Land Surveys: A Guide for Lawyers and Other Professionals

Complete and accurate land surveys are of fundamental importance in nearly all real estate transfers, yet they are one of the least understood elements in the transaction. Land Surveys: A Guide for Lawyers and Other Professionals provides practical guidance from experts in all related fields, including real estate law, title insurance, surveying, civil engineering, and real estate lending.

Well-written and thorough in its coverage, this book discusses the most important aspects of land surveys and how to understand and use them in real estate transactions. It covers all key elements that are critical to the effective and knowledgeable use of surveys, starting with why a survey is needed and progressing to the more complex aspects of selecting a surveyor, understanding the qualification and certification process, and knowing what to expect from the survey and survey certificate. This updated dition of Land Surveys addresses recent critical developments in the area, including ALTA/ACSM Land Title Survey requirements, the 2006 changes to the ALTA forms of title insurance, and the significant advances in surveying technology, particularly in the Global Positioning System (GPS) which allows greater precision in measurement at a lower cost.

Among the thirteen new chapters are an analysis of the 2011 ALTA/ACSM minimum survey standards coauthored by the chairman of the Liaison Committee that drafted them, the role of aerial photography in surveying, the National Flood Insurance Program, and ＂how-to＂ articles on reviewing survey maps. Among the areas covered are:

• What is a land survey and what to look for in a survey map
• Minimum standard requirements
• Certification and codes of practice
• The relationship between surveys and title insurance
• The surveyor as expert witness
• Reading, interpreting, and writing land descriptions
• Licensure, responsibilities, and ethical considerations
• Technological change and its impact on surveying and real estate development

Mitchell G. Williams is a partner in the Real Estate Practice Group at Hunton & Williams LLP in New York and a New York State-licensed professional land surveyor.