The short answer
- Some lenders and title companies require a survey, and others don't. Ask both early in the purchase.
- Even when it isn't required, a survey can reveal fences over the line, sheds in easements, missing corners or other problems before they become yours.
- If you want one, order it as soon as the contract is signed so it's ready well before closing.
On this page
When a survey is required
Whether you need a survey usually comes down to your lender, your title company and your contract. Some lenders require a survey for every purchase; others rely on title insurance instead. A title company may require a survey to issue a policy without a general exception for survey matters. Your purchase contract may also say who orders the survey and by when.
Ask your loan officer, title company and real estate agent the same question early: do you need a survey, and if so, what kind and by what date?
What a survey can uncover before closing
- A fence, driveway or shed that crosses onto the neighbor's lot — or theirs onto yours
- Structures built inside a utility or drainage easement
- An addition or outbuilding that's too close to the line under current setbacks
- Missing corner pins, so no one knows exactly where the lines are
- A lot that's a different size or shape than the listing suggested
- Access problems, such as a driveway that isn't actually on the property
Tip: Finding a problem before closing gives you options: ask the seller to fix it, negotiate, get title coverage for it, or walk away within your contract's terms.
Survey vs. title insurance
Title insurance protects against problems in the ownership records, like an unknown lien or a break in the chain of title. Without a current survey, policies commonly exclude matters a survey would have shown — encroachments, boundary disagreements, unrecorded easements. A survey is how you find those things; title insurance is how you protect against what the records missed. Ask your title company what coverage a survey would add.
When a survey is worth getting anyway
- The property has fences, outbuildings or additions near a line
- It's an older neighborhood where corners may have been disturbed over the years
- It's rural acreage, or the deed uses an old metes-and-bounds description
- You plan to add a fence, pool, garage or addition after you move in
- The property is near a creek or river and the flood zone matters to you
- There's no recent survey on file
When to order the survey
As soon as your contract is signed. The surveyor needs time to research records and schedule field work, and you want the results while you can still act on them — ideally inside any inspection or title-review period in your contract. Share your closing date when you request the survey.
Can you use the seller's survey?
Sometimes. If the seller has a recent survey and nothing has changed on the property, a lender or title company may accept it, occasionally with a signed statement that there have been no changes. But an old survey won't show a fence or addition built since, and it can't confirm the corners are still in place. If anything on the lot has changed, a new survey is the safer choice.
Common questions
Who pays for the survey when buying a house?
It depends on the contract and local custom. Buyers often pay, but it's negotiable. Check your purchase agreement and ask your agent.
Does a home inspection include a survey?
No. A home inspector looks at the condition of the house. Only a licensed land surveyor can locate the property lines.
What if the survey finds a problem?
Talk with your agent, title company and, if needed, a real estate attorney. Depending on your contract you may be able to ask for a fix, renegotiate, get specific title coverage, or cancel.
Do I need an elevation certificate when buying a house?
If the home is in or near a mapped flood zone, an elevation certificate helps your insurance agent rate a flood policy. Check with the seller or the local floodplain office for an existing one first.