You have boundaries. Don’t rely on sellers or neighbors for accurate information regarding property.
An ALTA survey is a national standard for a boundary survey showing potential easements and other survey matters by location of existing visible utilities and improvements on the site and performed by a registered licensed professional surveyor and prepared in accordance with the standards specified by the American Land Title Association (ALTA) and the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS).
Requirements for Insuring Title to Land Without Exception
An ALTA/NSPS survey is a complex and detailed land survey designed specifically for title insurance matters. It includes a collection of property record information and physical surveying data that is required for acceptance by title insurance companies to insure title to land without exception.
Together with additional items requested through the Table A Schedule, an ALTA/NSPS survey will give you piece of mind during your property closing by removing standard title insurance exceptions.
Property Profile for Development Potential
ALTA surveys also serve as a Property Profile for the developer or property owner. It identifies the development potential of the assets and restrictions on the property including zoning, setbacks, easements and land area.
It’s a survey that formally establishes the location of the property boundaries of a parcel of land. The true property corners are defined with permanent iron corner stakes that are located or set below the ground and wood stakes that are set above the ground. Additional property line stakes can be set as needed for each site-specific need. The boundary survey will include locating encroachments, and if requested can also include easements, and various improvements or natural features on the property.
Often times the goal for a boundary survey is to make improvements to the property such as the addition of a fence, shed or pool. Other uses of the boundary survey are for dividing, new building construction or before buying the land.
a.k.a. The Mortgage Survey
This report is designed to meet the minimum requirements for mortgage use and often times is referred to as a mortgage survey. A surveyor’s report establishes the approximate location of improvements on a parcel of land and they are shown in approximate relation only to the property boundaries.
It’s a simple sketch is provided without setting property corner stakes and the sketch will only show basic improvements for the property. It will note if something appears to be “on, near, or over a property line,”. Whereas a boundary survey determines the exact property lines.
Easements encumber a space that gives others a legal right to use, cross or access another space for a specific purpose without having to title ownership of the land. This is common among utility companies for running and maintaining utility lines. Easements may be for driveways, pathways, encroachments, or various other needs. Easements can even be spaces of air with vertical and horizontal limits It’s important to know the location of easement boundary lines as they may affect what rights you or others may have to the specific space defined within the easement.
Property lines are the established points where one plot of land ends and the neighboring property begins. Often times only a specific area of your property is in question and it may not necessarily require a full boundary survey. Property line surveys can help you determine what is and is not on your property as well as where to legally place features such as fences, pools, garages or driveways.
Avoid costly mistakes and have a professional land surveyor map and stake the various property lines and easements on your parcel of land or prepare descriptions of land for new easements.
Providing Timely Solutions and Accurate Results
Placing stakes into the ground, according to the construction site plans, clearly marks the planned location of the grading, building, utilities, parking lots and streets as intended and designed by the civil engineer. These reference points are important and, if not staked properly, can be detrimental to the rest of the project. This impacts finishing on time, within budget and error-free. Realizing that this is important, our knowledgeable team of Professional Surveyors will make sure the project is built according to your plans.
Reliable construction layout cannot be based on technology alone. We do use the latest robotic instrumentation, but, in the end, it is the quality of the people and the difference you experience that sets our team apart. The flexibility to handle the unexpected while on site and determine a solution to keep the project moving forward is an example of the tailored service you will receive from our team of surveyors.
Pre-construction documentation is the process of recognizing, verifying and recording the existing conditions of the property before beginning the construction process. The documentation can be easily accomplished using high definition technology and equipment along with the skill level of our expert surveyors and forensic engineers who are trained and certified in accurately recognizing deformation.
Convenience and Flexibility
Property owners are not always available to provide access to the property on your scheduled documentation date(s). That’s ok. Nederveld is “local” to a better part of Michigan and can easily coordinate directly with the property owner(s) to schedule another date, at no extra cost or hassle to you.
Service and Deliverables
Nederveld is committed to being the market leader with our state-of-the-art high definition equipment and services providing you with high definition quality audio/video documentation data. We continue to be proactive and innovative in serving the best interest of our clients and exceeding their expectations from beginning to end.
Putting stakes into the ground clearly marks the location of the planned home and is necessary for installing the footings and foundation. More important, know that accurately marking the location and meeting the building setback requirements will directly impact the house finishing on time and within budget. Recognizing that this is important, our team of Professional Surveyors understand site layout and can determine solutions while in the field to get the house built according to your plans.
Many contractors, builders and excavators have different preferences. Our process can be tailored to meet the requirements of your project. Whether rough staking for tree removal or pinning footings on a complicated wall layout, we can get your foundation started correctly. Allow us to help you make sure your next building project fits how it’s supposed to fit on site.
Topographical survey maps are used to show contours, elevation and grading features of the property for architects, engineers and building contractors. It includes details about the existing features on, slightly above or below the earth’s surface that can impact the building process. Trees, large rocks, and bodies of water are all natural elements while man-made features include buildings, decks, pools, fences, wells, retaining walls, roads, driveways, sidewalks and utilities. Whether significant civil design, specific tree or site feature preservation is needed, a topographical survey can be of great value.
At Nedereld we perform numerous topographical surveys for our own civil design team, architect clients and builders looking for the best site location. Allow us to help provide the best solution to your specific need. Our knowledgeable team of Professional Surveyors will guide you through the process unique to your situation.
Understanding the Market and Knowing the Potential of Your Property
What is your property’s potential? Do you know the possibilities available? Whether you want to add a building site, sell additional land for development, or create a private road or drive with additional building sites, in the State of Michigan land divisions can be an easy to way to create one or more parcels from a single unplatted parcel without navigating the subdivision or condominium process. Eligibility for land divisions can be different for each unplatted parcel.
Allow us to help you with the potential. Our trained team can walk you through the process of a land division and the application for approval. If you have an interest don’t hesitate to contact our survey team today.
Do you know if your existing structures have the potential to be converted into individual condominium units? Determining that potential can done through the assistance of a Professional Surveyor who can advise you on the possibility of converting within the current state guidelines and local zoning regulations.
Working with developers, our experienced staff of Professional Surveyors has successfully converted existing multifamily structures, including apartment complexes and duplexes, schools, businesses, RV parks and docks, among other properties into individual units through the Condominium Act. If you want to know the potential value of your land, contact us today for the possibilities of tomorrow.
Maximizing the value of your land under the Condominium Act is possible if you know the property’s potential.
Do you know if your property has the potential to be subdivided? Determining that potential can be done through the assistance of Professional Surveyors and Planners who can advise you on the possibility of subdividing within the current state guidelines and local zoning regulations.
Having great working relationships with many local municipalities and thorough knowledge of the Land Division Act, our experienced staff of Professional Surveyors and Planners can help make the best, educated decision on how to divide the property. This is determined from gathering preliminary parcel related information like design calculations, municipal and agency discussions and other significant site keys, which are offered in our free Land Use Evaluations (LUE). If you want to know the potential value of your land, contact us today for the possibilities of tomorrow.
Often times the need exists to change property lines of existing parcels such as combining adjacent parcels into one parcel, altering the boundary lines between parcels, or re-configuring the shape of parcels. In every instance, the lot line adjustment process will yield the same or fewer numbers of parcels that you began with. It is the relocation or consolidation of a common boundary line between two or more abutting properties where an additional lot or parcel is not created.
Some locations and conditions are more complicated than others. Whether platted or unplatted land, we can help you adjust the lot lines. Our knowledgeable team will guide you through the process unique to your situation.
Are you paying for flood insurance? You may not need it. Without an elevation certificate,
your insurance rate defaults to the highest flood risk category.
This is the first step in determining an accurate need for flood insurance. An Elevation Certificate is evidence of your home’s relationship to the flood zones. It is the document your lender and insurance company needs to determine your adjusted rate for flood insurance. Or, it can be the key document in removing the need for flood insurance.
This is the second step in determining an accurate need for flood insurance. The Letter of Map Amendment will amend the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) flood map to more accurately reflect the conditions of your property. It is prepared by a professional land surveyor and submitted to FEMA for a map revision. Many times a Letter of Map Amendment can completely eliminate the requirement for the home/building owners to pay flood insurance.
Our qualified professional land surveyors often times will perform a topographical survey to gather the necessary measurements for accurately determining the flood elevations near your home/property. This may be helpful for new construction, understanding your needs for flood insurance, or the possibility of floodplain area modifications. Our civil engineering design team has permitted many amendments to floodplain areas in order to accommodate development desires. Don’t hesitate to contact us to determine the best solution for your unique situation.
Many homes do not warrant flood insurance, however due to tougher regulations and revised flood zone maps, lenders are requiring it. Homeowners need to be proactive by hiring a professional land surveyor to determine if flood insurance is really necessary.
Our trained staff can help determine your exact property elevation in order to understand your need for flood insurance. Obtaining an elevation certificate is the first step. An elevation certificate will determine your adjusted rate for flood insurance or be the key document in removing the need for flood insurance. Filing a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) is the next step.
A Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) is a document that will revise the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) flood map. A LOMA is prepared by a professional land surveyor and submitted to FEMA for a map revision. Many times this step completely eliminates the need for the homeowners to pay flood insurance.
A qualified professional land surveyor can gather the necessary measurements to accurately determine the flood elevations near your home. When this analysis leads to filing a LOMA with FEMA, 90% of the time the surveyor is able to eliminate the need to pay for flood insurance.
The cost for the analysis varies depending on the available data. Generally, the cost to file the complete LOMA can be done as low as $500. If only the first step of the LOMA process (obtaining an elevation certificate) is necessary, then that rate is less. If many neighbors in the same area apply for the LOMA together, the cost per homeowner is significantly reduced.
Flood Insurance rates vary significantly from property to property. Without at least the first step of the LOMA process, which is an elevation certificate, your rate defaults to the highest risk category. An elevation certificate will at least properly establish your flood rate if you are still required to carry it. You could expect to pay $300 to $3,000 annually in flood insurance without an elevation certificate. Over the term of a 30-year mortgage this could be as much as $9,000 to $90,000. The cost of the elevation certificate and LOMA could easily be paid back in the first year.
Professional Surveyors can utilize an electronic filing process if the proper conditions exist. This eLOMA can be filed with results back in a matter of days after the site analysis is completed. Most of the time this entire process takes only a week or two to complete.
Yes, a LOMA certificate is the accurate document your lender and insurance company need to determine your flood insurance needs. FEMA issues a LOMA certificate as evidence of your homes relationship to the flood zones.