Inexpensive way to get rough idea of property lines in an old neighborhood?

[crazymomof4]

I don't need this for any "official" action (Police or Court).

Today, the landlord who owns the property next to mine took it upon himself to cut down a rosebush and some spearmint plants that grew right next to my garage that borders his rental property. He said he was "tired of looking at the weeds". He doesn't live there and his tenants are recluse and NEVER use the yard. This was a spiteful tirade to be sure. (He and my dad had an on-going feud. My dad died in 2012 but this old guy just can't let go! I've never had words with him til now, but he knows I own the property now and who my dad was.) His rental property has several areas that are overgrown with weeds, some are now small trees, because he never touches them from one lawn mowing to the next. He's got weeds the size of my hand in the cracks of the sidewalk leading to the porch of the rental house. Ivy growing up the sides of his garage. Yet, literally the only vegetation he touched (besides the grass) was on MY property!

Anyway, I know our property extends at least 1-3ft beyond the side of the garage.

I KNOW the mint will come back (can't get rid of that). I hope that the hardy, old Cabbage Rose bush that my great-grandmom planted in the 1950's will grow back from the 2-3" nubs that are left of it after his tirade. So, I want to protect them from his further wrath by putting up a small garden border type fence and a sign warning not to trespass or "don't touch what's growing here, it's not on your property" or something like that. [eye roll] Of course, in doing this, I don't want to "claim" land that's not actually mine, so I'd like to get as close to the accurate property line as possible.

Has anyone used one of the apps that use GPS to get approximate property lines?
How well do they work?
Is there a way to get the property lines from the town tax assessors office?
This neighborhood dates back to the 1800s so there are not going to be any markers on the curb or in the street.
Any other tips or ideas?
I'd rather not spend the money for a surveyor since I'm not using the info for any official action.

BTW- the landlord *knows* this section, immediately next to my garage, is not his property. He won't dispute that. I just want to be as accurate as I can.

TIA

 

[nw6675]

Maybe a starting point, but some cities have local property tax assessor online sites that have plat maps that can give pretty good detail. I think some have birds eye view similar to Google maps that make it easier.

Just a thought.

 

[John VN]

Could you Zillow your house and see what shows up? and as mentioned ^^^ Google Maps

 

[HopperFan]

Yup, your tax assessor office will have the plat with exact measurements. I actually hold the plat for our entire neighborhood that I got from the county. You could also see if they offer any services for free or discount.

With the plat - like you say a good GPS program might help you DIY.

You could take a chance if you know someone with a metal detector to find the pins at the property line points. I know our pins are buried and cemented in so no one can move them without trouble. There might be markers if the property was ever surveyed.

Note most "maps" online are skewed as to where the lines actually are - do not trust them. Even on your gov records online. You need to get a hard copy.

Have you gone through all your Dad's important papers to see if there is a survey or document with maps in with them. When the land was transferred any document package?

 

[NotUrsula]

Plat maps are normally public record. Look at your property tax paperwork, and there should be a legal plat description of the property (lot number, area name, etc.). Make a record of that, then contact your local jurisdiction's property assessor's office and ask how you can access the area's plat maps; many are now online. The plat map should show the property lines in detail.

 

[crazymomof4]

Have you gone through all your Dad's important papers to see if there is a survey or document with maps in with them. When the land was transferred any document package?

Yes. I inherited the house and have the deed. I pulled it out of the firebox after the incident to check. It only states that the property line starts 300ft from the intersection and names the cross streets. Doesn't say *where* in the intersection to start measuring.

 

[crazymomof4]

Thank you everyone!
I will start pulling strings tomorrow to look for "plat map". I've never heard of this and would never have known what to look for or ask for !!

 

[HopperFan]

Thank you everyone!
I will start pulling strings tomorrow to look for "plat map". I've never heard of this and would never have known what to look for or ask for !!

Mine looks like a blueprint for land.

 

[tvguy]

Anyway, I know our property extends at least 1-3ft beyond the side of the garage.

This may be another place to start since many communities have minimum setbacks from any structure and the property line. 1 to 3 feet seems a little short, but I have no idea what the local codes are where you live. Here no structure can be within 8 feet of the property line to the sides.

 

[jaybirdsmommy]

Have you checked to see if there are markers on the corners? Our older houses had them, usually small metal posts. If they aren't immediately visible you may have to dig a little or borrow a metal detector.

 

[LuvOrlando]

You are there all the time so you have the home court advantage on annoying him, he started it so I'd make him finish it too. SInce he went so far to destroy your property it tells me he is likely arrogant, easy to mess with and probably would go to all sorts of lengths to prove he is right, including paying for a survey.

I'd keep putting a bunch of cheap dollar store decorations on the property line until he got annoyed enough to pay to have a survey done to prove he is right so then you'll both know where it is. I'd bet he'll pay for it just to have the satisfaction of telling you not to put stuff on his property. When you eventually see the survey person out there bring the person an iced tea and ask where the line sits.

 

[TheIncredibles!]

You can get anything you need from town hall but you can also get approximates online. If you know somebody with a metal detector there's a good chance your corners and property pivot points are marked with metal pins. We know from our survey we have 10 metal pins and metal posts to mark off our property with one concrete "monument".

 

[fla4fun]

I don’t have any advice as far as the property lines, but I wanted to say I am sorry you are having to deal with a neighbor like that. I am fortunate that I have good neighbors, and it’s something I never take for granted. I hope that he doesn’t continue vandalizing your property in hopes of getting a rise out of you. Best of luck with your quest for information and peace.

 

[lynxstch]

Have you checked to see if there are markers on the corners? Our older houses had them, usually small metal posts. If they aren't immediately visible you may have to dig a little or borrow a metal detector.

That will only work if you don't have a moron neighbor who moves them to suit himself. Ours did it with the front and back markers on his side of our house. I still have the original ones on the other side. I had to have them all remarked, ( I had pictures this time) and he moved them again. Now we have to have it officially surveyed and have the county put new markers and warn him against moving them again.

 

[crazymomof4]

This may be another place to start since many communities have minimum setbacks from any structure and the property line. 1 to 3 feet seems a little short, but I have no idea what the local codes are where you live. Here no structure can be within 8 feet of the property line to the sides.

I agree. Yesterday, the "crazy landlord" said my father built the garage too close to the property line. Well, the house was built in 1880. The garage probably not significantly later as it cannot even be used as a garage for automobiles. The opening is large enough for a carriage or maybe a Model-T. LOL My Dad would have to have had record setting lifespan to build that AND live to 2012!!!
That being said, I'm sure regulations have been updated over the decades and this garage would not be permitted to be erected where it stands today. Likewise, the full bathroom in our house, that is directly off of the kitchen, is not to modern code.

 

[TheIncredibles!]

That will only work if you don't have a moron neighbor who moves them to suit himself. Ours did it with the front and back markers on his side of our house. I still have the original ones on the other side. I had to have them all remarked, ( I had pictures this time) and he moved them again. Now we have to have it officially surveyed and have the county put new markers and warn him against moving them again.

When we first moved into our home after it was built the neighbor made a beeline for us to tell us that we needed to know that they placed the property line 2 feet into his property where he had a fence already. "Oh you mean you have a fence 2 feet over the property line on our side?" "Well yeah, I guess if you want to put it that way".

He lives on a small lot to the side of our 4+ acres of fully wooded property. We have zero obligations to trim or maintain the property line etc. HOWEVER - He comes down every time something falls on "his fence" to see what we want to do about it. Every time we tell him whatever falls on OUR fence will stay there but he can cut off any limbs etc that fall onto his side of the property line. "Oh ok if that is how you want to handle it"

My husband won't answer the phone or the door if he sees it's him because he think's he cant possibly be expected to control his words after 21 years of living next to each other.

 

[crazymomof4]

You are there all the time so you have the home court advantage on annoying him, he started it so I'd make him finish it too. SInce he went so far to destroy your property it tells me he is likely arrogant, easy to mess with and probably would go to all sorts of lengths to prove he is right, including paying for a survey.

I'd keep putting a bunch of cheap dollar store decorations on the property line until he got annoyed enough to pay to have a survey done to prove he is right so then you'll both know where it is. I'd bet he'll pay for it just to have the satisfaction of telling you not to put stuff on his property. When you eventually see the survey person out there bring the person an iced tea and ask where the line sits.

View attachment 785485

LOL Love it!
Arrogant is a good description. Not long ago I heard raised voices from out front and saw his vehicle mostly blocking my driveway. He had jammed his car into a too small vacant parking availability. The raised voices were because he rammed into and dented the bumper of my neighbor who lives across the street, and had the "nerve" to park (public curb parking) in front of his rental property when he came to cut the grass! I went out when the landlord went to start mowing. The neighbors, who's car was dented, were shaken. They said, "He's crazy! Who does this?" So you can see the type of person we're dealing with.

 

[crazymomof4]

I don’t have any advice as far as the property lines, but I wanted to say I am sorry you are having to deal with a neighbor like that. I am fortunate that I have good neighbors, and it’s something I never take for granted. I hope that he doesn’t continue vandalizing your property in hopes of getting a rise out of you. Best of luck with your quest for information and peace.

Thank You! Our neighbors are great. He is just the landlord of the property next door, who lives out of town and swoops in on his broomstick every so often. (having scenes from Wizard of Oz in my head now). My family's roots go back to 1948 here. It's a nice old town. I'm not the only one on this block that he's upset.

 

[crazymomof4]

When we first moved into our home after it was built the neighbor made a beeline for us to tell us that we needed to know that they placed the property line 2 feet into his property where he had a fence already. "Oh you mean you have a fence 2 feet over the property line on our side?" "Well yeah, I guess if you want to put it that way".

He lives on a small lot to the side of our 4+ acres of fully wooded property. We have zero obligations to trim or maintain the property line etc. HOWEVER - He comes down every time something falls on "his fence" to see what we want to do about it. Every time we tell him whatever falls on OUR fence will stay there but he can cut off any limbs etc that fall onto his side of the property line. "Oh ok if that is how you want to handle it"

My husband won't answer the phone or the door if he sees it's him because he think's he cant possibly be expected to control his words after 21 years of living next to each other.

Sounds like you have another pea out of the pod that this landlord emerged from. The human equivalent of that piece of popcorn that gets wedged between your back teeth! LOL

"the neighbor made a beeline for us to tell us that we needed to know that they placed the property line 2 feet into his property where he had a fence already." Well, that's an *interesting* way to welcome new neighbors! I usually go with a jar of homemade jam and some banana bread, but to each his own .......

 

[tvguy]

I agree. Yesterday, the "crazy landlord" said my father built the garage too close to the property line. Well, the house was built in 1880. The garage probably not significantly later as it cannot even be used as a garage for automobiles. The opening is large enough for a carriage or maybe a Model-T. LOL My Dad would have to have had record setting lifespan to build that AND live to 2012!!!
That being said, I'm sure regulations have been updated over the decades and this garage would not be permitted to be erected where it stands today. Likewise, the full bathroom in our house, that is directly off of the kitchen, is not to modern code.

Interesting. Knowing NOTHING about the property I would expect something similar to a garage to have been added much more recently. Must have been a well to do neighborhood I guess if they had what probably would have been called a carriage house in the 1800's. Here, garages were rare until after World War II.