How much property are you really buying? GIS can help you see.
Buying a single-family home is a sizable investment. So, it is important that you get as much information as you can, as early in the process as possible.
The lot size might not be what you expect
Sometimes the legal boundaries around a house are different from what you expect. For example, we’ve seen clients surprised to learn that they are buying far more land than they anticipated. Conversely, some find that they are buying less.
Your seller may provide an old survey that shows the (potentially old) boundaries. But this is not required—and many sellers don’t have one.
Eventually, your seller is required to provide a “fresh” plat of survey with current property lines and any improvements on the lot. Yet it will likely arrive late in the process—sometimes just days before closing.
No worries, use these free resources to check
All local counties offer web-based mapping services. We cannot guarantee that these are easy to navigate or that they are precise. But they can give you a clearer idea of your lot size and the neighborhood (which is kind of cool).
Click on the county and use the property address:
Let us (Mike or John) know if you need help with any of these GIS services. We will do our best to assist.