I thought I would take a minute to explain why surveys are important. I often handle the purchase of investment properties that typically involve the buyer being responsible for all closing costs. In these situations I am constantly being asked to not order a survey. When asked this I usually tell this story.
I had taken a buyer to a property which he liked and the seller and the buyer agreed on a price. About a week before closing the title company ordered the survey. When it came back we had issues. About two years prior the seller had decided to deed the front half acre of her property to her daughter to place a mobile home on it. Unfortunately, the deed was incorrectly recorded and instead of splitting the lot horizontally the description on the deed split it vertically. This literally split the house down the middle. While this sounds easily remedied, the seller and her daughter had a falling out, and when approached about correcting the problem the daughter said, "Sure, for the right price." Well the right price was all the equity the mother had in the property, and needless to say the deal fell apart.
So, while I understand the desire to save $300, I have seen it cost much more if you are that one time a survey would have been the right call.
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