3 Things Your Land Surveyor Can Tell You about Homestead Property

If you plan on homesteading property for a sustainable small farm and homestead lifestyle, you need a land surveyor. The misconception with land purchased for homesteading is that the survey has already been done with boundary markers marked on the deed. Though this does tell you how large the land is and where the boundaries of that land are, it does not tell you everything a land surveyor can. Here are three things your land surveyor can tell you about homestead property:

Explanation of Legal Descriptions

One of the key issues with deeds is that you may not fully understand the legal description of your property. You may have boundary lines, but you may not understand how the description reads and explains what is on your property and what your limitations of the property are. When the land surveyor comes in, they can use the deed to explain the basics of the legal description. They can also show you where those boundaries are according to the deed. However, they can go an extra step and re-evaluate the land based on those legal descriptions to get a solid starting point for your homestead land surveying report.

Topographical Survey

When you are homesteading property, you need to know the topographical layout of the property as well as the boundaries. The topographical survey will let you know where there are areas that can't be built on, rivers, streams, water marshes and other issues that may arise during expansion of the homestead property. Your land surveyor can perform this type of survey for you as well as offer a report to give a contractor to determine changes that can be made to the property.

Stream Restoration Surveys

If you have bought a homestead property that had a viable stream, or multiple streams, you may find they are eroded or aren't as suitable for the services you have in mind. One way to see if the stream can be brought to the stage you need it for your project, such as fishing or hydropower of certain equipment, is through a stream restoration survey. This survey, completed by a land surveyor, can tell you if the stream can be restored and to what level. They can also tell you if it will be viable for your needs.

These are only three of the key points your land surveyor can tell you about your homestead property. Before you break ground on the homestead, contact the land surveyor first. Have them survey your property and give you a copy of the report regarding your property. This will be beneficial to you with future contractors, buildings and land questions.