People have been fighting over land in Tennessee for around 300 years.
These days, of course, property disputes are more likely to be about the right to park your car or cut branches from a tree than the right to settle or trap furs.
Why do boundary disputes occur?
There are many properties where the owners are no longer sure where the boundary line lies or who is responsible for repairing the fence. Here are some of the reasons you may have a survey dispute to settle:
- Recordkeeping was less accurate before the introduction of computers
- Measuring tools for determining boundaries were less precise before the introduction of satellite technology
- Previous landowners may have made informal concessions to their neighbors over the fenceline
- Contractors may have followed the line of least resistance when replacing walls or fences rather than one based upon technical data
Obtaining clarification of your boundaries can resolve these issues.
Why seek legal clarification of boundaries?
Real estate is one of the few investments that will only increase with time. Your land is likely your most valuable asset. Ceding part of your property is, in effect, giving away your children’s inheritance.
Survey disputes can also cause complications when you or your neighbor wishes to sell a piece of real estate. If a buyer and seller each commission a survey, the two surveyors’ findings may not agree. Clearing things up now saves time and money later.
Resolving boundary disputes does not need to be acrimonious. There are various legal methods available for clearing up the confusion. By hiring an attorney, you can ensure that the issue is decided and recorded once and for all. It allows you and the person on the other side of the fence to look upon each other as neighbors, not invaders.