If boundary issues arise after the closing, will title insurance protect the buyer? Title insurance is a necessary and valuable component of any real estate transaction. While it assures the buyer that the seller has marketable title, it leaves some important questions unanswered. Are the house and improvements you think you are buying actually located within the bounds of the marketable title? Does the neighbor’s house or other improvement encroach on the parcel you are buying? Can you legally access the parcel you are buying? Are the lines of possession in harmony with the boundaries of the marketable title? Is some of the parcel you are buying within the bounds of a road right-of-way or possibly underwater? Armed with all of the facts, the buyer is in a much better position to negotiate a fair price on any property. Unless complimented by a properly executed, current survey, the potential value of any title insurance policy is greatly diminished.
The parcel lines and improvements are obvious on the mapping website maintained by the county. Why do I need a survey? I have been surveying in northern Wisconsin for almost 40 years. Thanks to the tireless efforts of county officials and private surveyors, the availability and quality of land records has increased dramatically in that time. Although the mapping sites we use on a daily basis are outstanding, they are merely digital representations of the documents found in the public record. As such, they are not always based on legal surveys of the parcels they depict. The legal location of land boundaries can only be determined by a Wisconsin Professional Land Surveyor.