Neighbor Builds Fence On Guy’s Property While He’s Buying House, He Decides To Get Survey

Buying a property can be a long and drawn-out experience, but it’s always worth it if it’s a great deal. Someplace to call your own is extra satisfying when you know you’ll get on with your new neighbors, too.

For one guy who acquired a 1.5-acre lot in a township, things got off to a rocky start when his neighbor built a privacy fence over 10 feet into his property. The neighbor’s behavior towards him since he moved in has been avoidant at best, so now the man has turned to Reddit to ask for advice.

More info: Reddit

Man got a great deal on a 1.5-acre lot, only to discover his neighbor had built a fence crossing his boundary

Neighbor Builds Fence On Guy’s Property While He’s Buying House, He Decides To Get Survey

Image credits: Gustavo Zambelli (not the actual photo)

Man talked casually to the neighbor about it, but the neighbor just said that’s where the property line had always been

Neighbor Builds Fence On Guy’s Property While He’s Buying House, He Decides To Get Survey

Image credits: freepik (not the actual photo)

Neighbor told man that if he wants to get a survey done, they can talk about it

Neighbor Builds Fence On Guy’s Property While He’s Buying House, He Decides To Get Survey

Image credits: u/8784863

Man said survey quotes came in at over $2k and turned to Reddit to ask if there was any other way to deal with it

OP starts his story by explaining that while he was under contract to buy his house, his neighbor-to-be built a fence over 10 feet into his property. He says the realtor didn’t want to do anything to put the sale at risk, and it was a great deal, so he let it slide for the moment.

After OP moved in, he tried to have a casual chat with his new neighbor about the offending fence. His neighbor just said that’s where the property line has always been. He also added that if the man wanted to get a survey done, they could talk about it.

OP added that he thinks the neighbor knows he’s at fault, since he’s been avoiding him for almost a month. OP has since gotten some quotes for surveys, but they’re quite pricey, so he resorted to asking the Reddit community whether or not there’s another way around the issue.

Good fences make good neighbors, as the saying goes, but in OP’s case it would probably be best if he didn’t have to put up with one extending into his yard. What OP may need to do is get a property survey done, especially since his neighbor won’t budge without one.

Neighbor Builds Fence On Guy’s Property While He’s Buying House, He Decides To Get Survey

Image credits: Randy Fath (not the actual photo)

Knowing when to get a land survey done can be crucial when developing or managing a piece of land. The survey precisely identifies and documents important aspects of a piece of land, such as boundaries and topography. If you’re buying or selling land, beginning construction or settling boundary concerns, you will likely need a survey.

Land surveyors are saddled with the critical task of verifying property lines so that you don’t inadvertently build that fence in your neighbor’s yard.

To make these verifications, surveyors search for original property markers on the land (these are usually underground and contain details about who originally surveyed the land).

In addition, they also do a lot of measurements and calculations around the property and the neighborhood at large. They also search for and review city, county and state property records.

In her article for Forbes, Dawn Weinberger puts forward tips on how to hire a land surveyor.

First, consider whether you want to hire an independent land surveyor or a larger company. An independent surveyor might charge less, but they might also be too busy to take on your job anytime soon.

On the other hand, a land surveying company may be able to get to you sooner—but their prices will probably be higher, since they come with a whole team.

Because there are many reasons to get a land survey done, there are many different types of surveys as well. Land surveys detail the boundaries of a parcel of land, topographic surveys illustrate the plan and elevation of the land, and monumentation surveys are done if you want to add a fence to your property.

A lot of local governments keep property records online. To search for their piece of land, OP will need specific details about the property they want to look up. They’ll need to gather as much information as they can – like the street address, boundary descriptions and date of the last survey. Then, they can search the official county or assessor’s website where the property is located.

The more information OP has, the easier it will be for them to find the survey they need. Not all records will be digitized, but the results of their search may help them narrow down the exact office where their survey is located. They can then call the office and ask to be mailed a copy of the survey.

Geographic Information System (GIS) maps and property search sites are a better option if OP has limited info on their property. However, these sites often charge a fee or need a subscription.

What would you do if you found yourself in OP’s situation? Try speaking with the neighbor again, or just shell out for the survey? Let us know your opinions in the comments!

Redditors seemed to agree that simply getting the survey done would be the most expedient route to sorting the issue out

Neighbor Builds Fence On Guy’s Property While He’s Buying House, He Decides To Get Survey

Image credits: Mental Health America (MHA) (not the actual photo)

Neighbor Builds Fence On Guy’s Property While He’s Buying House, He Decides To Get Survey

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After twenty years in advertising, I've decided to try my hand at journalism. I'm lucky enough to be based in Cape Town, South Africa and use every opportunity I get to explore everything it has to offer, both indoors and out. When I'm not reading, writing, or listening to podcasts, I spend my time swimming in the ocean, running mountain trails, and skydiving. While I haven't travelled as much as I'd like, I did live in !ndia, which was an incredible experience. I love live music, whether it's in a massive stadium or an intimate club setting.

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I am a visual editor here. In my free time I enjoy the vibrant worlds of art galleries, exhibitions, and soulful concerts. Yet, amidst life's hustle and bustle, I find solace in nature's embrace, cherishing tranquil moments with beloved friends. Deep within, I hold a dream close - to embark on a global journey in an RV, accompanied by my faithful canine companion. Together, we'll wander through diverse cultures, weaving precious memories under the starry night sky, fulfilling the wanderlust that stirs my soul.

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What do you think ?

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Doctor Strange 4 months ago

Land Surveyor here. GET A SURVEY. And don't go for the cheapest one to save money. You get what you pay for. You need to have a good quality company, and then I would also have the corners marked. If the neighbor disagrees, they can hire their own surveyor. But the longer you let it go, the more of a problem it will become. Simply put, you should have had a survey done as part of the closing. Most title companies won't issue insurance or a mortgage without a current survey. Also, don't go by GIS and certainly don't go by GPS. Unless you have survey grade equipment, which will run you about 30 THOUSAND dollars, and you Still need to know how to properly use and process it, you will not get accurate information. The GPS in your phone or car is generally plus or minus about 50 FEET. Legally speaking, GPS coordinates are the Lowest tier of information, and are superceded by literally everything else.

25points

Pyla 4 months ago

GPS has my house at the bottom of the street 5 houses away.

9points

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Kenneth Clark 4 months ago

I would warn the responder who said that their neighbor has use of a fenced in portion of their lot. This is the very definition of adverse possession. By knowingly allowing your neighbor exclusive use to that portion of your property, given enough time under that condition your neighbor can make claim that you acquiesced to their taking of that land. "Understand" or not, that is a bad idea.

11points

Zaach 4 months ago

I should've expected that someone else would know about this - there was a case of a man who took a shortcut through an empty field for 20 years - when the property was developed, they had to let him walk through the building; that is all he wanted but he could have demanded an exorbitant amount but all he wnted was his shortcut

1point

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Ace 4 months ago

I don't understand why they need to get a survey - surely they have plans of the plot as part of the purchase, and isn't there a land registry or equivalent where they can just ask for an extract if they don't already have it?

7points

Doctor Strange 4 months ago

Plans of the plot at purchase ARE a land survey. Most title companies won't issue a mortgage or title insurance without a new survey, so he should have had this done before the closing. And no, there is no land registry. The county clerk will have deeds and filed maps, but unless you are a professional, good luck even reading them, let alone figuring out how they relate to the actualy physical ground. There is a reason why Land Surveyors require a 4 year engineering degree, five years of experience in a position of responsibility, and then 16 hours worth of exams in order to get a license.

15points

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Bob Brooce 4 months ago

Your local tax assessor and building department probably have an itty bitty drawing that show the shape of the property and reasonably accurate locations, relative to the property lines, for structures, but they're not actual surveys and won't guarantee where the property lines are on the ground. Worse they don't necessarily show the correct geographic location. YouTube will gladly show you a bunch of videos about a house that was recently built (and will now be torn down under a court order) on the wrong parcel in Hawaii. It's a very safe bet that the building department has an itty bitty drawing showing that new house, with fairly accurate setbacks, but supposedly on the parcel where it should have been built.

1point

Apatheist Account2 4 months ago

There may be disagreement about where the actual boundaries are - they need to be measured from a fixed point, but our land registry map had the boundary highlighted in a fairly thick felt tip pen, so there could be a few feet either way if there's nothing else to go on. A survey would clear it up.

1point