Land surveying is a complicated business, and for that reason there are quite a few misconceptions about what it is and why people need it. If you are considering whether to have a land survey done on your property (or property you plan to buy), chances are you have fallen prey to one or more of these myths, which have the potential to steer you wrong. To help you out, here is the truth about 7 common surveying myths:

MYTH 1: Land surveys aren’t necessary if you can find the survey stakes.

If you located the survey stakes from a previous survey, all you know is that there was a previous surveyor who might have determined that this location was on the edge of the property; that doesn’t mean the survey is accurate, or that you’ve actually found your property line. A professional land surveyor can tell you if what you’ve found is really your property line; you may be surprised to learn that in many cases, what you think is a surveying monument may not be one at all. Plus, your findings wouldn’t hold up in court, while a licensed land surveyor’s would.

MYTH 2: It’s very rare for a neighbor to encroach over a property line.

It’s more common than you think; land surveyors see these types of issues. Don’t be so sure that you aren’t encroaching onto property that legally belongs to your neighbor, or that they aren’t technically doing the same with your property. When in doubt, hire a land surveyor to mark the exact property line.

Visit Point to Point Land Surveyors to read the full original article and to read about all 7 of the Surveying Myths.