How to tell the boundary of my property line in the US

by | Dec 9, 2020 | Surveying Related

There are many online resources that can give you an approximate location of your property, but the only way to know where your property is located is to hire a professional licensed land surveyor.

Surveyors are licensed by individual states to perform surveys. The laws between states are similar, but there are nuances from state-to-state, especially when it comes to looking at how the land and tracts were laid out originally. The process used to divide Missouri into sellable tracts is significantly different from Louisiana. The systems used to divide the tracts effect how we survey today.

The type of survey that specifically addresses property lines is called a boundary survey.  This product is also known in slang terminology as a “stake survey”. This comes from the concept that “stakes” are put in the ground to assist the homeowner with locating the property corner, which in turn can be used to create the property line. Read our blog: How Can We Determine Property Lines here.

Unfortunately and occasionally when the term “stake survey” is used there is a misunderstanding of the markers used at property corners. In the state of Missouri, we typically use 18” long, ½” diameter rebar or iron pipes to mark the property corner. Because these monuments are set down flush with the ground, they are difficult to find. Wood stakes are often placed in the ground next to the survey monument to assist the homeowner with locating the corner; the wood stakes themselves are NOT property corners in most instances.

Hiring a licensed land surveyor to perform a boundary survey will help you determine where the boundaries of your property are.

Cardinal Surveying would like the opportunity to earn your business.  They service the greater St Louis Metro area, have been rated A+ with the Better Business Bureau since 2003, have surveyed over 27,000 properties and are a family owned company who prides themselves on producing accurate results with exceptional customer service. They can be contacted via email at [email protected] or phone at 636.922.1001. They look forward to working with you for all your land surveying needs.