Owning property has a lot of advantages. Homeowners can build equity, have stability and gain privacy. However, there are some issues with owning property, such as taxes, renovation costs and difficulties relocating.
A frequent issue when owning property is boundary disputes. Boundary disputes can happen when a homeowner’s and their neighbor’s property rights are infringed. Here are a few common causes of boundary disputes:
1. Property line disputes
A real estate property may be surveyed for a number of reasons, such as for construction projects, refinancing or sales. A survey will, typically, evaluate the extent of a property line. However, there may be disagreements as to where a property line starts. There can be tension between homeowners when a previously conceived location for a property line is not where they believed. Documentation may need to be uncovered to accurately define boundaries.
2. Access disputes
For some property owners, they may need to enter the property of the neighboring owner to access their own property, such as accessing a road through a neighbor’s driveway. Neighboring property owners may not agree with the use of their property. An access dispute issue can often be resolved by obtaining documentation and negotiating the use of the property.
3. Encroachment
Many property owners will expand onto their property, typically, with fences, driveways, sheds or building expansions. However, if the property line is not clear, then the property owner may build on the neighboring owner’s property. This is, essentially, a property line dispute, but it may also deal with the negotiation of land use. In some cases, a project may be removed from the neighboring owner’s property. In other cases, a property owner may be given an easement to use the property or be given the option to buy a portion of the land.
Negotiating and settling a boundary dispute can be expensive without the right legal knowledge. Homeowners can seek legal guidance to discuss a boundary dispute.
