Old tape measure never lies.
That’s the truth. I’ve seen folks trust those online parcel maps and end up a foot or two off—doesn’t sound like much until you’re dealing with a setback violation. Nothing beats boots on the ground and a good tape.
DIGGING INTO PROPERTY EASEMENTS—ANYONE ELSE FIND ONLINE TOOLS CONFUSING?
I hear you on that. I once measured out a fence line based on the county’s online map, figured I was golden. Turns out, their overlay was off by almost two feet compared to the actual survey markers. Had to move the whole thing back after the neighbor noticed. Lesson learned—those digital maps are handy for a ballpark, but nothing beats dragging out the old tape and double-checking. It’s a pain, but it saves headaches down the road.
- Ran into something similar last year putting in a shed. The county’s GIS map had my property line about a foot off from where the old iron pin was buried.
- Thought I was being careful, but the neighbor’s survey flagged it right away.
- Ended up splitting the difference after a chat, but man, those online maps are just rough estimates.
- Honestly, I trust the rusty rebar more than any digital overlay at this point.
- It’s wild how much things can shift depending on who drew the lines...
DIGGING INTO PROPERTY EASEMENTS—ANYONE ELSE FIND ONLINE TOOLS CONFUSING?
I feel this so much. When we started building, I thought the digital maps would make things easier, but honestly, it just made me second-guess everything. The county’s map had my backyard stretching like six feet further than what the surveyor marked. I kept walking out there with my phone, trying to match up the lines, but then I’d see the old fence posts and start doubting myself all over again.
Ended up calling my dad, who’s got this sixth sense for “where the land really ends.” He just laughed and said, “Trust the fence and the pins, not the pixels.” I wanted to believe him, but it’s wild how much those online tools *look* official, even when they’re just… not.
I get why people rely on the old markers. There’s something kind of grounding about finding a chunk of rusty metal in the dirt and knowing someone put it there decades ago. But at the same time, part of me wishes the tech was a little more dialed in. It’s 2024—shouldn’t we be able to figure out where a property line is without a treasure hunt?
Anyway, I ended up hiring a surveyor just for peace of mind. Not cheap, but at least now I know where not to plant my trees. Still, every time I look at those online maps, I wonder how many folks are out there thinking their yard is way bigger (or smaller) than it actually is...
DIGGING INTO PROPERTY EASEMENTS—ANYONE ELSE FIND ONLINE TOOLS CONFUSING?
You’re right about those digital maps looking official but being off by a mile sometimes. I get frustrated with it too, especially when you’re trying to plan something eco-friendly and don’t want to tear up the wrong patch of ground. Honestly, I think the tech is way behind where it should be. They hype up these GIS tools like they’re gospel, but most of them are just rough sketches laid over satellite images. The old markers are ugly but at least they’re accurate. It’s wild to me that we can map Mars but still can’t get a reliable backyard boundary.
