What Are Residential and Commercial ALTA/ACSM Surveys?

Jan 10, 2024

When it comes to real estate transactions, passing property from one owner to the next requires proving precise boundaries and ensuring everyone knows exactly what land they own. That’s where residential and commercial ALTA/ACSM surveys come in. For residential and commercial property transfers, ALTA/ACSM surveys make the process smooth and reliable. Here’s more information about what they involve, so you understand the details.

Reasons for Land Surveys

You might wonder why you can’t skip a survey to save money during a property sale. Residential and commercial ALTA/ACSM surveys legally establish boundaries to prevent ownership disputes before they occur, giving all parties confidence when money changes hands. Surveys also uncover encroachments, easements, and other issues that could surprise you, so address any problems ahead of time. Paying for a professional survey ensures peace of mind and prevents headaches later.

Residential Surveys and Requirements

For a basic home sale, you’ll likely need an ALTA/ACSM survey, which is thorough enough for lenders and title insurers. Surveyors establish your legal plot lines by tracing previously recorded data and measuring the land. The final drawing shows boundary lines, surrounding structures, fences, driveways, easements, and anything encroaching on the property. As regulations require, they precisely pin down your home’s location on the land using nearby permanent monuments as reference points. The survey then gets filed for future homeowners down the line.

Commercial Surveys and Requirements

For commercial real estate deals, lenders typically want more extensive surveys to understand any liabilities. An ALTA/ACSM survey for commercial use dives deeper into detail to mitigate risks. The drawings will call out subtle items like utility lines, flood zones, topography, adjoining roads and streams, construction setback regulations, rights of way permitting public access, and other factors crucial for commercial use.

The commercial report also includes an in-depth analysis by the surveyor to provide confidence that the property meets critical measurements, zoning laws, and other usage requirements. According to Statista, in 2014, United States farms occupied a total area of approximately 913 million acres. In 2020, this amount decreased to about 896 million acres. We know this thanks to these surveys.

By arming yourself with an ALTA/ACSM survey tailored to your situation, you take the uncertainty out of real estate purchases. Accurately defined property boundaries pave the way for smooth closings and prevent nasty disputes with neighbors later on. Professional surveys give total confidence that you understand what you’re buying before signing the dotted line. If you’re looking to have residential and commercial ALTA/ACSM surveys completed, look no further than Stoeckel Jahner Land Surveying. Call us today to schedule an appointment.