Why order a survey?
Consider this legal description: That part of the South 165 feet of Lot 4 included in the North 196 feet thereof in Block 8 in Wallen & Probst’s Subdivision ETC …
At best the description is vague, really poorly written, it doesn’t adequately describe the parcel. This is one of the reasons for ordering a survey.
The land surveyor provides an independent third party opinion in the real estate/mortgage process.
If an affidavit in lieu of survey was used in the above example would anyone raise a red flag?
The land surveyor is part of the checks and balances in this process. When any check is removed from any process the door or window opens for potential problems.
The Chicago Tribune ran an article in their February 24th issue. A house on the south side of Chicago changed hands 3 times fraudulently while the dead owner’s son lay dead within the home. I’m not saying that a survey could have helped prevent this, but maybe someone, the appraiser, home inspector or surveyor might have noticed the skeletal remains of this man dressed in a red jogging suit sitting on the floor along with the skeleton of his dog laying along side him.
Some say that by using owner affidavits it saves money for the client. One could also make the argument that ending childhood vaccinations would cut health care costs. After all, when was the last time you saw anyone with polio? When the drug makers cut back on production and their employees move on or retire, that’s when the epidemic will hit. The epidemic has already hit the real estate industry. The checks and balances that were in effect in the past, like the survey was there for good reasons. Cutting out the checks and balances only cause’s trouble.
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Written by Mike Vanderwalker, PLS
Vanderwalker Land Surveyors, Inc., 708_423_8202
Guest Writer
in land surveys, Mike Vanderwalker
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