Buying a home may help you build wealth while also helping to put down roots in your chosen Georgia community. However, there is a chance that you and your neighbor won’t agree as to where your property line ends and the neighbor’s property line begins. Fortunately, there are several steps that you can take to resolve the dispute in an amicable and timely fashion.
Talk to your neighbor
Perhaps the easiest way to resolve a residential real estate dispute is to have a conversation with your neighbor. A simple talk may make it possible to come to a lot line agreement without the need for a survey or other costly steps. If you are encroaching on another person’s property, you may be able to buy that extra land or come to an agreement to use it without assuming ownership of that space. You can also offer to sell land or come to an agreement to allow your neighbor to use any land that may actually be located on your lot.
Don’t ignore the issue
While you may not be too worried about losing a few inches of land to your neighbor, it could have consequences on your ability to sell the home in the future. It may also make it harder to obtain homeowner’s insurance or to obtain title insurance. Therefore, you may want to at least consult with your mortgage provider or other outside advisers even if you don’t speak directly to your neighbor.
If you are having issues with your neighbor, there are many tools that may be used to help you obtain a favorable outcome in the matter. These tools may include the deed to the property, a recent survey or statements from your neighbor or from members of local government.