How do I find the property line between my yard and my neighbors?
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Answers:
Look for the "pins" at the corner of the lot that the last surveyor placed down and use them to put down a mark.
Check your deed; might be a survey showing where the corners and lines are.
No pins or survey; you may have to go to the clerk's office for a page from the subdivision plat showing the layout, or for a survey from a prior deed
Measure from the foundation on your house using your survey map.
If you look very closely you may be able to find rebar in the ground that the surveyor used to mark the back corners of the property line. If not you can call the city and they will come and do a "site survey" and mark the line. But be careful because if you want to know the line for a fence you will have to pull a permit because the city will be aware of your desire for the fence.
Check the abstract from when you bought the house. It should have measurements (approximate) that show the line. You may also have wood or concrete boundary markers at the corners of the property.
When you bought the house you probably had a survey done. Mortgage lenders always require it so they know what they are financing,
The survey map should show the distance from the corners of any buildings to the property lines. Also, as someone said, look for a piece of pipe or rebar at the rear corners. If you have concrete sidewalks, the surveyor may have chiseled an "X" on the line. Or sometimes they put what is called a "PK" nail in the centerline of the road where the property line intersects it.
NY, NJ, and PA have all deeds and mortgages on file at the County Hall of Records. I suppose other states do, too. There is often a map on file with the deed. That is all public record and easy to find.
If nothing else works, hire a surveyor to run just the line in question. A hundred or 150 bucks could save a fortune in legal fees if it prevents an encroachment.
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