Definition of "What is surveying?"

Ever since prehistoric times, surveying has been one of the most important acts conducted prior to the construction of any type of structure. If ever wondered what are the steps you need to take in order to build something from scratch, then we can give you a glimpse on how the process is actually starting. What is surveying and who gets to do this job?

Commonly it is believed that any building starts with the foundation, but actually one of the first things that are required is ensuring that the land is able to sustain the structures that will be built upon it. This is where surveying comes into play.

Surveying is a profession, but it is also a technique that uses scientific methods to determine the terrestrial position of points and different measurements between them such as distance, angles, and others. These measured positions are usually located on the Earth’s surface, and they are used to set boundaries or establish maps for locations as well as ownership.

Surveying is also used as a means to determine the surface of a location and it’s future use for any entity that is going to build upon the land. There are different types of land surveys that exist but some of the most important are Mortgage, Boundary, Construction, and topographic surveys.

Surveys are usually conducted by land surveyors and if you ever wondered what a land surveyor does, well you probably got your answer by now. In order to perform this task, land surveyors require academic studies and need to have good technical knowledge.

While some of your favorite places to live have undergone a survey in the past, finding a place to live is a task more fit for a realtor. That’s why we recommend hiring a land surveyor for your land surveys and finding a real estate agent to help you search for your dream home.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Questions

Popular Real Estate Glossary Terms

The definition of option explains the term as something that can be chosen in spite of having multiple other alternatives. It could be an option for food, which shows a preference for one ...

U.S. law making it illegal to discriminate when giving credit based on factors such as race, religion, color, age, national origin. A lender must respond to credit applications within 30 ...

Tax-free exchange that allows a seller two years after escrow closes on his former principal personal residence to buy like-kind property and defer taxes. Profits from the sale of a ...

Government program of providing low interest rate mortgages to low-income qualified buyers. In the tandem program, the Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA) purchases low interest ...

Way to determine the capitalization rate of income property for valuation purposes by weighting the rate of interest and source of financing in percentage terms. ...

Determination made concerning the motivation of a testator in making devises of the will. A will can be contested if it can be proved the testator did not have rational motives when ...

Statement made by a person that is not in writing. An example is an oral representation made by a real estate broker to a prospective buyer of property. ...

Measures looking at the past, current a future direction of the economy. They may have an impact on the real estate market. Each month government bodies, including the Federal Reserve ...

A lien which is secondary to a senior lien and cannot be paid until the senior lien is satisfied. ...