What specifically are the ALTA/ACSM standards? Fundamentally they are a guidelines relevant to property surveys to make sure that these particular land surveys are equivalent to those surveys done in any part of the country.
Since the first version in 1962 Land Surveyors have been performing ALTA Land Title Surveys on mostly commercial projects. While there are a number of other types of land surveys, the ALTA Land Survey is special, notably because different standards need to be adhered to in order to obtain the desired results. Understand that an ALTA Survey is carried out according to standards that were created jointly by two different institutions, namely the American Land Title Association (ALTA) and the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping (ACSM).
ALTA is an association of title insurance companies. ACSM was a national organization of surveyors. ACSM has since been rolled into the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS).
While this could seem to be cumbersome, it actually delivers more evenness over the large number of surveying projects which are assessed. You can find one or two states which don't have standards for the performance of boundary surveys, however most all do have standards. The problem is these are generally all different, and an expert who is accountable for examining the land surveys provided by a number of different states can be baffled.
The ALTA Land Title Surveys are not a federal criteria. Federal law does not demand implementing the ALTA Survey requirements. The use of the ALTA Survey criteria are normally a requirement of the financing organization on the particular real estate or development. These type developments may include department stores or hotels. As we stated earlier, the land surveys are not legally required, however the sheer cost associated makes these land surveys a better plan. Not completing a land survey, is not the best idea.
If you'll allow me to rant for a minute, a large number of residential buyers, on the advise of the mortgage lenders or lawyer, have begun to forego the land survey on the home and property when they are praparing close on the bank loan. Yet, when they look at their title insurance, these people would likely see that they are NOT covered for "anything which could possibly be found with a land survey." Therefore, in effect, they aren't going to be protected against an issue such as encroachments, boundary line problems, overlapping deeds, fence encroachments, unknown easements, etc.. The ALTA Land Title Survey gives this certainty to the mortgage lenders. So, if your finance companies feel the need for this warranty, then why shouldn't the house owner want the same assurance? What i'm saying is, it truly is the most significant purchase which most individuals tends to make in their entire life.
Accuracy
ALTA Land Title Survey standards are fairly stringent. By way of example, before a survey the surveyor have to review deed research, to identify any easements, or some other boundary matter that should be provided on the land survey drawings.
A few of the other components for the ALTA Land Survey are:
Locate all corner monuments
Locate adjoining rights-of-way, including their width
Locate all other visible access on or over the parcel
Locate possession or occupation marks
Identify improvements within just 5-feet of all property lines
Locate encroaching structures upon or off the boundary
Position of all the buildings
Locate observed signs of unrecorded easements
Locate items from Table A by the client
Survey must meet Relative Positional Precision standards
A few of the parts of the alta land survey drawing are:
Indicate all recorded easements and those found on the land
Show inconsistencies between recorded and measured distances
Clearly show gaps and overlaps between the subject parcel of land and bordering property lines
Indicate zoning and / or local regulation info that may affect the intended use
The drawing needs to be minimum size and scale
The drawing needs to incorporate the exact certification covered within the ALTA Title Survey specifications
Illustrate elements from Table A by client
Since the first version in 1962 Land Surveyors have been performing ALTA Land Title Surveys on mostly commercial projects. While there are a number of other types of land surveys, the ALTA Land Survey is special, notably because different standards need to be adhered to in order to obtain the desired results. Understand that an ALTA Survey is carried out according to standards that were created jointly by two different institutions, namely the American Land Title Association (ALTA) and the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping (ACSM).
ALTA is an association of title insurance companies. ACSM was a national organization of surveyors. ACSM has since been rolled into the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS).
While this could seem to be cumbersome, it actually delivers more evenness over the large number of surveying projects which are assessed. You can find one or two states which don't have standards for the performance of boundary surveys, however most all do have standards. The problem is these are generally all different, and an expert who is accountable for examining the land surveys provided by a number of different states can be baffled.
The ALTA Land Title Surveys are not a federal criteria. Federal law does not demand implementing the ALTA Survey requirements. The use of the ALTA Survey criteria are normally a requirement of the financing organization on the particular real estate or development. These type developments may include department stores or hotels. As we stated earlier, the land surveys are not legally required, however the sheer cost associated makes these land surveys a better plan. Not completing a land survey, is not the best idea.
If you'll allow me to rant for a minute, a large number of residential buyers, on the advise of the mortgage lenders or lawyer, have begun to forego the land survey on the home and property when they are praparing close on the bank loan. Yet, when they look at their title insurance, these people would likely see that they are NOT covered for "anything which could possibly be found with a land survey." Therefore, in effect, they aren't going to be protected against an issue such as encroachments, boundary line problems, overlapping deeds, fence encroachments, unknown easements, etc.. The ALTA Land Title Survey gives this certainty to the mortgage lenders. So, if your finance companies feel the need for this warranty, then why shouldn't the house owner want the same assurance? What i'm saying is, it truly is the most significant purchase which most individuals tends to make in their entire life.
Accuracy
ALTA Land Title Survey standards are fairly stringent. By way of example, before a survey the surveyor have to review deed research, to identify any easements, or some other boundary matter that should be provided on the land survey drawings.
A few of the other components for the ALTA Land Survey are:
Locate all corner monuments
Locate adjoining rights-of-way, including their width
Locate all other visible access on or over the parcel
Locate possession or occupation marks
Identify improvements within just 5-feet of all property lines
Locate encroaching structures upon or off the boundary
Position of all the buildings
Locate observed signs of unrecorded easements
Locate items from Table A by the client
Survey must meet Relative Positional Precision standards
A few of the parts of the alta land survey drawing are:
Indicate all recorded easements and those found on the land
Show inconsistencies between recorded and measured distances
Clearly show gaps and overlaps between the subject parcel of land and bordering property lines
Indicate zoning and / or local regulation info that may affect the intended use
The drawing needs to be minimum size and scale
The drawing needs to incorporate the exact certification covered within the ALTA Title Survey specifications
Illustrate elements from Table A by client