You may have heard of ALTA land title surveys somewhere, or someone may have even asked you to get one. Before you go through with the survey, though, you’re probably wondering why you should order one and what ALTA surveys do.
Read more about ALTA land title surveys and, when you’re ready to get a quote for yours, contact Scalice Land Surveying for a free estimate. Our reliable professional surveyors have years of experience, official accreditation, and a desire to help you know exactly what is on your property.
What Is an ALTA Land Title Survey?
To truly understand why an ALTA land title survey is important, it’s important to first understand what the survey actually is. ALTA surveys are comprehensive evaluations of land that show boundary disputes, access points, insurance risks, and more.
ALTA surveys are performed according to standards set by the American Land Title Association (ALTA) and the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS). These standards are much more stringent than those of other land surveys, and the results of the survey are usually much more detailed.
To perform an ALTA survey, your surveyor will have to do more than just measure out the borders of your property. They’ll also have to conduct preliminary research and go through historical documents to get the full scope of your land. They’ll have to take a wide range of details into account to get a good evaluation.
The Difference Between an ALTA Survey and a Regular Survey
The other land surveys that are often compared to ALTA surveys are boundary surveys. These surveys simply take into account the borders of a property, including possible disputes with and encroachments from neighboring properties. This is important to know, but often not enough for some people.
Comparatively, ALTA surveys are much more detailed. In addition to details like encroachments and disputes, ALTA surveys also take into account access points, improvements to the property, and risks like flood zones.
The other difference is that, because of the extra labor that goes into them, ALTA surveys tend to cost more than regular boundary surveys. If you’re wondering which survey you need, you can always talk to a professional from Scalice Land Surveying.
When to Get an ALTA Land Title Survey
ALTA surveys are usually performed at the request of an insurer, buyer, or seller who wants to know potential risks like floods and boundary disputes. Most of the time, someone will tell you if you have to get an ALTA survey of your property.
If you’re buying a property and are wondering whether you need a survey and what type you should request, there are some situations in which an ALTA survey is the way to go:
Commercial Real Estate Transaction
If you are buying or selling a commercial property or refinancing, then you may need to get an ALTA survey. It’s important to know all of the possible financial risks that a property poses, and lenders often require a survey like ALTA before they finance your purchase.
Vacant Land Purchase
When you buy a plot of vacant land, the last time that it was thoroughly surveyed may have been years ago when surveys were less advanced. Because of that, it may be a good idea to get a more thorough evaluation done than you may usually have for a vacant plot.
How Much an ALTA Land Survey Can Cost You
It’s true that ALTA surveys are often more expensive than other boundary surveys, but it’s usually well worth the price. Having an exact overview of your property can be invaluable for commercial transactions.
In general, ALTA surveys average somewhere between $2,000 and $3,000. However, prices range depending on your property’s size, features, and how difficult the survey is. The only way to give a good estimate of your ALTA survey’s price is to know the specifics of your land.
You can get a free quote from a professional surveyor on our team who has years of experience. We can assess your situation and let you know how much your survey would cost.
ALTA Land Title Survey FAQs
What Is the Purpose of a Land Title Survey?
Who Orders a Survey When Buying a House?
What Is Required for an ALTA Survey?
How Long is an ALTA Survey Good For?
What Is the Purpose of a Land Title Survey?
In general, land title surveys are used to demonstrate the bounds of a piece of land, whether it is private or public. In the case of many property owners, land title surveys are meant to show exactly where their land ends and another property begins.
Who Orders a Survey When Buying a House?
Technically, there is no requirement to get a survey when buying a house, let alone an ALTA survey. However, buyers often want to know what they’re getting into when they purchase a property. That means it’s usually the buyer (or their lender) who asks for a survey and foots the bill.
However, the current owner of the property usually has to order the survey. If another party orders it, then they generally have to have written permission from the owner.
What Is Required for an ALTA Survey?
In general, there are three things that go into an ALTA survey:
- Certification
- A property map
- Fieldwork
Your survey crew will take care of most of this, but they will need some things from you. One thing that you will need to do is fill out Table A of the ALTA survey, which details what exactly you want to include in the evaluation.
How Long Is an ALTA Survey Good For?
There is no real expiration date on a land title survey. Instead, it’s up to the discretion of whoever is requesting a survey whether your most recent one will suffice. Because standards change and new features can appear on your property, you may need to get a new ALTA survey when you decide to sell or refinance.
Get a Free Quote on an ALTA Survey in New York
If you’re thinking about requesting a land title survey for your property, we can help. New York ALTA surveyors Scalice Land Surveying have been serving property owners for years. Our professionals are reliable, quick, and precise.
Call us or contact us online to get your FREE estimate today.
