Do I need a survey when I buy property?

A survey is not required to close, but it answers questions a title search cannot. The title company works from the recorded legal description; it does not go to the property to measure where the boundaries actually sit. A current survey locates the corners and lines on the ground and can reveal encroachments (a fence, shed, or driveway over the line), access and easement locations, and whether improvements sit within setbacks. On rural acreage, waterfront, and unplatted parcels in North Idaho, a survey is often well worth it. Boundaries may never have been marked, and the high water mark on a lakefront lot affects buildable area. A standard owner’s policy also takes a general exception for matters a survey would disclose; ordering a survey (and, where available, a survey-based endorsement) is how a buyer can address that. If a clean boundary picture matters for your plans, get the survey during your inspection period.