If you are purchasing title insurance, often a land title survey is required. This is usually a boundary retracement survey with additional surveying to meet the specific needs required by title insurance companies. The map of such a survey must show particular information in detail and exactness of matters discoverable from survey and inspection, and not necessarily evidenced by public records. Unrecorded easements, access roads to other properties, physical encroachments of buildings and other visible adverse uses of the property by other parties are examples of matters of particular concern for a land title survey.

What is a ALTA/ACSM Survey?

A land survey developed by a partnership of the American Land Title Association (ALTA) and the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping (ACSM). The ALTA standards are a nationwide uniform set of minimum standards. They are used by land companies when dealing with valuable commercial properties, and provide information to lenders, corporations and title companies.

What does a ALTA/ACSM Survey entail?

A current title commitment must be acquired before an ALTA Survey can be finished Howell Kline will refer to the title commitment for the legal description of the property and for the legal description of any exceptions. Areas of ownership, improvements and exceptions will be shown graphically. If we discover discover any encroachements, we will shown them graphically, and add a note to the plan indicating the nature of the encroachment.