Home Inspection vs. Land Survey

So you’re selling or buying a home and the mortgage lender tells you that you need a home inspection and a land survey. Maybe you thought they were the same thing, or maybe you aren’t really sure what purpose they both serve. Don’t worry–the professional Cleveland home inspectors at Keystone Home Inspections are here to help with answers to all of your home inspection questions.

What Is A Home Inspection?

Put simply, a home inspection is a visual check done by a licensed Cleveland home inspector. Their goal is to assess the condition of a home and verify that all components of the home are sound, as well as to identify any potential problems along with risks for future issues. A home cannot fail an inspection, but there may be issues discovered during the course of the inspection that will need to be addressed. The inspector is a professional and a neutral party, so any recommendations they may give can be trusted.

Home inspections are typically done during real estate transactions, and often at the request of the buyer, but they can also be done for insurance purposes or after new construction or a major renovation. The checklist that a home inspector works from is extensive. From the roof and attic to the basement and foundation, a Cleveland home inspector thoroughly checks a home’s interior and exterior.

What Is A Land Survey?

A land survey is a process through which property lines are identified or verified. A land survey is typically done when it’s necessary to know a property’s exact lines and measurements. This could be required as part of a standard real estate transaction, but land surveys are also frequently done when adding a structure or feature to a property, such as a pool, landscaping and hardscaping, or a home addition or out building. 

A land survey has nothing to do with the condition of the home itself. Instead, a professional, licensed surveyor uses specific equipment, maps, and historical surveys of a property to determine property lines, identify boundaries, and also locate potential encroachments and easements. A surveyor will take various measurements and produce what is essentially a map of the land, notated with any boundaries between parcels of property and key identifying features.

Home Inspection or Land Survey: Which Do You Need?

As noted at the outset, when you are involved in a real estate transaction, both a home inspection and land survey may be necessary. That said, the goals are very different for each of these services. A home inspection looks to verify a home’s safety and compliance with local building codes, as well as to identify any potential issues that need to be addressed. On the other hand, a land survey is about establishing property boundaries and identifying any easements, setbacks, flood zones and rights of way. This information may be needed to settle disputes over property boundaries when selling and buying, but it can also be useful when building on a property. In the end, both a home inspection and a land survey serve to protect individuals and their investment in their property.

Cleveland Home Inspector Services

When you’re looking for a licensed home inspector in Cleveland, Ohio, you can rely on the expert team at Keystone Home Inspections. We offer convenient online scheduling for clients in Cuyahoga, Geauga, and Lake counties and are ready to help you learn everything you need to know about your home. Get in touch with us today to learn more about our Cleveland home inspector services and to plan an inspection of your own. We can also help with more specialized needs, like lead inspection or mold inspection in Cleveland homes.