Why get a survey? This is a question often asked by Shell Knob buyers, as they try to trim cash flow when they look at closing costs.
The question is most frequently brought up when the property is in a subdivision. They know the developer had to have had it surveyed and lots laid out in the early stages of the project, so why can't we trust the plat the development had done?
It is less likely a problem to the buyer if the lot or land is in an undeveloped area, such as we still have in the Shell Knob, MO area, around Table Rock Lake. It is a MUST! You can't always walk off the footage listed on the listing sheet, and be accurate. Getting that survey done on undeveloped land is a no-brainer
I always recommend a buyer get a survey done, even in an existing subdivision. If the lot has sat there for 5 or 10 years, the boundaries often are unclear. Adjacent neighbors start out cutting the lawn a foot over the property line, and it soon becomes 6 or 10 feet. The buyer needs to have a clear understanding of the borders - and so do the neighbors.
A survey is especially important prior to having a fence installed, or a garage or outbuilding constructed. In Missouri, statutes limit the practice to only licensed surveyors . They are licensed under the Missouri Board for Architects, Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors.
CALL JOAN FOR ALL YOUR REAL ESTATE NEEDS 417-858-2209
TRI-LAKES REALTORS 417-858-3344
