Whether you’re curious about where your property ends, want to remove a tree between your house and your neighbor’s, or plant a perimeter hedge fence, a below are seven ways you can determine your property lines.
How to Find Property Lines for Free
Homeowner’s Deed
A homeowner’s deed should include a legal description of the plot of land, including its measurements, shape, block and lot number, and other identifiers such as landmarks and geographical features. If the language is tricky, reach out to your real estate lawyer or agent for help in deciphering it.
A Tape Measure
If you want to visually confirm your property lines, you can use a tape measure to determine the boundaries. From a known point detailed in the deed’s description, measure to the property’s edge and place a stake at that point as a marker. After all the edges have been determined, measure the distance between the stakes. Compare the results to make sure they match the corresponding deed or plat.
Existing Property Survey from Mortgage or Title Company
Most mortgage lenders require prospective homeowners to have a current survey, and your title insurance also depends on it. If you bought your home recently but don’t have the survey, contact either company to see if they have a copy on file.
Existing Property Survey from County or Local Municipality
A property’s history and legal records are generally kept in the municipality or county’s tax assessor’s office or in its land records or building department. You can usually begin your search by going online to access the relevant property records. Most municipalities offer this information for free, but some offices may require a small fee or ask that you access the records in person.
How to Research the History of Your House
Buried Pins
At the corners of your property, you may be able to find steel bars that have been buried, sometimes still visible, with a marked cap on the top end. These were likely placed on your land when a survey was completed. If you can’t readily see the pins (they may have been buried over time), use a metal detector to help you locate them. While this isn’t a legally binding way to determine your property lines, it will give you a good idea of the boundaries. Warning: Before you start digging, call 811, the national call-before-you-dig hotline, to request the location of buried utilities you don’t want to inadvertently dig into an underground utility line.
Use an App
Download an app like LandGlide that uses GPS to determine a parcel’s property lines. LandGlide is free for the first seven days.
How to Legally Determine Property Lines
Hire a Licensed Land Surveyor
To get an accurate determination of property lines that will stand up to legal scrutiny, you’ll need to hire a professional surveyor. (Note that most states require licensure of land surveyors; check your state’s requirements.) While a professional survey may cost a a few to several hundreds of dollars—or more, depending on property location, size, shape, and terrain—it’s money well spent since property disputes cost a lot more in time, potential hefty legal fees, and neighborly goodwill.
