Mortgage Surveys
You get a survey when you get a mortgage. Actually you get it just before you get a mortgage. You yourself already qualify for the mortgage when the survey is ordered. That is, first they qualify you, then they qualify the real estate. The value of the real estate is already established by an appraisal. What the survey shows is what encroachments exist and what structures are physically part of the property. Encroachments onto neighboring property and also encroachments into easements will probably not be insured. Usually that just means the fence that was there three owners back and whose ownership isn't really known, isn't insured. And that the tin shed somebody threw up in the corner of the yard isn't insured either. Sometimes it means a garage or a roof eave, or even a house wall isn't insured. When it gets to the point that the insurance policy won't cover the value of the mortgage, then the mortgage company backs out, and doesn't fund the purchase. This is actually good news for the buyer, who gets to move on with his life and buy a less encumbered property. It's bad news for the seller, who has to remove the encroachments. (Sometimes through court order) All property owners should keep their mortgage surveys. They should review their survey when there is any construction on their property or their neighbor's property. They should make their survey available to the buyer and the buyer's surveyor, so that 'interpretation' doesn't cause any problems.