The Benefits of a New Survey When Buying Real Estate in Western North Carolina

When you buy real estate in Murphy and Western North Carolina, the question ought to arise whether you pay for a new survey. It doesn’t matter if you are purchasing vacant land, a home, or a commercial parcel; you’ll get many key advantages from a new survey if you choose to do it.

  1. Remarked lines – this is the most obvious advantage. As part of the survey, the surveyor will go through and mark the perimeter of your land. Common markers are yellow, orange, or pink ribbons on a tree, “blazes” where they hack the side of a tree and paint it with spray paint, iron rods, or fence posts.
  2. A “map” of your land – when complete, the surveyor will provide a plat of your land, which is a big map showing the dimensions, direction of lines, and more on the land. Want to see a sample of what you receive from a plat?
  3. Verification of any encroachments/structure locations – in determining and marking lines, the surveyor will discover if there is an encroachment by your property or from an adjoining parcel. For example, he might find the neighbor’s fence, house, shed, garden, retaining wall, etc. is on your property. Even worse, what if the house or garage you’re buying is partially or wholly on another property? While it may sound unlikely, we’ve seen entire houses built on the wrong parcel of land. Normally, it is a matter of locating and showing your structures on the survey map itself.
  4. Review of Right-of-ways/easements – if the property you are buying has a right-of-way to it or through it (or easement. They mean essentially the same thing, some folks interchange the words), it can be a good idea to verify the location of it. Some easement locations are extremely specific of where they are while others are beyond vague; it can be beneficial to make sure you have good access to reach your property or that an easement to another property through your property does not go through your buildings etc.
  5. Verify acreage – want to ensure the size of your land is accurate? The only accurate way is a new survey. If it hasn’t been surveyed in a long time, acreage can vary wildly. I’ve seen 50 acre parcels that were really 80 acres and 50 acre parcels that were really 34. If properties have been surveyed within the last decade or two, it is generally accurate and varies within 1/10th of an acre. The older it gets, the more it can be off.
  6. Title Insurance to include boundary coverage – when you obtain a new survey prior to a real estate closing, the attorney can add boundary coverage to your title insurance policy at no additional cost. This is a huge benefit, especially on larger tracts. For instance, what if a neighbor builds a shed on or stakes claim to a certain portion of your property? With boundary coverage, the title insurance company will step in and protect your interests. They will not do this without boundary coverage specifically covered in your policy. Because of that, be certain to prompt and verify with your attorney they have included it in your policy. They MUST send in a copy of the survey to the insurance company.
  7. A new deed description – sometimes this is a huge benefit while other times it is unnecessary. For instance, a home built in a subdivision created with in the last decade or two likely will not need a new description as the description is accurate. If you’re buying an “old” parcel that hasn’t been surveyed in a very long time, a survey is priceless. Some old deed descriptions literally have a description that goes to the “old hickory stump” then fifteen poles to a barb wire fence. Those definitely need a new survey to be able to accurately know where boundary lines are located and the true size of your acreage.

A quick story – I purchase a rental house in downtown Murphy and did not get a survey. Whoops. Turns out the last time it was surveyed, that I could find, was somewhere around 1960’s. The neighbor, who I was fortunate enough to know, pointed out to me the carport, which is attached to the house, was partially on his land. I immediately called a surveyor, had it surveyed, and sure enough! The neighbor was kind enough to deed a small <0.01 acre triangle to me to correct it. Had it not been him, I may not have been so lucky to have such a good resolution. Since then, I almost always get a survey when I buy a property.

What’s the approximate cost of a new survey? Every surveyor has a different price structure and every parcel of land is different so there is no normal pricing. As a general guidance, the minimum cost is $550 and can be in the thousands the larger the tract of land is. The only way to get a true quote is to send in the parcel info and have it quoted.

Need a good surveyor? Check out our Gotta Guy List for our recommend contractors, surveyors, and more.

Click here to see a SAMPLE of a survey.

Written By: John Poltrock, The Poltrock Team at RE/MAX in Murphy, NC 1-866-Murphy-NC

Want to search homes and properties for sale in Western North Carolina? Search all properties HERE!

The Poltrock Team’s NEW Murphy NC Area and Real Estate Information Packet NOW Released!

If you would like to request your FREE copy of our exclusive Buyer’s Packet, call us or email JohnPoltrock@gmail.com to get your copy today!

Request your FREE copy today!
Request your FREE copy today!

When buying real estate in the Mountains of Murphy, North Carolina, there are tons of things to take in to consideration and questions you may have- especially if you’re not very familiar with the area.

We’ve worked to put the information about Murphy, NC together in one place for you – our Exclusive Buyer’s Packet. Now, Version 2.0 is officially released today!

Here’s what you can expect to find in the new version:

  • A map of where Murphy, NC is
  • Weather and climate information on temperatures, rainfall, snow, and much more
  • Profile of Cherokee County
  • Area information
  • Types of Homes for sale here in Murphy NC
  • Golfing
  • Boating and Fishing
  • Camping and Hiking
  • ATVing
  • Horseback Riding
  • Income producing Cabin Rentals
  • Places to Go
  • Other activities and things to do
  • Area Hospitals and Health Care
  • Why REMAX and The Poltrock Team?

If you would like to request your FREE copy of our exclusive Buyer’s Packet, call us or email JohnPoltrock@gmail.com to get your copy today!

Search our inventory of homes and land for sale in the mountains of Murphy NC today on our website FREE with no sign-up required!

John Poltrock, Certified Residential Specialist – REMAX Mountain Properties – www.MyMurphy.com – Call us Toll-Free 1-866-687-7496

High Mountain Elevation and Peaks of Cherokee County and Murphy, North Carolina NC

Mountain View of the Appalachian Mountain RangeThe mountains of Murphy, North Carolina yield spectacular mountain views that can leave any mountain lover in sheer awe. In fact, I don’t think you can ever grow tired of the mountain views that God has blessed Western North Carolina with. We are asked a lot of questions about the elevations here, and here are some answers to the many questions we receive. If you have more, please be sure to email me at JohnPoltrock@gmail.com and we’ll help you any way we can.

Where is Murphy in relation to the North Carolina Mountains? Cherokee County is the westernmost county in North Carolina and has wide range of elevations. Murphy boasts the Appalachian Mountains and all the beauty they offer.

What’s the elevation of Murphy NC itself? Downtown Murphy is at one of the lowest elevations in the county at 1,600 feet. It is actually situated right by Hiwassee and Valley Rivers.

What’s the highest elevation? They highest part of the county is at two different points at 5,040 feet at the corners of Cherokee, Clay, and Macon counties and at the Cherokee, Graham, and Tennessee line. Many of the extremely high summits like these are part of US Forest Service Land.

At what elevation can I get great mountain views? This is a bit of a loaded question. There are SPECTACULAR mountain views at 2,000 feet. You can see for miles and in many cases see into Georgia and/or Tennessee at 2,000 feet. Anything above that is one of the greatest icings on the cake. Are you looking for properties that have great mountain views? Search our listings, the entire Murphy NC MLS System, or use our Dream Home Finder and we’ll send you the properties that fit your wishlist!

I don’t want to be at the top of the mountain – but I want views. What can I do? If you don’t want to be on a steep mountain, fear not! We can certainly find you a property that is lower elevation looking out at the mountains. That’s the beauty of Murphy – we’ve got views like this too!

Where can I find a map of the elevations in Murphy NC? We are blessed with a great mapping department. You can view and download the map of “Predominant Summits” in Cherokee County and Murphy NC by clicking the link. It’s a large PDF file at almost 20 MB, so please be patient during the download. I can assure you it’s worth the wait!

If you need help with real estate in the Mountains of Murphy, NC, get in touch with us! You can email JohnPoltrock@gmail.com or call toll free 1-866-687-7496.

John Poltrock, Certified Residential Specialist – The POLTROCK TEAM at REMAX of Murphy NC – www.MyMurphy.com – Murphy’s #1 Real Estate Team