If you own a home, you probably have an idea of where to find your property’s boundaries. But there are times when you need to know for sure. While hiring a surveyor is the sure way, there are other ways you can estimate for free where your land ends and your neighbor’s begins.
Key Takeaways:
- Property lines mark the legal boundaries of a property to show where it starts and ends.
- The most accurate way to determine your property lines is to have a professional conduct a formal property survey – but that will cost you at least a few hundred dollars.
- There are other ways you can get a better understanding of your property lines before you embark on any home improvement projects.
What Is A Property Line?
Property lines represent the legal borders of your property. They can be established through visible features, such as roads, ditches or fences, but they also may be imperceptible.
How Do Property Lines Work?
The line that measures across the front of your property is known as your frontage, and the property lines on the side of your home are known as sidelines. Licensed land surveyors use advanced techniques and equipment to measure and map property boundaries, often identifying or installing markers and creating detailed maps. They also research historical property records and deeds to ensure an accurate survey.
Accurate and up-to-date property records are vital for property owners and buyers, and consulting with a qualified surveyor and understanding local regulations is crucial.
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Why Are Property Lines Important?
Property lines providing clear and definitive boundaries for the land you own. Property lines ensure a precise understanding of the land you’re acquiring when you buy a home. Mortgage lenders and title insurance companies rely on verified property lines to facilitate your mortgage qualification.
Property lines also are important when you’re planning home improvements or landscaping. Knowing your boundaries helps you avoid unintentionally infringing on your neighbor’s property. This prevents disputes related to encroachment and keeps things friendly. Imagine spending a lot of money to install a pool or garage only to learn you built it on your neighbor’s property and you have to pay to remove it.
Another reason to know your property lines is to avoid safety or environmental problems. You don’t want to break ground on a construction project only to damage buried electrical wires or sewer pipes. Most states require you to call a hotline to have utilities and power lines marked before you plant a tree or build a fence.
You’ll also want a record of where your property lines are if you ever decide to sell the house. If a title search reveals any property encroachments, it could affect the sale. Hang onto a copy of the survey and any other maps you’ve been given.
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11 Ways To Find Property Lines For Free
There are many reasons you may want your property lines defined. The only way to be 100% certain your property lines are accurate is by hiring a surveyor, which can cost anywhere from $375 to $750. But if you don’t need to be that specific, there are plenty of ways you can find your property lines that cost nothing.
1. Check Public Records
Your county recorder or assessor’s office maintains records of the legal boundaries in its jurisdiction, such as deeds, surveys and maps. These offices index and archive these records, ensuring that the information remains accessible to the public. You can visit your recorder or assessor’s office to examine those documents, which likely include street maps that identify the exact demarcation of your property lines. Many counties offer online access to property line information and plat maps.
2. Use An App Such As Google Maps
Google Maps can give you a general idea of your property lines using aerial imagery. Simply enter the exact address of your property and Google will show a map of it. You’ll have the option to zoom in close enough to outline the property. The first map you’re shown will be a GPS view but you’ll be able to toggle between different options including satellite view, terrain view and street view. It’s important to know the lot lines on Google Maps are estimates. Google Maps also doesn’t have access to data in every area, so homes in remote locations may be out of luck.
Other apps you can use include:
- LandGlide. This app offers access to property data and parcel lines. It draws from data covering 99% of the U.S. population. You can use the app for a 7-day free trial before the paid subscription kicks in.
- Regrid. This app lets you search data from more than 158 million properties and toggle through multiple map layers. The app has a free basic membership, offering additional features with a paid subscription.
3. Check Your Property Deed
Provided at closing when you buy a home, the property deed often includes essential information about a lot’s legal boundaries, either using metes and bounds descriptions or referencing survey markers and adjacent properties. If you don’t have a copy of your deed, you can search for it online or request one from the county recorder’s office for a fee. While the deed usually includes detailed property line information, it may in some cases be missing that information or it’s incomplete or vague. This sometimes is the case with newer deeds. In such instances, you may need to supplement the deed with property surveys or other records to get a clear picture of your property boundaries.
4. Consult Your Metes And Bounds Survey
Metes and bounds is the name for a centuries-old English system of describing property lines using natural landmarks. A metes and bounds survey cites a landmark called the point of beginning to indicate the border of a property. This landmark can be a road, a tree or a body of water. Sometimes, the landmark changes over time or is no longer there, making it more difficult to find the border. The survey also will give you directions for using a compass to measure the border of the property.
5. Inspect The Property Line Map
A property line map – also called a plat map or parcel map – gives the exact dimensions of all the properties in an area. You typically get a copy of your plat map when you buy your home in case you request a building permit, decide to refinance or want to subdivide the property. If you don’t have a copy, you can get one at your county clerk’s office. Your neighbors may also be in possession of a plat of your street.
6. Ask Your Mortgage Or Title Company
Lenders typically require a property survey before you close on the home, and title companies often order a survey when you buy title insurance. Either company may have a copy of the survey in their records that they can share with you.
7. Look For Property Markers
Owners of newly built homes may find survey markers or monuments that define their property line. Placed by surveyors during construction, these markers indicate property corners, providing a useful starting point for boundary understanding. Construction companies mark property lines to ensure compliance with zoning regulations and property deeds, prevent encroachment disputes with neighbors, facilitate utility allocation, and aid infrastructure planning.
8. Look For Hidden Survey Pins
Survey pins are markers that builders use to mark the boundaries of a plot of land. They’re intended to remain in the ground long after construction is completed to provide a long-term reminder of the property lines. These pins are typically made of steel or iron and are planted into the ground to mark the corners of the property. You can typically find them located near the curb or sidewalk. A metal detector can help you find hidden or buried pins. However, some pins get removed over time by landscapers or utility companies.
9. Refer To Physical Markers
If you fail to find survey pins, you can use physical markers that denote the beginning or end of a property. Builders and contractors sometimes align sidewalks or streetlights with the property lines of the homes that line them. The following can be physical markers that can help you estimate your property line:
- Streetlights
- Sidewalks
- Fences
- Walls
- Utilities
10. Visit Your Local Zoning Office
Your city or county zoning department typically keeps maps and plats that show how the land is divided in your district. Zoning department records date back decades but may not be available for older homes. These records can give you an exact measurement of your property and are usually available for a small fee.
11. Measure Your Property Yourself
While this isn’t going to give you exact legal dimensions, you can always try to measure your property yourself. You can use the plat from the last time the home was surveyed to trace your property lines. Start from the point of beginning and use a compass and plenty of measuring tape. Mark down the measurements as you go. For accuracy, you may want to measure each property line a few different times.
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FAQ
Here are answers to common questions about finding your property lines.
The Bottom Line
A clear understanding of your property lines is important to ensure you stay on your property when planning a home improvement project. There are many ways you can estimate your property lines for free, including consulting public records, using apps and looking for markers. Just remember that if precision is important, hiring a surveyor will provide you the most accurate results.
Christian Byers contributed to the reporting of this article.
Rory Arnold
Rory Arnold is a Los Angeles-based writer who has contributed to a variety of publications, including Quicken Loans, LowerMyBills, Ranker, Earth.com and JerseyDigs. He has also been quoted in The Atlantic. Rory received his Bachelor of Science in Media, Culture and Communication from New York University. He also completed the SoFi/Coursera Fundamentals of Personal Finance Specialization consisting of five courses: Introduction to Personal Finance, Saving Money for the Future, Managing Debt, Fundamentals of Investing, and Risk Management in Personal Finance.
