According to many sources all over the Internet, “Surveying or land surveying is the method, business, talent, and discipline of defining the earth’s locations of points and the areas and slopes between them.” So it is simply the measurement of lands on Earth. Types of Land Surveys There are many types of land surveys. Below are the common examples and the description of how they are needed. 1. Boundary Survey- As the name suggests, it covers the boundaries of a property, which include property monuments (physical), deeds of records, and plats. It is used primarily for verification of the appropriate land boundaries, which involves actual fieldwork. 2. Location Survey- It is similar to a boundary survey. It also involves in the plan where to build the proposed structures. It’s a requirement if you’re applying for a loan or zoning permits. 3. Construction Survey– It covers the surveys on structures such as roads, buildings, walls, etc. It also involves It involves slopes surveys, horizontal and vertical grading, and As-Built surveys 4. Topographic Survey– It is usually performed by civil engineers or foresters when locating topographic features of land like contours, ridges, gullies, watercourses, roads, etc. 5. Site Planning Survey– It is a combination of boundary and topographic map surveys. When you are designing commercial and industrial sites, streets, highways, subdivisions, house lots, etc., this is the type of survey you need. 6. Subdivision Survey– It is the process of dividing a parcel of land into smaller lots. 7. ALTA Survey– So far, the most comprehensive type of land survey because it covers all the features and characteristics of the land or property. It is like the combination of all types of land survey and more. What exactly is an ALTA Survey? ALTA stands for American Land Title Association. So basically, it follows the standards adopted by the American Land Title Association and National Society of Professional Surveyors. It is specifically designed to fulfill the needs of corporations, lenders, companies that are involved in the development of commercial properties. When Do You Need An ALTA Survey? 1. When Buying Or Selling Commercial Real Estate Commercial purchases are often risky. It may involve boundary disputes, encroachments, or other circumstances such as claims not found in public records. ALTA Surveys can reveal (and resolve) these “problems” and somehow clear the risk before your transaction gets concluded. 2. When Buying A Piece Of Vacant Land Same as purchasing commercial properties, risks are always involved. An ALTA Survey can provide deeper research about the property you will purchase. 3. When You Only Want To Know More Detailed Information About the Property Information is the new currency these days. So if you want to know more about the property (or properties) you are planning to purchase, conducting an ALTA Survey is the answer. Pros and Cons of ALTA Surveys The Pros of conducting ALTA Surveys are all over this article. And what’s the most important advantage of conducting ALTA Surveys? It is the peace of mind that you will have, knowing that all bases are covered. And the disadvantages? There are no cons in conductingALTA Surveysunless it isn’t required.
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