closing, you order a property survey. The surveyor finds the seller's back fence sits two feet onto the neighbor's land. Because you caught it before closing, you can require the seller to resolve it (move the fence or get a written easement) instead of inheriting a boundary fight and the legal bills that come with it after you own the place.

03What this is NOT