Reading a Land Survey Accurately

In about any real estate transaction, the lender and (usually) the local government will require a property survey before the deed can be transferred. A land survey will probably even be required for a refinance on the same property. Although it seems like it should be fairly cut-and-dried, land surveys have been part of the real estate process for centuries.

The surveyor’s job is to translate the legal documents of the land description into actual physical positions on the ground, using his tools and measurement techniques. That way property lines, improvements, easements and utilities can be established. Disputes between neighbors can be a matter of a few inches on property lines (especially when it comes to things like fences), and the land survey (approved by the ALTA, American Land Title Association) is the final and only word on such matters.

Here are some steps to understanding and reading a land survey:

Start off with a copy of the land transfer document and a copy of the title insurance commitment. These legal instruments will give you the description of the land and a description of any third party rights that should be accounted for in the survey, such as encroachments or utility easements. Such encroachments will give a third party limited access and use to the land as needed.
From the title and surveyor’s certification, determine the type of survey. This will help you understand what sort of information you can expect to find on it.
Find the survey legend, which will show the symbols that will denote contours, streets, vegetation, utility facilities, corners, etc.
Note the surveyor’s scale, which will show distance on the survey map vs. actual distance on the ground. With a ruler, you should be able to determine actual distances according to scale.
Note the surrounding land in the survey, including utilities, easements and improvements. These could have an impact on legal rights to the land itself.
Determine from the description as to whether the land is a subdivision lot, or described by metes and bounds. If it’s a subdivision lot, it will be have a lot number in the subdivision name. If it’s not a subdivision, the description will consist of distances and angles from a point of beginning.

Bear in mind that some of the draftsman’s work might be in extremely small fonts; a magnifying glass might be necessary in reading a land survey. Chances are if you’ve gotten to a point where you need to know how to read a land survey, you may have more knowledgeable people around to help interpret the document at that time.