Alfano Law Office, PLLC

Alfano Law Office, PLLC
Phone: (603) 856-8411 • Fax (603) 290-5521
4 Park Street, Concord, NH 03301
  • Home
  • Real Estate Law
    • Road Law
    • Commercial Real Estate Law
    • Tax Abatements
    • Business Law
  • Estate Planning
  • About Us
    • Paul J. Alfano, Attorney
    • John F. Hayes, Attorney
    • David Howard, Attorney
    • Ariana Baldasaro McQuarrie, Attorney
    • Jason Curtis, Attorney
    • Privacy Policy
  • Articles
  • Contact Us
    • Directions
  • Road Law Guide
  • NH Tax Abatement
    • Tax Abatement Team
    • Grounds for Abatement
    • Municipal Application
    • Owners of Properties Outside New Hampshire
    • Transfer Tax Allocation
    • Recent Laws and Rulings
  • Resources and Links
    • Calendar and Key Dates
    • Equalization Ratio
    • NAPTA
Home » Blog » Confirm Your Property Boundary Lines Before You Purchase

Confirm Your Property Boundary Lines Before You Purchase

So, you’re buying a house. You probably get an inspection done on the house as part of the approval process for your mortgage. But do you think about the boundary lines of the property? Maybe the seller tells you the line is at a tree, or a fence. Maybe you don’t even discuss the boundary lines at all. Then how do you know what you are buying? You get a property survey done.

A survey is something you should have done on any property you purchase. It can reveal all sorts of issues prior to purchase. Maybe that fence isn’t actually the boundary line or the neighbor’s shed is actually on your property. The only way to know a boundary line is to have a licensed land surveyor come out and stake the lines.

If you didn’t have a survey done at the time of purchase, you should have one done prior to beginning any improvements to the property. Make sure the shed or fence you build is on your property. Encroachments can be corrected by a lot line adjustment or removing the encroachment. However, the process can be contentious and drawn out. It’s better to spend the money up front than to be blindsided by an issue a few years down the line.

Adverse Possession

If an encroachment has been in place long enough there could be adverse possession. This means someone else can claim ownership of the property. Adverse possession is when someone other than the proper owner can show “twenty years of adverse, continuous, exclusive and uninterrupted use of the land claimed.” O’Hearne v. McClammer, 163 N.H. 430, 435 (2012). The property must be used openly, without the actual owner’s permission, for twenty continuous years and apparent enough that the true owner should notice.

The only way to ensure you are purchasing the full parcel you expect, or that the fence you paid for is actually yours, is to have a licensed land surveyor come out and survey the property.

You can contact Alfano Law Office here.

Filed Under: Property Investments, Real Estate Law Tagged With: adverse possession, encroachment, fence, neighbors, property survey, shed, tree

The above information is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.

Subscribe to the Alfano Law Property Rights Alert

Sign Up Now

For Email Newsletters you can trust.

NH Tax Abatement

  • Road Law Guide
  • NH Tax Abatement
    • Tax Abatement Team
    • Grounds for Abatement
    • Municipal Application
    • Owners of Properties Outside New Hampshire
    • Transfer Tax Allocation
    • Recent Laws and Rulings
  • Resources and Links
    • Calendar and Key Dates
    • Equalization Ratio
    • NAPTA

NH Real Estate Law Articles

  • Airbnb
  • Common Neighborly Legal Issues
  • Court Updates
  • Dealing with Neighbors
  • Easements
  • Estate Planning
  • General
  • Historic Designation
  • Legal Documents
  • Legal Terms
  • Legislation
    • Business Law
  • Living Trust
  • New Hampshire Property Tax Alerts
  • Private Road Maintenance
  • Private Roads
  • Property
  • Property Investments
  • Property Rights
  • Property Tax
  • Property Tax Law
  • Quieting Title
  • Real Estate Law
  • Revocable Trust
  • Road Law
  • Tax Abatement
  • Taxes
  • Zoning Boards of Adjustments

Recent Articles

Nonuse of an Easement vs. Adverse Possession: What is the Difference?

Easements sometimes sit dormant for decades, even … [Read More...]

A Landmark Decision on Short-Term Rentals and Zoning

Town of Conway v. Kudrick: A Landmark Decision on … [Read More...]

A Lesson in Preemption and Local Zoning Ordinances

Joy Street, LLC v. Town of Chesterfield: A Lesson in … [Read More...]

Confirm Your Boundary Lines Before Purchasing Property

When buying a new house, it is important to have a property … [Read More...]

Article Archives

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

Alfano Law Office, PLLC, 4 Park Street, Concord, NH 03301 USA | Phone: (603) 856-8411
Copyright © 2023 · Alfano Law Office, PLLC. All Rights Reserved · Website design by InterActive Synergy, LLC