Who Pays For The Survey Buyer Or Seller

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Whether you are buying or selling a house, land, or commercial property, it is important to not only understand what type of land survey is necessary, but who pays for a land survey.

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Not every survey is the same and not every transaction requires the same type of survey. Depending on your sale or transaction, you may need a more in-depth assessment or more specialized services. Let’s look at the different types of land surveys and what they are typically used for.

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Types of Surveys

There are different types of land surveys and what you need will depend on the information required for your real estate transaction.

Boundary Survey

Boundary Surveys are highly accurate calculations of your property lines that can be relied on for property construction and other property improvements on both residential and commercial properties.

Mortgage Location

Topographic Survey

Topographic Surveys include field measurement and preparation of a plat to establish land elevations. These surveys are typically contracted by a residential or commercial property owner before making improvements to the property such as, but not limited to, additions, landscaping, or parking lots.

ALTA Survey

An ALTA Survey is a boundary survey plus a detailed depiction of property improvements, easements, and anything else impacting the parcel. It is used for a variety of reasons, from securing title insurance at the closing of a deal to being used as a design document for engineering purposes.

Site Planning or Base Map

Typically used for development projects, a site plan or base map combines boundary and topographic surveys and utility location and helps to determine the starting point for the project.

Who pays for a land survey?

There is no universal rule or law that says who pays for a land survey in a real estate transaction. As a rule of thumb, the person who requests the survey is the one that pays for it. That means if you are selling a property and the buyer wants a survey of your land, they are responsible for paying.

For residential transfers, typically the buyer pays for the mortgage location. Of course, anything is negotiable. But especially in the current market, the seller has all the cards, which means even more than usual it is expected that the buyer will cover the cost of the survey. This is also true with ALTA Surveys for commercial transfer in which usually the buyer or developer pays for the survey.

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How much does a land survey cost?

The cost of a land survey depends on many factors, including the size of the property, the terrain, where the land is located, and the type of survey required. While there are general guidelines for how much you can expect to pay for a land survey, the only way to get an accurate estimate for a land survey is to talk to a surveyor directly.

With 50+ years of experience in surveying in all 88 counties of Ohio and surrounding counties in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Indiana, and Kentucky, McSteen is a leader in the industry. Contact us for more information about land surveys or Get a Free Quote and let our team of survey professionals take care of your surveying needs.

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