Buying, selling and closing0 answersAI answer
We are listing our home. Would a survey help or is that the buyer's job?
Asked October 25, 2026
AI answer · not yet verified by a surveyor
It isn't always required, but a pre-listing survey can make the sale smoother [1].
Benefits:
- No surprises: you find encroachments or boundary issues before a buyer's survey does, and before closing deadlines.
- Time to fix things: you can sign a boundary agreement with a neighbor or move a fence on your own schedule [2].
- A selling point: clear corners and a current survey help rural and large-lot buyers in particular.
It's especially worth it if:
- you've added a fence, shed, pool or addition,
- you've had questions about a line or a neighbor's improvement, or
- the land is rural, wooded or described by an old metes-and-bounds deed.
In many areas the buyer or lender orders the closing survey anyway, so ask your agent what's customary locally.
General information only. Answers here are not a survey or legal advice, and no one here can tell you where your boundary is. For your property, hire a licensed land surveyor in your state; for legal questions, a real-estate attorney.