Real estate is valuable, as there is always demand for arable land and housing. Whether you own rural acreage that you hold as a long-term investment or an urban residential property that is your primary residence, the boundaries of your property determine its overall value.Where your boundary falls can affect the size of your parcel and whether or not your land includes the most attractive nearby features, like a stream. It can also affect how you use the land or the changes you intend to make to the property or its improvements, like a home.Sometimes, neighbors find themselves butting heads about where the boundary between their properties actually falls. If you wanted to expand your kitchen but your neighbor claims the boundary is in the middle of the area where you would put the new foundation or if your neighbor has started to erect a fence on your side of the property line, how can you resolve the dispute?
Review your property paperwork
Documentation from your real estate closing should include a legal description of the property. Even if you don’t have physical copies of the documents you signed when buying the property, you should be able to quickly access the record that the county recorder’s office.Sometimes, the legal description for a property will be easy enough to decipher that it can resolve the dispute between you and your neighbor. Other times, confusing property descriptions or contradicting descriptions on each of your documents may require professional support.
Property surveyors can establish the official boundary
When discussions and a review of records aren’t enough for you and your neighbor to agree on the actual boundary between your properties, you may need to bring in a surveyor. Professional surveyors have the education and tools to interpret complex legal descriptions and determine exactly where the boundary between two properties sits. They can then place markers that can clarify things for the indefinite future.While it may cost a few hundred dollars to secure professional help, it can prevent an ongoing dispute that could damage your relationship with your neighbor or your property value. Learning more about tools to resolve boundary disputes will help you make the most of your investment in real property.