Do I need a survey when I buy a house in Virginia?

A survey is a drawing by a licensed surveyor showing a property’s boundaries and what sits on or near them. In Virginia, you do not need one by law to buy a home, but you may want one, and your lender or title company may ask for one.

The decision turns on how many open questions the lot has. A tidy neighborhood lot with a fence the neighbors have shared for years raises fewer questions than a rural parcel with an old shared driveway.

When is a survey worth ordering?

Order one when you cannot tell exactly what you are buying. That includes a fence or driveway that may not follow the line, an addition or shed built after any prior survey, a lot with a shared drive or access across a neighbor’s land, and acreage where the boundaries are not obvious.

Also consider one if you plan to build, add a pool or fence, or put in a driveway. A survey tells you where setbacks and easements limit you before you pay for plans.

What does a survey show that an inspection will not?

A home inspector looks at the house. A surveyor looks at the land. A survey can show where corners are, where improvements sit relative to the lines, and recorded easements the surveyor can locate, such as utility or drainage strips.

That matters because a title insurance policy typically excludes problems a survey would have revealed. Our post on what title insurance covers explains what a policy does and does not protect. If you want broader coverage on that point, ask your title company what it would take.

Which type of survey are people talking about?

Ask the surveyor what each product delivers. A boundary survey establishes and usually marks the lot lines. A mortgage location survey is a limited product that generally shows where the buildings sit, and it is not meant for putting up a fence or resolving a boundary question.

The right choice depends on your questions. If a lender or title company asks for a survey, ask which type they accept. Prices and timelines vary by lot, so request a quote early rather than during your final week.

How does it fit into the contract timeline?

Surveys take time to schedule, especially in busy seasons, and a rural lot takes longer. If you want one, tell your agent before you write the offer so the contract can build in time, and ask how your contract treats the seller’s cooperation and any problems the survey finds.

What you do with a problem depends on what it is. A minor encroachment may be fixable with a written agreement. A major one may be a reason to renegotiate or to walk away under your contract’s terms. Have a Virginia real estate attorney review anything involving the boundary.

What should I do next?

If you are about to make an offer on a property with a fence, shared drive or addition you cannot account for, tell us before you write it so the timeline leaves room for a survey. Start with our buying page, or reach the Glen Allen office. Written by Daniel Keeton, broker. For related reading, see how an inspection contingency works.