Title: Digging into property easements—anyone else find online tools confusing?
- Ran into the same thing when I moved in and wanted to put up a garden fence.
- Tried the county GIS—honestly, it was like deciphering a treasure map from a cereal box. Parcel lines didn’t match up with anything in real life.
- Ended up measuring from the sidewalk and guessing, but kept worrying I’d get a letter from the city or, worse, tick off my neighbor.
- In my case, nobody cared, but I’ve heard stories where the city steps in if someone complains (even over a few inches).
- Wish there was a better system, but unless you shell out for a survey, it feels like a bit of a gamble.
Honestly, I get where you're coming from, but I’ve actually had decent luck with the county GIS—at least for getting a rough idea. The trick is cross-referencing it with your deed and any old survey stakes you can find. Not perfect, but better than pure guesswork. Still, yeah, if you want to be 100% sure, nothing beats a real survey... just wish they weren’t so pricey.
Honestly, I think you’re spot on about the GIS—it’s a decent starting point, but I’ve seen it be off by several feet in my area. Cross-referencing with the deed and any visible stakes is exactly what I do too. I get frustrated with the cost of surveys, but after almost digging into my neighbor’s side yard once, I’m convinced it’s worth it for anything major. Still, for planning or rough layouts, those online maps are better than nothing.
I totally get where you’re coming from—those GIS maps are handy for a ballpark idea, but I’ve seen them be off by more than just a few feet, especially in older neighborhoods. It’s wild how much can shift over time. Have you ever tried overlaying the GIS with aerial photos? Sometimes that helps, but it’s still not perfect. I agree, though, for anything that’s more than just a garden bed, a survey is worth the headache (and the cost). It’s frustrating, but I guess it’s better than a property dispute down the line.
DIGGING INTO PROPERTY EASEMENTS—ANYONE ELSE FIND ONLINE TOOLS CONFUSING?
I get the appeal of just hiring a surveyor, but honestly, I’ve had decent luck with city planning offices. Sometimes they’ll have old plat maps or even scanned surveys on file—way more accurate than the GIS overlays, at least in my experience. It’s a bit of a scavenger hunt, but if you’re just trying to figure out where a fence or patio might go, it can save some cash. Not perfect, but sometimes those old records are surprisingly detailed... even if you have to squint at the handwriting.
