Building a new home is certainly exciting, and you may be raring to go. But amidst all of the excitement of choosing the perfect lot, designing a stellar floorplan, and choosing your favorite finishes are some of the more mundane items -like assessing easements, ordering surveys and determining taxes. These things can sometimes rate among the most frustrating elements of building a home, as they require local government approval or oversight.
Although the team at Lindahl Construction is well-versed in these tasks and will take care of filing everything you need, we feel it is important for you to learn what each of these items entail. That way, you can be prepared should the process hit a snag or delay in one of these areas.
What are Easements?
An easement provides a legal right to occupy or use another person’s land for specific purposes. The original owner keeps legal title of the land, and the easement must be made in writing to be legally binding. Typically, easements grant utility companies access in order to install and maintain power, phone, and cable lines. Easements are also utilized for water drainage purposes.
While utility easements are the most common, other easements are also frequently necessary. For instance, in beach communities such as Longboat Key, a private beachfront landowner may have an easement on his property which allows people to access the beach via a designated pathway. Another type of easement allows access to an outparcel which is cut off from the road.
Easements are included on surveys and are transferred from owner to owner. Property owners may come into problems with easements if they are trying to build a fence or swimming pool which would cross into the easement. Homeowners are generally not allowed to build any permanent structure over an easement, even though the property is technically theirs.
Why is a Survey Necessary?
Homeowners can conduct a property survey whenever they wish, but surveys are most often conducted when purchasing or adding onto a home. Virtually all mortgage companies require a property survey as a part of the loan approval process, even if the survey is not legally required. A property surveyor first researches the property, the legal descriptions associated with the property, and the history of the deed. After research is complete, the surveyor will conduct an onsite visit to sketch out the land and identify all boundaries and land features. The final survey includes a map, a written description and the location of buildings and adjacent properties. Easements are also identified.
Surveys are important because they often uncover problems with the property that were undisclosed, or even unknown. Not only that, it provides assurance that the property you are buying is in fact properly identified, and you aren’t wrestling with your neighbor’s long lost relative over a 20 foot strip of land they claim is theirs.
The Taxes on My Property are So Cheap!
It may seem obvious, but the taxes assessed on vacant property will go up once a structure in in place. Similarly, if you tear down a small 2 bedroom home and replace it with a 6 bedroom mansion with a pool, your taxes will increase from those recorded at the county assessor. Taxes can take a year to catch up, but they will eventually. When determining your monthly bills and budget, be sure to figure in an accurate tax amount.
At Lindahl Construction, we are proud of our reputation for fantastic customer service and quality home building. While we will take care of the surveys and easements for you, we also like our clients to be as informed as possible. Do you have any other questions about building a new Sarasota home? Give us a call today.