Couldn't agree more. Digital maps are convenient, sure, but if you're investing serious money into your property, always cross-check with county records.
Yeah, county records are the real MVP here. Digital maps had me convinced I was clear to build a shed near the fence line...turns out there was a utility easement right there. Glad I double-checked before grabbing the shovel.
"Glad I double-checked before grabbing the shovel."
Smart move. Another thing I've found helpful is marking out the easement boundaries physically—like with stakes or biodegradable spray paint—before getting started. County records can be tricky to visualize on-site, so walking it out step-by-step really clears things up. Learned that after a near-miss myself when planning a rain garden... Easements are sneaky sometimes, better safe than sorry.
"marking out the easement boundaries physically—like with stakes or biodegradable spray paint—before getting started."
That's a solid approach, but honestly, I've found even physical markings can sometimes be misleading if you're not careful. When I first moved into my custom build, I marked everything out meticulously with stakes, thinking I was good to go. Turns out, I misinterpreted one of the angles—thankfully caught it before the fence went up. Now I always cross-reference physical markers with an app or GPS tool... just to double-check myself.
I totally get what you're saying about physical markers sometimes being misleading. When I first started looking into easements for my custom build, I thought online tools would simplify everything—but honestly, they just added another layer of confusion. One app showed boundaries slightly different from the county's GIS map, and neither matched exactly with the surveyor's stakes. Talk about frustrating...
In the end, I found that combining methods was the only way to feel confident. Physical markers are great for visualizing, but double-checking with GPS or even a quick call to the surveyor can save you headaches down the road. Glad you caught your mistake before the fence went up—that could've been an expensive fix. It's reassuring to hear I'm not the only one who finds this stuff tricky.
I feel your pain on this one—those online tools can really throw you for a loop sometimes. When I was working on a recent build, the GIS map had me convinced I had an extra five feet to work with. Thankfully, I double-checked with the surveyor before finalizing the plans. You're definitely not alone in finding this tricky...but hey, navigating these hiccups is part of the journey, right? Glad you sorted it out before things got costly.
