DIGGING INTO PROPERTY EASEMENTS—ANYONE ELSE FIND ONLINE TOOLS CONFUSING?
Yeah, I’ve run into those phantom easements on GIS maps more than once. It’s honestly one of the most frustrating parts of trying to do things by the book without breaking the bank. I’m always hoping I can trust what I see online, but then you start comparing it to the deed or the plat and half the time it just doesn’t line up. Makes you wonder if anyone’s actually updating these systems or if they just get copied over from old paper maps.
I get why people try to save on surveyor costs (I’m right there with you), but after one too many “surprise” boundaries or mystery easements, I’ve started budgeting for at least a basic survey when it really matters. The cost stings, but not as much as having to redo a fence or deal with a neighbor dispute because some line on a website turned out to be bogus.
As for fighting city hall, I haven’t had to go that far yet, but I did have a situation where the city’s online map showed a utility easement running through my backyard—except there was nothing in my title report or any recorded docs. When I called the city, they basically shrugged and said their maps are “for reference only.” Super helpful... not. In the end, I got a letter from them confirming there was no recorded easement, but it took weeks of back and forth.
I guess my takeaway is: treat online tools as a starting point, not gospel. If something looks off or could impact what you want to do with your property, it’s probably worth digging deeper—even if that means spending a bit more upfront. It’s annoying how much time (and sometimes money) it takes just to get straight answers, but that seems to be the reality with property stuff.
And yeah, soda cans and random chunks of metal as “property corners” are way too common. You’d think people would at least use something that lasts...