Should I pay for a survey on a residential property that is a cash purchase? Many buyers purchasing a residential property in cash choose not to get a survey.  A survey on a real property normally reports the legal description of the property,  the street address, the location of all buildings within the boundaries of the property, the location of adjacent properties, the location and description of all improvements, the type of and location of any encumbrances, and the dimensions and locations of the property boundaries.   The surveyor draws a map that shows the property lines as well as where the house and garage are located along with other features, such as boundary fences and driveways. The survey  also shows easements such as power poles, telephone and cable. You should pay for a survey if:

1.     You have any doubt where your property limits are

2.     You are planning on building a fence

3.     You are planning on adding any improvements to the property

4.     You don’t know the location of underground utilities on the property

5.     You are unsure about access to and from the property

A survey typically cost $375.00 and up.  The most critical parts of the survey are the location of the boundary lines and easements.  It is essential that you review the survey before doing any project on the property; because if any improvements are built in the wrong place, it will be a lot more expensive to remove or relocate it, than the cost of a survey.