Cortlandt Manor, NY Land Surveying Services

Whether you intend to purchase new land or plan to build onto your property, the importance of getting your Cortlandt Manor home surveyed has never been greater. Understanding when a survey is beneficial and when a survey is required is the type of information Scalice is happy to provide.

The Surveying Services We Provide

 Residential Land Surveying in Cortlandt Manor, NY

A property survey defines the lines of your land. It clarifies the size, shape, and where your property begins and ends. Here are some of the other ways that having a land survey done on your property will save you time, effort, resources, and most of all, money in the long run. For example, laws in your municipality may have changed for a variety of reasons. This means the placement of your shed or fence might have been on your side of the property line a year ago but is now on your neighbor’s side or too close to the road. 

An updated land survey will give you peace of mind that you’re still in compliance. A land surveyor checks the following areas to ensure your land is in good legal standing:

  • The boundaries of your land
  • The placement of structures (sheds, pool houses, etc.) on the land
  • Easements and entrances
  • Natural features, such as trees, streams, etc. as well as manmade parts like swimming pools.

Scalice Works with Title Companies

Title companies can protect property owners and themselves from serious legal infringement by insisting that all buyers obtain an updated land survey. Unfortunately, it’s too common that buyers don’t get a new survey done because it adds to the seemingly endless mound of bills. While getting a quality land survey by a licensed surveyor will add to the buyer’s expenses, it will spare them massive headaches in the future. 

Using an outdated property survey presents a host of potential problems, such as disputes with neighbors over that fence you want to add that can erupt into serious and drawn-out legal battles. There are enough cautionary tales out there of property owners who used an outdated survey and thought they were in compliance when starting a home improvement project only to find that the municipal lines had changed. Give your clients peace of mind at closing that every step has been taken to avoid issues in the future by insisting on a new land survey.  

Why Choose Scalice For Your Cortlandt Manor, NY Property Surveying Needs?

At Scalice, we pride ourselves on the quality of work and outstanding customer service we provide. We know how much our clients count on us to provide accurate results in a timely manner and stand by every service we deliver. Furthermore, we have the best land surveying team in the state, use only the latest technology, and will answer your call on the first or second ring.

Cortlandt Manor Land Survey FAQs

Still unsure about selecting land surveying services in Cortlandt Manor, NY? Here, we answer several frequently asked questions to help you prepare for the process and know what’s involved.

Why Do You Need a Land Survey in Cortlandt Manor?

Land surveys are necessary tools when you need to determine property lines and to locate a property’s features. Land surveys help you know where one piece of land ends and another one begins. Buyers and sellers of land or other types of real estate in Cortlandt Manor should always get a survey done, as it can also help determine:

  • Zoning classification
  • Easements
  • Encroachments
  • Rights-of-way
  • Joint driveways
  • Party walls
  • Surface water (ponds, creeks, wells, etc.)
  • Existing improvements
  • Water/gas/electric
  • Ingress/egress

What Questions Should I Ask a Cortlandt Manor Land Surveyor?

There are many good reasons to hire a land surveyor. But there are also many questions to ask before you hire one. As with any contractor, you want to be sure they’re the right person for the job to survey your Cortlandt Manor property. These questions will help you get a better understanding of the surveyor’s qualifications and expertise:

  • Are you fully licensed to do land surveys in New York?
  • What’s the experience and education level of your crew?
  • How long have you been doing land surveys here?
  • Do you have liability insurance?
  • Do you have references and customer reviews?
  • What is the estimated cost of the job?
  • Will the result of your work accurately reflect my property’s boundaries?

How Does a Cortlandt Manor Land Surveyor Help in Boundary Disputes?

A land surveyor’s job is to measure, research, and report the facts about a property. Not all surveyors put in the same amount of effort, thus resulting in differing data. When two surveys show different results, disputes over Cortlandt Manor property lines are bound to occur.

In cases that end up going to court over disputes, surveyors are sometimes called upon as expert witnesses to explain the facts to the court and resolve the matter. A highly qualified, experienced surveyor will dig and scratch to uncover as much evidence as possible, including the parties’ intentions in their original boundary line descriptions.

How Can I Survey My Own Property in Cortlandt Manor?

Lenders often conduct surveys before a property is purchased to determine its market value. But they always recommend the buyer have an independent survey done to confirm the valuation. While there are measures you can take to survey your own property, having a qualified expert surveyor on the job will result in a safer, more accurate survey map. 

You might be naturally concerned about how much it’ll cost to hire a surveyor for your Cortlandt Manor property and wonder if there are alternatives, such as doing the survey yourself. But the question shouldn’t be how you can do it—rather, should you attempt to do it?

If you’re intent on doing it yourself, remember that you’ll need to: 

  • Acquire documents for the property (deed, plat, etc.)
  • Read and understand the survey map and legal description (metes and bounds, PLSS, bearings, etc.)
  • Collect your tools (map, compass, tape measure, flag markers, levels, tripod, GPS, etc.)
  • Locate a known corner using the survey map, PLSS coordinates, or even Google Maps
  • Know how to conduct the survey starting at the known corner

While performing a land survey yourself might be more cost-effective, doing so without a professional could get you into legal trouble. Even being off by a small margin could land you in court with your neighbor over a boundary dispute. Also, survey maps are only valid if signed and certified by a licensed, registered surveyor under New York law. 

How Do You Determine Property Lines in Cortlandt Manor?

You will typically determine your Cortlandt Manor property lines by visiting the Westchester County Assessor’s Office. There, you can access public maps and search for your property to locate its boundaries. 

Luckily, Westchester County’s Geographical Information System (GIS) map can also be accessed online. If your property is on platted land, you could access plat maps online as well.

Viewing the homeowner’s deed and understanding the legal description can also help to determine your property’s lines. If you’d rather visualize it, you can take a tape measure and follow the lines with it yourself. Alternatively, you can hire a surveyor to reevaluate the property to either confirm or update the existing records.

Can You Claim Land After 7 Years in Cortlandt Manor?

No. There is a common misconception—likely rooted in old English common law—that squatters could assume land ownership if they’d been using it without the owner’s consent for a certain period of time, often thought to be seven years. 

However, under the doctrine known as “adverse possession,” trespassers are allowed to claim land if they’ve been there long enough. Each state has its own statutory requirements with time periods of squatting ranging from five to 30 years before being able to claim ownership.

In New York (and thus, Cortlandt Manor), the law requires the adverse possessor to use the land for at least 10 years before they can gain its title. But there are much more provisions beyond that legally required by the adverse possessor.

Can You Claim Land in Cortlandt Manor if You Maintain It?

While the doctrine of adverse possession is legitimate, it’s much more complicated and rigorous than it seems. Squatters can’t just stay on a property and then call it theirs. Under New York law, trespassers attempting to claim adverse possession must also use the land: 

  • For at least 10 years
  • Unbroken and not intermittent under the statutory 10 years (continuous)
  • Publicly with the owner’s knowledge (open and notorious)
  • Incompatibly with the owner’s claim (hostile)
  • To exercise control over the property (actual)
  • Acting alone as the trespasser (exclusive)

Ultimately, the burden of proof is on the trespasser of the land in Cortlandt Manor to establish an adverse possession claim—that the legal owner failed to exercise their rights for 10 years to remove them. Adverse possession is legal under the statute, but courts still must issue a conclusive ruling.

Do I Need a Permit to Put a Fence Around My Yard in Cortlandt Manor?

Generally, no. The New York Department of Buildings oversees and regulates fence-building and installations. But you will not be required to obtain a permit from them to put a fence around your yard in Cortlandt Manor for one- and two-family residential dwellings. 

However, there are some limitations. Under regulations set forth by the Town of Cortlandt for residential districts:

  • No fence or wall shall exceed six feet high in front or side yards or eight feet high in backyards 
  • The finished sides of fences must face the adjoining property with all exposed stands and braces facing the interior property
  • Fencing around tennis courts cannot exceed 10 feet high

Commercial and industrial districts also have similar rules. And no matter the zoning district, any fence placed on top of a wall requires calculating the height of the fence placed on top of it to meet regulations.

How Long Does It Take to Survey a Plot of Land in Cortlandt Manor?

How much time it takes to survey a plot of land really depends on your Cortlandt Manor property and its existing deed. Surveyors must research and review deeds, plats, and legal descriptions before the physical survey can even begin. They might easily find it online or have to retrieve it from the County Assessor’s Office, which can take a few business days.

If the deed quality is poor, or if it has conflicting information, more research must be done by the surveyor to determine property lines and prove their current legal status. Then, they must record physical evidence by visiting the property and comparing data from legal records and survey drawings. This process can take anywhere from two days to a couple of weeks.

Depending on the size and scope of your property, as well as the surveyor’s schedule, the survey itself could take several hours. Something like an empty quarter-acre lot or a typical homebuyer’s report might take 90 minutes, whereas a more in-depth process is required for land with buildings on them. Building reports could take up to eight hours to complete.

Your land surveyor will help estimate how long the survey should take for your plot of land. They can also give you a timeframe for how long it will take to receive results. Typically, land and homebuyer reports will take three to five business days, whereas a building report could take up to eight business days.

How Much Does a Survey Cost in Cortlandt Manor?

Costs of land surveys in Cortlandt Manor will vary based on numerous factors, such as:

  • Type of survey required
  • Lot type, shape, size, and age
  • Geographic location
  • Terrain and accessibility
  • Research and travel time
  • Time of year

Updated for 2022, HomeAdvisor estimates the national price range for land surveys to be between $338 and $670, with the average being $504. Naturally, a survey will cost more for properties with more acreage or corners.

The type of survey you need also matters significantly. Doing a simple boundary survey won’t cost the same as an entire subdivision survey. ALTA surveys have a much higher average cost because of the extra time and work spent on research. These can be anywhere between  $2,000 and $3,000.

Topographic surveys, new construction surveys, plat surveys, and surveys for additions or fencing will all vary as well. Your land surveyor can review your project and calculate an estimate once they have more information.