Have you ever wondered where your property line starts and ends legally? In some cases, such as legal disputes, it can be beneficial to have all of the necessary paperwork to prove where the legal start and end of your property lines are. The legal boundaries of your plot of land are one of the most important things for property owners to know. This guide will help you learn how to easily find your property lines.
How to Find Property Lines
There are several reasons why you may need to know how to find your property lines. Examples of some of these reasons include:
- Determine the value of a house that you are buying or selling
- Figure out or know whether or not you are permitted to construct buildings in your yard or near your home
- Know if you can make changes to your landscaping, such as the removal of a tree that’s growing between your house and your neighbor’s house, or planting a hedge to use as a living fence
There also may not be any particular reason why you would need to know where your property line is, other than just being aware of this information for your own sake. No matter what the reason may be, if you need to know how to find property lines but you aren’t sure how to do so, then you’re in the right place.
What is a Property Line?
Before we jump in and explain how to find your property lines, let’s explain what a property line actually is. A property line is a legal boundary for a piece of land that separates it from surrounding pieces of land. Legally speaking, property lines distinctly denote who the rightful owner of a piece of land is. Property lines divide the land into clearly defined plots and parcels.
In some situations, obvious boundaries serve as a property line, such as fences, roadways, streams, and rivers. However, in other cases, property lines aren’t visible, and therefore, you’d need certified legal records that document the property lines in order to prove where your land begins and the surrounding land ends.
By knowing where your property lines are, you will be able to determine precisely where your property line sits. This will give you a better understanding of what type of building or home improvement projects you can complete without dealing with issues with neighboring property owners.
How to Find Property Lines
With the following tips, you’ll be able to find your property lines and determine where your property begins and where the surrounding property ends.
Use a Plat
A plat, or a property line map, is a drawing that details the boundary lines of your property. Typically, drawings will include an array of environmental elements that could impact your property lines, such as bodies of water, elevations, tree lines, and the like. In some situations, a plat will include maps of neighboring properties if the lines between properties are being shared.
Assess Your Property Deed
You can also review the deed to your property to determine where your property lines are. The deed is the legal document for your property. It includes a description of the legal boundaries of your land, what the property includes, and such.
While a description of the boundaries is included by default, some property deeds don’t feature these details. If this is the case for you, your deed should reference an older deed for the same property.
Do a Property Line Survey
You could also complete a property line survey. A surveyor will take a precise measurement of the legal boundaries of a piece of land. In some situations, this survey may come with your plat or property deed. If you don’t have a property line survey, you could hire a professional surveyor to create one for you so that you always have it on hand in the future.
Helpful resource: Douglas-Omaha Geographic Information System
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