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Why Survey Your Mountain Land Purchase?

  • Writer: Paul Breden
    Paul Breden
  • Oct 22, 2018
  • 3 min read

Updated: Oct 31, 2018



When it comes to surveying land – size matters.  Listen to what one very dissatisfied landowner told us.  In his first call, he said he wanted to sell his 314-acre land parcel.  We suggested he have it surveyed before putting it on the market.  Two months later he called back.  He had the property surveyed and learned that he only owned 205 acres.


He asked what he should do.  We then asked whether it had been surveyed when he made the purchase several years earlier.  His answer was “No!”.  We asked why he had not had the land surveyed.  His answer?  “Because the previous owner told me it was a really good deal”  Apparently he had never heard the phrase “caveat Emptor” (Let the buyer beware) . Posts.


“It Was a Really Good Deal”

Of course it was a good deal – for the owner who sold it to him!  This property owner learned a vary hard lesson.  So, why is a survey so important?  Most properties that were purchased 10, 20, or 5o years ago may or may not have been surveyed at that time.  Those that were surveyed were surveyed using less than accurate measuring instruments, probably even before personal computers were in use.  Surveys performed prior to about 1980 were hand-drawn with the acreage calculated manually using “plane geometry”  Remember, there were also no hand-held calculators available until post 1970 or so.  In short, most of the older surveys were not accurate.


Don’t Cut Corners – Always Survey!

When making a land purchase – always survey.  Keep in mind that the present owner’s deed may describe the property as being 103.5 acres, more or less.  The owner’s deed may even refer to a previous survey done in 1963 by John Doe, Registered Surveyor, and describing in detail the 103.5 acres.  Take that “with a grain of salt”, but insist on having it surveyed now – with today’s accurate measuring instruments.  As it turns out, a new survey may show the original one to be fairly accurate – perhaps being 104.1 or 102.7 acres.  That slight difference is understandable considering it was done by a different surveyor using different instruments.  A new survey almost always has some variation from the original. Often, however, there may be an error in the earlier survey, resulting in a substantial change in actual acreage present on the property.  If you offer to pay a fair price for 103.5 acres, but then learn you are only getting 96.1 acres, you aren’t likely to want to pay for the inequity of acreage – which can create a disagreement with the existing landowner.


What’s the solution?

When buying mountain land, you can eliminate potential problems by taking two actions:

1) Have a new survey performed on the property.

2) Add a simple paragraph under “Other Provisions” in the purchase contract.  Those two actions will insure that you are only paying for the exact acreage included in the purchase. Assume that you are paying $414,000 (4,000 per acre) for the property, and having it surveyed.  


Include the following paragraph in the purchase contract:


“Buyer is to have property surveyed at Buyerr’s option and expense prior to closing.  If survey shows more, or less, than 103.5 acres, purchase price is to be adjusted at the rate of $4,000 per acre for each acre, or fraction thereof, more or less than 103.5 acres.”


Get Insurance!

Most land buyers ask their attorney to provide Title Insurance, as protection against possible undiscovered faults or flaws in the title to the land.  There are actually two levels of protection available.  Normally, title insurance protects against flaws in the title.  You can get added protection by asking for title insurance “as to matters of survey”.  It may cost a little more, but it also insures that your new survey is accurate.  You can even further protect your new survey from question by permanently recording a certified copy of the survey at the county courthouse. Doing so is like staking out a claim for the whole world to see that this is YOUR PROPERTY.

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At Mountain Land Company we offer North Carolina mountain land for sale, large land tracts for sale, NC mountain real estate, land for sale in Boone, NC, land for sale in Watauga County, land for sale in Wilkesboro, NC, land for sale in Wilkes County, land for sale in Taylorsville, NC, land for sale in Alexander County, land for sale in Sparta, NC, land for sale in Alleghany County, land for sale in Jefferson, NC, Land for sale in West Jefferson, NC land for sale in Ashe County, land for sale in Banner Elk, NC, land for sale in Newland, NC, land for sale in Avery County, land for sale in Morganton, NC, land for sale in Burke County, land for sale in Lenoir, NC, land for sale in Caldwell County, land for sale in Rutherfordton, NC, and land for sale in Rutherford County. We sell cheap land in North Carolina, hunting land in NC, ATV land in North Carolina, development properties on North Carolina and mountain retreats in North Carolina. Mountain Land Company specializes in offering large tracts of land for sale in the North Carolina Mountains. We offer NC Mountain Brokerage, North Carolina land near the Blue Ridge Parkway, land with trout stream frontage and bug-out properties in North Carolina. Find mountain land here.

Want to buy mountain land in North Carolina? Wish there was a broker who specialized in NC mountain land – and ONLY mountain land?  Choose a broker who not only sells mountain land, but also understands and appreciates it by owning and living on his own mountain land – 386 acres of it – known locally as “GHOST VALLEY”.

 

Helping buyers purchase large parcels of NC mountain land for over 49 years, broker Paul Breden is truly “Land’s Best Friend”! Paul’s “no pressure” approach will leave you feeling comfortable throughout the process of locating the right parcel. Better yet, Paul will oversee your purchase right through a successful closing of the transaction.  Paul takes time to explain every detail – even before you meet him.  His FREE 28-page land buyers handbook – “CAROLINA DREAMING!” is an excellent tool for anyone unfamiliar with buying mountain land.  A FREE copy is available to you upon request.

 

If you are planning to make a mountain land purchase, choose the one broker who has helped the most buyers achieve their dream of owning mountain land – broker Paul Breden.  

 

Mountain land is purchased for many reasons.  Just a few of those reasons might include a family retreat, a hunting property, long-term secure investment, or simply the fulfillment of your family’s recreational interests.  Whatever your interests, call Paul!  He will provide attentive ears, and a double armload of experience and understanding to help you achieve the right purchase.

 

Paul can be reached direct anytime at 828-263-2340 or Email Paul

 

North Carolina Mountain Land – How many types of land are there?

 

• Raw undeveloped land

• Gently rolling open meadows

• Heavily wooded timberland

• Old family farms – some with old outbuildings

• High elevation land – from 3,000’ to 4,000’ feet

• Mountain land with streams and springs

• Even cheap useless land

 

If you can describe it - we probably have it!

 

North Carolina Mountain Land – Characteristics

 

• Ridgetops with long-range views vs.  protected valleys

• Paved state-maintained roads vs. gravel private roads

• Open land vs. heavily timbered

• Easy access to shopping vs. remote & secluded 

• High-elevations vs. low land parcels

• Cold, snowy climate vs. temperate day-to-day weather

• Stream & creeks vs. dry properties

• Well-maintained showplace vs. undeveloped, untended & less expensive.

• Acreage – Under 50 acres vs. over 100 acres

• Price – Less than $500,000 vs. sky’s the limit

 

 

North Carolina Mountain Land – Locations

 

Wilkes County (Wilkesboro/North Wilkesboro)

Ashe County (Jefferson & West Jefferson)

Watauga County (Boone/Blowing Rock)

Caldwell County (Lenoir)

Alleghany County (Sparta)

Avery County (Newland/Banner Elk/Sugar & Beech Mountains)

Alexander County (Taylorsville)

Burke County (Morganton)

Cleveland County (Shelby)

Rutherford County (Rutherfordton)

 

North Carolina Mountain Land – How we show land

 

Regardless of how much you enjoy the outdoors, you may not be into strenuous hiking.  That’s why we show most properties from the comfort and convenience of our Polaris Ranger.  The Ranger rides like a golf cart – on steroids – and goes anywhere. It has a comfortable bench seat, and we can handle as many as two adults up front, plus three full-grown teens in the back.  On most properties very little hiking is required.   Why, you ask?

 

The North Carolina mountains are well-known for growing some of the best hardwood trees in the U.S. That is why the furniture industry got its start here in the North Carolina mountains.  With annual rainfall of 50”, the climate is perfect for growing Red Oak, White Oak,  Maple, Poplar, Eastern White Pine, and many other popular species.  

 

As a result of generations of timber harvesting, many logging roads are left behind.  These are the trails created by loggers to remove the timber during its last cutting.  The logging trails leave behind fantastic hiking and ATV trails, so our Ranger can access almost all properties on the Ranger.  If you prefer hiking, we can do that also, however the Ranger provides a more enjoyable, less strenuous method of seeing our properties.

 

If you are seriously committed to buying NC mountain land, take the easy route by choosing a broker who not only has 49 years selling North Carolina mountain land.  But wait!  There’s more. Choose a land broker who believes in land, as evidenced by his personal ownership of Ghost Valley, his own 386 acre homeplace. 

 

Ready to find your own mountain land? Click HERE! to begin your search!

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