By Prerna Kapoor, CLHMS | REAL Brokerage | June 30, 2026
A few months ago, a client of mine in Castle Rock found out during closing week that her new fence sat almost three feet onto the neighbor’s lot. Nobody had done anything wrong on purpose. The fence had been there for years, the seller didn’t know either, and the only reason it surfaced at all was a property survey her lender required. We caught it in time to fix it with a simple boundary agreement instead of a lawsuit two years later.
That’s the thing about surveys. Most buyers think of them as paperwork. They’re actually one of the few documents that can save you from a fight with a neighbor down the road.
What a survey actually tells you that an inspection doesn’t
A home inspection looks at the structure, systems, and condition of the house itself. A survey looks at the land underneath it and around it. It shows exactly where your property lines fall, where any easements run through the lot, and whether anything on the property, a shed, a fence, a driveway, crosses onto land that technically belongs to someone else.
These are two completely different documents serving two completely different purposes, and I still see buyers assume one covers the other. It doesn’t.
When you can skip it and when you really shouldn’t
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If you’re buying a condo or a townhome in a platted development with no individual lot lines to speak of, a full survey usually isn’t necessary. Same goes for some newer subdivisions where the builder already recorded a clean plat survey and nothing on the lot has changed since.
Where I tell clients to get one without exception: rural or larger acreage parcels, anything with a fence, shed, pool, or outbuilding near a property line, older homes in established neighborhoods like parts of Aurora or Centennial where lot lines have shifted informally over decades, and anywhere the listing mentions an easement or shared driveway. Lenders on certain loan types will require one anyway, so it’s worth asking your lender early rather than finding out during underwriting.
What a survey catches that almost nothing else will
Encroachments are the big one, a structure or improvement that crosses a boundary line, like that fence in Castle Rock. Surveys also reveal easements you may not know exist, the right for a utility company or even a neighbor to access part of your land for a specific purpose. And they can catch setback violations, where a structure was built closer to a property line than current zoning allows, which can complicate a future addition or sale.
According to the American Land Title Association, boundary and encroachment issues are among the most common title claims filed after closing, and most of them are preventable with a survey done before closing instead of after.
What it costs and how long it takes around Denver
In the Denver metro area, a standard boundary survey typically runs somewhere between $400 and $900 depending on lot size and how recently the property was last surveyed. An improvement location certificate, a lighter-weight version some lenders accept, costs less but shows less detail and won’t catch everything a full survey will. Turnaround is usually one to three weeks, so if you’re under contract with a tight timeline, order it the day you go under contract, not the week before closing.
What to do if the survey turns up a problem
Don’t panic, and don’t assume the deal is dead. Most boundary issues get resolved with a simple written agreement between neighbors, a small adjustment to the fence or structure, or in rarer cases a title insurance endorsement that protects you going forward. Your closing team and a real estate attorney can usually sort this out within the contract timeline. It’s a negotiation point, not a deal breaker, in the vast majority of cases I’ve seen.
Quick answers
Does title insurance cover survey issues? Standard title insurance often excludes boundary and survey matters unless you purchase an extended policy or survey endorsement, so ask specifically about this coverage before closing.
Who pays for the survey, buyer or seller? In Colorado this is negotiable and varies by contract, but buyers typically order and pay for it as part of their due diligence.
Can I use an old survey from when the seller bought the house? Sometimes, if nothing has changed on the lot and your lender accepts it, but any new fence, shed, or addition since then means you’ll want a fresh one.
If you’re under contract right now and weighing whether to order one, I’m always happy to talk through your specific lot and lender requirements before you decide. For more on what to expect during your home purchase, take a look at my guides on title insurance in Colorado and what closing costs actually include. And if you’re just getting started, my first-time buyer guide walks through the whole process from offer to keys.
Prerna Kapoor | REALTOR® | Luxury Home Specialist
REAL Brokerage | 720-949-5450 | info@prernakapoor.com
CLHMS • RENE • PSA • ABR | International Sterling Society Award Winner
Prerna specializes in residential real estate across Parker, Aurora, Lone Tree, Castle Pines,
Highlands Ranch, Cherry Creek, Greenwood Village, and Centennial. She speaks English, Japanese,
and Hindi.
