Finding your property line is essential for various reasons, such as planning landscaping, building fences, or resolving disputes with neighbors. Here are several methods to locate your property lines accurately:
How To Find Your Property Line
There are several ways to locate your property line without doing too much research. Four specific techniques are helpful if you’re on the hunt for this information.
To find your property lines, you can use:
- Check the homeowner’s deed
- Use a tape measure
- Review an existing property survey
- Go to the Local County Recorder or Assessor’s Office
- Use Online Mapping Tools
- Hire a Professional Surveyor
These should all display your property lines.
Let’s dive into each of these a little more to give you a better idea of what to look for when searching for property lines. Each of these is useful in its way.
Check the Homeowner’s Deed
One of the best ways to find your property lines is to check the homeowner’s deed. It’s a legal description of the property and thus should have a written description of how far your property extends.
If your newest one doesn’t have this information, it will tell you which deed does. However, it’s vital to remember that old deeds might have areas on them that don’t exist anymore.
Use a Tape Measure
If you think you know the property lines, you can use a tape measure to help set up stakes to indicate where the property begins and ends. This action can be a valuable visual tool if you need to see where the markers are in the future.
You can then check your approximations with an official map or documentation of the property. A tape measure can be very helpful with property lines.
Review an Existing Property Survey
The mortgage or the title company should have an existing property survey on hand. You can contact them to ask if you might be able to get your hands on the property lines for your location. The survey document is a detailed drawing of your property showing boundary lines, buildings, and other features.
Go to the Local County Recorder or Assessor’s Office
A local county recorder or assessor’s office should have the information you need to find your property lines. Visit a local center or an online database to see if they have the information you need.
Going in person is best, as you can find out exactly what you need from a reliable source. An office of records should have the property lines on file. The information should be simple to access, whether on the phone or in person.
Use Online Mapping Tools
- GIS Websites: Many counties have GIS (Geographic Information System) websites that provide detailed property maps, including boundaries.
- Satellite Imagery: Websites like Google Earth can offer satellite imagery, but these are less precise for determining exact property lines.
Hire a Professional Surveyor
- Professional Survey: Hiring a licensed surveyor provides the most accurate and legally recognized determination of your property lines.
- Surveyor Services: They will use specialized equipment and knowledge to measure and mark your property boundaries accurately.
How to Find Property Lines Final Thoughts
Determining your property lines can be done through a combination of reviewing documents, physical inspection, and professional assistance. By utilizing these resources and methods, you can accurately identify your property boundaries, ensuring you adhere to legal requirements and avoid disputes.
Finding Property Lines FAQs
How Do I See Property Lines on Google Maps?
Although not available in all locations, you can type your address on Google Maps to see the boundaries for your home. All you need to do is enter your address and zoom in until the property lines are visible. If you can’t see them, they’re not available for your home.
What Is the Best App for Finding Property Lines?
There are several apps you can download to simplify the property line process. Some of the best include LandGlide, GPS Fields Area Measure, LandGrid Map and Survey Property, and GIS Surveyor. They will provide you with all the information you need to locate your property lines.
How Do I Survey Land with my Smartphone?
You can survey land with your smartphone by investing in a land surveying app and taking it from there. There are plenty of professionals online who have created intricate courses on how you can take land surveying into your hands with nothing more than a smartphone for aid.
Are Google Maps Property Lines Accurate?
Although most Google property lines get close to the measurements, you shouldn’t rely on them for factual information. They are not as accurate as some would like you to believe and serve more as a general boundary than a fact you can rely on for any legal troubles.
How Do I Find Property Line Survey Pins?
Survey pins are usually a specific amount of feet from the curb. If you take a measuring tape, you can measure around fifteen feet into the area you think the pin occupies. Do some digging here, and you’ll find it about 6-10 inches below the top of your yard.
How Do I Survey My Property Lines with GPS?
You can survey your property lines with GPS if that’s easier for you. Download a GPS app, obtain a plat map from a local provider, enter the coordinates of your space, and get started surveying the property lines. It’s a relatively simple and beneficial process.