Had something similar happen a few years back. Bought a property to develop and the survey revealed the neighbor's driveway was actually encroaching by almost two feet onto my lot. Wasn't thrilled about it, but glad I caught it early—ended up negotiating an easement rather than going through the hassle of moving concrete. Surveys cost money upfront, but they're worth every penny if they save you from bigger headaches down the road...
"Surveys cost money upfront, but they're worth every penny if they save you from bigger headaches down the road..."
Couldn't agree more on this point. I've seen plenty of folks skip surveys to save a few bucks upfront, only to end up in costly disputes later. It's like skipping insurance because "nothing ever happens," until it does...
But I'll play devil's advocate a bit here—sometimes even surveys aren't bulletproof. Had a client once who got a survey done, everything looked fine, and then a year later another neighbor had their own survey done that conflicted with ours. Turned out the original surveyor had made a small error. It wasn't huge, but enough to cause some headaches and extra legal fees. So yeah, surveys are definitely valuable, but they're not always foolproof.
Your solution of negotiating an easement was smart though. Moving concrete or fences can get expensive fast, and honestly, who wants to start off on the wrong foot with neighbors? A little give-and-take usually goes a long way.
I guess the takeaway is: trust but verify. Even when you've done your due diligence, things can still pop up unexpectedly. Property lines can be surprisingly fluid over decades of ownership changes and DIY projects by previous owners. Always good to have a contingency plan or at least mentally prepare yourself for the occasional curveball...
Good points all around. Surveys are great, but like you said, they're not magic. Had a similar issue once—survey looked perfect, then we found out the fence was off by nearly 2 feet because the previous owner eyeballed it. Ended up splitting the difference with the neighbor rather than ripping everything out. Lesson learned: even the pros can miss stuff, so always leave room for flexibility...and maybe a beer or two to smooth things over with neighbors.
Surveys definitely aren't foolproof, but personally I'd hesitate before just splitting the difference. Had a similar situation myself—when I bought my place, the fence was off by about a foot. Instead of compromising right away, I checked with the title company and found out title insurance actually covered boundary issues. They sorted it out without extra cost to me. Sometimes it's worth exploring options before settling...though keeping things neighborly is always smart.
Good point about checking title insurance first—saved you some cash there. Had a similar issue myself, but my title insurance didn't cover boundary disputes (lesson learned the hard way). Ended up splitting survey costs with the neighbor, which wasn't too bad, but still an unexpected expense.
A couple things I'd suggest from experience:
- Always double-check exactly what's covered by your title insurance—policies vary a lot.
- If you do end up compromising, get it in writing. Friendly agreements are great until someone moves out and the new neighbor isn't as chill.
- Sometimes local property records or city hall can clarify boundary lines without needing a full survey.
Curious if anyone's had luck resolving boundary issues informally without involving surveys or insurance...does that ever work out long-term?
