Not necessarily. But before purchasing property, you should understand what information is available about its boundaries and whether there are reasons to be concerned.
Buying property is one of the largest financial investments most people will ever make. Before purchasing a home, buyers commonly hire a home inspector to evaluate the condition of the house. They want to know whether the roof is failing, the foundation has problems, or expensive repairs may be waiting for them.
But what about the land the house sits on?
Do you know where the property boundaries are? Are the fences actually on the property lines? Does the neighbor's driveway cross onto the property? Has the property ever been surveyed?
These are important questions, and unfortunately, many buyers don't think to ask them until after they've purchased the property.
Does Every Property Need a Boundary Survey Before Purchase?
No.
Some properties have recent surveys and substantial existing survey documentation. Others may have little reliable survey information, missing monuments, conflicting records, or indications of potential encroachments.
Several factors can influence whether a boundary survey should be considered:
Age of the property: Older subdivisions may have missing or disturbed monuments, while newer subdivisions may have more readily available survey information. Age alone, however, does not determine boundary reliability.
Existing survey records: A property may have been surveyed recently, or recorded surveys of neighboring properties may provide useful information.
Property monuments: Existing survey records may document monuments marking property corners, although their present condition and location cannot be confirmed through records alone.
Potential encroachments: Fences, buildings, driveways, retaining walls, and other improvements near property lines may warrant investigation.
Property history: Previous boundary disputes, changes in property configuration, or historical uses may raise questions about boundaries or property rights.
A new boundary survey may be necessary to resolve some of these questions. But in many cases, a professional review of existing information can help determine whether commissioning a full survey before purchase is advisable.
What Can Existing Records Tell You?
In Washington State, recorded subdivision plats, Records of Survey, and other publicly available documents can provide valuable information about a property's survey history.
A licensed professional land surveyor can review these records to identify when surveying last occurred, what survey documentation is available, and whether the records reveal potential concerns that warrant further investigation.
County parcel maps and aerial imagery can also be useful tools.
However, county parcel maps are not boundary surveys.
The parcel lines displayed on county GIS and assessor maps are approximate representations maintained primarily for administrative purposes, such as property identification and tax assessment. They are not intended to establish or accurately depict legal property boundaries and should never be relied upon to determine where those boundaries are located.
Nevertheless, these maps can be useful research tools when compared with recorded surveys, aerial imagery, and other available information to identify potential concerns warranting further investigation.
For example, a fence or driveway appearing to cross a mapped parcel line does not establish that an encroachment exists. The mapped line itself may be inaccurate. But that apparent discrepancy may provide a reason to investigate further.
Similarly, the absence of an apparent discrepancy does not establish that no encroachment exists.
What About Title Insurance?
Many property buyers assume title insurance will protect them if a boundary problem is discovered after closing.
Unfortunately, that is not necessarily the case.
Title insurance protects against certain covered defects in title, subject to the policy's terms, exclusions, and exceptions. Standard title insurance policies commonly include exceptions for matters that would be disclosed by an accurate survey, although additional coverage may be available in some circumstances.
A title policy does not automatically guarantee the location of property boundaries or protect against every encroachment or boundary dispute.
Think of it like purchasing insurance on a house with a known history of flooding. You shouldn't assume an insurance company will cover that particular risk without conditions or exclusions.
Similarly, you should not assume a title company will pay to resolve an existing fence, driveway, or structure encroachment discovered after closing.
Title insurance is not a substitute for understanding the property's boundaries before purchasing it.
What About Easements?
Boundary lines are only part of understanding the property you're purchasing.
Easements may allow others to use portions of a property or provide the property with rights to use adjoining land.
For example, a driveway may cross a neighboring property under a recorded access easement. But does the existing driveway actually follow the easement described in the recorded documents?
The presence of an easement in a title report does not necessarily establish that the existing driveway is located within it.
A review of recorded easement documents and available imagery may identify potential inconsistencies. However, determining the actual location of an easement and improvements relative to it generally requires surveying, while questions about the legal extent or enforceability of easement rights may require legal advice.
These are important considerations, particularly when purchasing property that relies on an easement for access.
What Happens When a Boundary Problem Is Discovered After Closing?
Imagine purchasing a home with a beautiful backyard enclosed by a fence.
A year later, your neighbor hires a land surveyor. The survey reveals that the fence is several feet onto the neighbor's property.
Suddenly, the backyard you believed you purchased may not be entirely yours.
Or perhaps you discover that a portion of your garage extends across a property line, or that the driveway you've been using crosses another property without a documented easement.
These situations can lead to additional surveying expenses, negotiations, legal disputes, or the relocation of improvements.
Not every apparent encroachment becomes a legal dispute. Longstanding occupation and use can also raise legal questions that a survey alone cannot resolve.
But these are issues buyers are generally better off investigating before closing, when they still have an opportunity to make informed decisions.
Is There an Alternative to Getting a Full Boundary Survey?
Yes. A professional Pre-Purchase Property Assessment can be a useful first step.
Much like a home inspection evaluates the physical condition of a house, a Pre-Purchase Property Assessment evaluates existing records and other available information for indications of potential issues that may warrant further investigation.
A licensed professional land surveyor can review recorded surveys, subdivision plats, public records, county parcel information, and aerial imagery to identify potential concerns and evaluate whether a boundary survey should be recommended before purchase.
Depending on the circumstances, additional review of title documents or an on-site visual inspection may also be appropriate.
A Pre-Purchase Property Assessment is not a boundary survey. It does not establish, locate, verify, or certify property boundaries, determine the location of improvements relative to those boundaries, or establish whether encroachments exist.
Instead, it provides a professional opinion about whether the available information identifies reasons to recommend obtaining a boundary survey.
For many properties, this can be a more economical first step than immediately commissioning a full boundary survey.
Making an Informed Decision
A boundary survey can be an important investment, particularly when purchasing property with uncertain boundaries, apparent encroachments, or questions about access and easements.
But not every property presents the same level of concern.
Before purchasing property, consider having a licensed professional land surveyor evaluate the available information and help determine whether a boundary survey is advisable.
The goal isn't to survey every property before it's purchased. It's to avoid purchasing a boundary problem you didn't know existed.
Interested in learning how a Pre-Purchase Property Assessment works?
