Buying a piece of land—just a handshake deal or paperwork essential?

"A proper survey and recorded deed aren't just formalities; they're essential safeguards."

True, but sometimes even paperwork doesn't guarantee smooth sailing. When we bought our land, the survey missed an old easement—ended up having to renegotiate with neighbors anyway. Paperwork helps, but it's no silver bullet...

When we bought our land, the survey missed an old easement—ended up having to renegotiate with neighbors anyway.

Yeah, honestly paperwork only goes so far. When we bought our current place, everything looked perfect on paper until we discovered a shared driveway clause buried deep in the deed. Ended up having some awkward convos with the neighbors... Paperwork helps, but like you said—it's no guarantee.

"Paperwork helps, but like you said—it's no guarantee."

Exactly. I've seen plenty of deals where the paperwork looked airtight, but hidden clauses or outdated surveys still caused headaches down the road. Handshake deals might seem simpler, but they're even riskier in my experience. Still, makes me wonder... has anyone here actually had a handshake deal work out smoothly long-term? Seems rare, but maybe I'm just skeptical.

I've had one handshake deal actually pan out pretty well over the years...but honestly, it felt more like luck than anything else. I'd still lean toward paperwork—

"hidden clauses or outdated surveys"

Yeah, paperwork's definitely the safer route—especially when you're dealing with land. Ever run into zoning issues or environmental restrictions popping up later? Those can turn a simple handshake into a real mess...better to have clear documentation upfront.