How is it possible that a property has never been surveyed before?

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So our property was split off in the 1970s from a larger parcel, when we purchased the property no survey was done (never again!). We recently had a survey done and it had been determined there were no previous surveys on record.

My question is this, is it possible a survey has never been done up until this point? If so how did they divide the property? Or have all properties had a survey at some point and maybe they just were not recorded?

How does this work?
 
Does your state require a survey to be filed with the court?

Virginia does not.

All that is required to be filed in Virginia is a "metes and bounds" property description.

But since you're in Indiana, a "public land" state, you probably have a range/section/township type of property description filed with the court.
 
Entirely possible no survey had ever been done. Larger lots can be described legally referencing items like section corners and lines. No actual field survey would be required in such cases. Platted land is another story...
 
A lot of properties here in New England have been in the same family for a hundred years or more. Never financed (bank would require survey). The records will only have a "metes and bounds" description. Some of them are pretty funny, like, "Beginning at a large oak tree at the Northeast corner of the premises, thence running Westerly 9 rods to the corner of McGregor's shed, thence running Southerly along the bank of Mill Brook 15 rods to a stump, thence running Northeasterly along land formerly belonging to Grey's widow, to the point of beginning."
 
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So what is the difference between a deed and a patent? A few around here actually have land patents from their great great great kin. Some Sovereign Citizen types 501'ed it so they "own" it with no tax.
 
So what is the difference between a deed and a patent? A few around here actually have land patents from their great great great kin. Some Sovereign Citizen types 501'ed it so they "own" it with no tax.
I thought Land Patent was an original land grant from the federal government. So the plot was a homestead or something originally and hasn't been divided since or something like that.
 
So our property was split off in the 1970s from a larger parcel, when we purchased the property no survey was done (never again!). We recently had a survey done and it had been determined there were no previous surveys on record.

My question is this, is it possible a survey has never been done up until this point? If so how did they divide the property? Or have all properties had a survey at some point and maybe they just were not recorded?

How does this work?
If you check the legal description for the property.

Meets and Bounds will be “Thence North 89 degrees, 39 minutes, 47 seconds West, a distance of 147.33 feet (the metes), along the southerly line of property now or formerly owned by John Smith (the bounds)."

Survey. "Plat 1, Lot A, Block C, etc."

Now if one wants to insure themselves from potential issues due to not having a survey the homeowner can obtain title insurance with an Alta 9 endorsement or equivalent. Normally the lender will get this to insure themselves. Homeowners almost never obtain their own title insurance.
 
Meets and bounds can apply anywhere. My office is an example, as was 3/4 of our farm in Western Washington. The other quarter of our farm was something like the south half of the southeast quarter or the southeast quarter, etc. In dividing the west into townships and section in accordance with the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, the curvature of the earth meant there were odd shaped lots. These were designated as Government Lot 1 or whatever.

Interestingly, my office sits about 8' over the property line onto the next property. Built in 1974, I am not moving it.
 
Metes and Bounds is alive and well here in Minnesota - and are we east or west of the Mississippi? :)

The usual reference lines are the Section lines and monuments that are publicly maintained.

Not common in any area with Cities. Very common outside of the Cities in the townships.

An example description from the Minnesota Society of Professional Surveyors:

"Beginning at the northeast corner of Section 31, Township 117, Range 22; thence, along the east line thereof, South 0 degrees 41 minutes 03 seconds East a distance of 200 feet; thence South 89 degrees 25 minutes 31 Seconds West, parallel to the north line of said Section, a distance of 200 feet; thence North 0 degrees 41 minutes 03 seconds West, parallel to the east line of said Section, a distance of 200 feet to the north line thereof; thence, along said north line, North 89 degrees 25 minutes 31 seconds East a distance of 200 feet to the point of beginning."

Part of my life involved updating 1/2 section maps for the county I worked for. Read and drew way more of these than I'd care to admit...
 
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I had my square 2 acre land surveyed twice. The first time I asked for permanent survey markers to be emplaced. 2 feet of rebar with a yellow plastic cap that said “property corner” or some such is what I got. Within a short time, the county came by with a flail mower and destroyed one by ripping it out.

the others just “disappeared”.

the second survey was for a refinance and they did not place markers. How annoying!

next time I will pour concrete.
 
Entirely possible no survey had ever been done. Larger lots can be described legally referencing items like section corners and lines. No actual field survey would be required in such cases. Platted land is another story...

Entirely possible they didn’t know what they were doing.

My folks lot has been the same since 1970, the town believes the lots are randomly sized but perfectly straight rectangles.

My folks lot when the guide posts were left was shaped like a parallelogram with more feet in the back yard than the front.

Each time it gets surveyed the post marks move a foot one way or another, never is the same.
And we know because we know where the backyard marks were because a transformer sits in the back corner inside our lot by 1’ and 4’ respectively and ancient fences mark the other corner
 
Not going to speculate on your situation Rmay.

The question from the OP was is it possible that a survey has never been done on a lot that had been split at some point. The direct answer is yes.

I can point to a bunch of lot splits I did the 1/2 section maps for that the surveyor never set foot out there... metes and bounds description only, and the corners aren't set unless someone pays for them to be set...

Again, plats are another story - in MN the surveyor is legally required to set property pins.
 
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