Sheeez..
Monday I prepared a pin survey for a rural property and delivered the survey (and invoice) to the client.
Yesterday a title company called and wanted "the" easements shown on the survey. Sure, send me copies and I'll show them. Got 2 additional easements added (I already had shown the access easement to the property on the print, it was mentioned in the deed I had been given).
Packed up the updated survey with a new invoice and sent it off. I charged 200 bucks to add the easements.
Just a bit ago my client calls and informs me that the title company told her I shouldn't have charged extra to add the easements; they should have been on the original survey...
The client was ok with everything after we talked. But I'm thinkin' somebody at the title company needs a ass whipin'. Man, I get mad when other folks think they know how much a survey is "supposed" to cost.
Rant off...Nitrostat at the ready.
The ironic part is that those additional easements that they requested are likely listed as "exceptions" in Schedule C, or B (I get confused anymore). So they were off the hook regardless. So why do they even care.
If this was a sale of a house, just have them deduct the $200 from the realtors commission. They were the ones who should have provided you with the title committment in the first place, in accordance with protecting their client. Don't matter if a buyer or seller agent, still want it done right. Lots of brownie points there, for certain.
Here locally, one of the first questions I ask is "is it going thru a title company?" To many times, after the fact, "oh, by the way, here is a title report" with a gazillon exceptions on Sched. B -makes a big cost difference...
It has been said that in one of Shakespear's plays there is a line about "When the revolution comes, the first thing we shall do is kill all the lawyers". I would submit that we leave most of the lawyers alone and just go after the Title Company guys and the Paralegals. B-)
> It has been said that in one of Shakespear's plays there is a line about "When the revolution comes, the first thing we shall do is kill all the lawyers". I would submit that we leave most of the lawyers alone and just go after the Title Company guys and the Paralegals. B-)
Pet Peeve Time:
The line from Henry VI, Part II, Act IV, Scene II is "The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers". The character speaking the lines, Dick the Butcher, a follower of English rebel Jack Cade. The context of the quote is that if the lawyers, who protect the stability, the rule of law and instill justice in society are eliminated, then chaos would ensue and it would be easier to violently overthrow the government. As used, it's a compliment; that if the lawyers are gone, society will break down.
I need to be careful what I post here - 12 years ago, I walked into a title company to deliver a survey- behind the desk was the most beautiful red-headed receptionist I have ever seen- told my friends that I was going to marry her- a year later, I did-still married - my personal Title company escrow officer and wife....;-) 
Every once and a while we will receive a call from a Title mill, err company. The first thing they blurt out is “I have a copy of your survey and I need it ‘updated’ ASAP.”
ASAP to them means no longer than 24 hours. If we have previously performed the survey, and if we can fit it in the required timeframe, we will offer to do the job.
We never get it.
The reason being, Title companies here in Florida have a preconceived notion that once a lot and house survey has been performed there is no reason to survey it again, thus the “update” supposition. In the Title company’s mind all one has to do is change the date and certifications on the existing survey, sign and seal it all for a minimal clerical fee, and voila! everybody’s happy.
“Update” surveys are not in my vocabulary so I just quote them a price as if it were a new survey (which it is, to me at least). The usual response is shock and dismay followed by “my surveyor will do it for HALF that!!!!” Then they hang up or say OK, bye. I can’t say I have ever heard of a title company giving a “discount” for a verbatim policy on the same parcel.
More of the stuff that make you go hmmmmmm…:pinch:
Y’all have a great week!
RAGOODWIN, that is a great story...~!!!! Now, do you still blame her when exceptions etc are missing from the title report? (Jist kidding!)
N
i'm sure you have been told this before fleming, but you are too smart for your own damn good.
actually Nate, I dont pursue her work..could be a conflict of interest, maybe, somehow, but I wont do the surveys at the cost some other companies are doing them for- thats for another post:-S
A boundary survey should be as good 100 years after it was done as the day it was completed. Site plans need to be checked. Because of that difference they should never be combined. Easements and other things can happen over the years, they should not effect a stable boundary, further subdivision of that tract would call for a new survey using the original as a reference and no independent resurvey of the parent tract should be needed.
As far as title companies, they are in the title business, not location and their interests are different than a boundary surveyor. That difference in interest is why a surveyor needs to do his own deed search, a title company can provide a heads up about easements, but the recorded easement documents and deed descriptions need to be copied from the Deed Records. Easy to do today, you don't need to spend hours in the vault hand copying the documents. Not a popular view with some, but without it bad assumptions are often the result.
First time I ran into it was while researching for a survey here in Hepper years ago. I was provided a description by the owners but I went to the vault anyway, what was recorded did not include an isolated tract that should have been described in the document. I went back to the owners and told them that what got recorded did not include one tract they bought and payed for. Took about 5 months to get it straighten out because one person who held and undivided interest in the land, wanted to resell that tract, siblings finally over came his demand and a new deed document was recorded. Often wondered when that would have been discovered had I not looked, when it could be corrected by those involved in the intended transaction. I always look in the public record and never trust any new deed description without verifying that something is missing or the original intent has bee compromised.
jud
>but I wont do the surveys at the cost some other companies are doing them for- S
Couldn't have said it better myself.
I see like most surveyors, you married UP.
Good for you.
Larry P
> I see like most surveyors, you married UP.
>
> Good for you.
>
> Larry P
out punted his coverage is the way we refer to it down here in SEC country
My compliments!
Stephen
Thanks Larry! my wife will appreciate your comment!
> Every once and a while we will receive a call from a Title mill, err company. The first thing they blurt out is “I have a copy of your survey and I need it ‘updated’ ASAP.”
>
Ask them if they're going to "update" the Title Commitment by changing the dates and listed parties. Then say, "That should only cost a $100 or so, right?"
A title report is just like an assessors map. Just a bit of help in focusing your research. If I don't identify all the errors and ommissions of others in doing the survey, it's my azz on the line.
A title abstract is not the same as a surveyor's abstract. Not one in a hundred title people know the difference. Sad that half the surveyors don't know the difference either and act as if the title report is all they need to whip out a sketch and call it a survey.
