You found the right house. Now make sure you are actually buying what you think you are buying. In Houston, a property survey can confirm boundaries, uncover easements, flag flood risks, and save you from last‑minute surprises at closing. If you know what to order, when to order it, and how to use the results, you can protect your investment and keep your timeline on track.
This guide breaks down survey types, costs, and timing in Houston, how surveys tie into Texas contracts and title insurance, the flood factors that matter here, and what to do if a survey reveals a problem. Let’s dive in.
What a property survey shows
A survey maps the property on the ground so you can see where the lot lines are and what sits near them. It typically includes your legal description, the surveyor’s certification, and measurements of boundaries and corners.
Most residential surveys also plot the home, fences, driveway, and any sheds or pools. You will see distances from structures to the property lines, which helps confirm setbacks and compliance with plat restrictions. Good surveys note recorded easements, rights‑of‑way, and any encroachments.
Look for clear labeling of any flood zone information. Many surveys show FEMA flood zone designations. If you need exact elevation data for insurance or lending, you will likely need a separate elevation certificate.
Survey types you may see
- Boundary survey. The standard for most Houston home purchases. It locates your lot lines and improvements.
- ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey. A higher‑detail standard often used when lenders or title insurers require more. It includes improvements, utilities, recorded easements, and other items set by national standards. You can review the standard at the ALTA website.
- Mortgage or lender survey. A lender‑specific version. Requirements vary by lender and investor guidelines.
- Elevation certificate. Not a boundary survey. It documents elevation data used to assess flood insurance needs and compliance in flood zones. You can confirm flood zones using the FEMA Flood Map Service Center.
Texas contracts and deadlines
Most Houston resale transactions use TREC promulgated contracts that include a survey paragraph. That paragraph outlines who provides a survey, whether the buyer will get a new survey, and the deadlines for raising written survey objections. You can review the standard forms on the Texas Real Estate Commission forms page.
In practice, many buyers aim to obtain and review the survey during the option or inspection period. This keeps your objection window open and gives time to fix issues before your lender and title company finalize the file. If you plan to rely on a seller’s existing survey, build that into the contract and confirm early that your lender and title company will accept it.
Title insurance and surveys
Title commitments often include exceptions for things like easements and matters that a survey would show. A current, acceptable survey helps your title company determine what is actually on the ground and may allow them to remove or narrow certain survey‑related exceptions. You can learn how surveys interact with title policies at the Texas Land Title Association.
If the survey reveals an encroachment or access issue, the title company may require a cure or a specific endorsement before issuing a policy without broad exceptions. Your lender may have similar requirements before funding.
Houston flood factors to consider
Flood risk is a fact of life in the Houston area. Floodplain boundaries affect insurance needs, lender requirements, and what you can build or repair. Many surveys show the FEMA flood zone label, but an elevation certificate is typically needed for a lender’s formal flood determination and for certain insurance ratings.
Check the map and ask early questions. You can review official FEMA maps through the FEMA Flood Map Service Center. For local drainage and mitigation information, visit the Harris County Flood Control District. The City of Houston also maintains floodplain and drainage requirements that may show up as recorded easements on a survey.
Costs and timing in Houston
Budget and timing depend on your lot size, vegetation, age of the subdivision, and how much research the surveyor must do. Here are typical ranges in the Houston area:
- Boundary survey: usually $300 to $1,200 for a typical single‑family lot.
- ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey: often $800 to $3,000+ depending on scope and complexity.
- Elevation certificate: often $300 to $1,000 depending on who prepares it and site conditions.
Turnaround times vary with workload, weather, and access:
- Boundary survey: typically 1 to 3 weeks.
- ALTA/NSPS survey: typically 2 to 6 weeks or longer due to added detail and title coordination.
Rush requests, heavy brush, hard‑to‑find corners, or extensive easements can extend both cost and time. Plan ahead to avoid delays.
Common issues surveys uncover
- Encroachments. Fences, driveways, sheds, roofs, patios, or pool features crossing a property line.
- Easements. Utility, drainage, or access easements that limit where you can build or expand.
- Setback or plat violations. Improvements placed too close to, or inside, required setbacks.
- Access defects. Lack of legal access from a public road or a neighbor’s encroachment that blocks access.
- Description conflicts. Differences between the deed’s legal description and what the surveyor finds on the ground.
- Flood and drainage. Portions of the lot in a flood zone or within a drainage easement that affect insurance or buildability.
How issues affect negotiations
If your survey shows a problem, you typically deliver a written objection within the deadlines set by your contract. From there, several paths are common:
- Seller cure. For a fence or small improvement encroachment, the seller may agree to remove or move it. They might also pursue a recorded release or adjustment, if feasible.
- Price or credit. If a cure is not practical, you can ask for a price reduction or credit at closing.
- Endorsements or exceptions. Title insurers sometimes offer survey‑related endorsements, sometimes with conditions or fees.
- Walk away. If your contract gives you that right within the objection window and the issue is a deal‑breaker, you may be able to terminate.
Lenders and title companies must be comfortable with the resolution. If they are not, you will likely need a cure or a change in terms before you can close.
Typical resolution timelines
- Minor removal or relocation. About 1 to 3 weeks, depending on the work and reinspection.
- Easement release or curative document. Several weeks to months due to third‑party approvals and recording.
- Boundary disputes or litigation. Months to years. These are rare in typical Houston resales and usually avoided.
When to order your survey
You have three main options. Each has tradeoffs.
- Pre‑offer. Ordering early reduces uncertainty and may strengthen your offer, but you pay upfront and risk spending money if you do not win the house.
- During the option period. The most common choice. You order after going under contract so your inspection and survey timelines run together. Make sure you can get results in time to object.
- Seller’s existing survey. If current and acceptable to your lender and title company, this can save money and time. If it is outdated or not certified to you and your lender, plan to order a new one.
If you are getting a mortgage, confirm early whether your lender requires a particular survey type or additional items like an elevation certificate.
Who orders and pays
This is negotiable and set in your contract. In many Houston deals, the buyer orders and pays for the survey, especially when the lender or title company requires a new one. If the seller has a recent survey, you can ask for it during negotiations and confirm if it meets your lender and title company’s standards.
How to read a survey like a pro
Focus on a few key items first. This keeps you from getting lost in lines and symbols.
- Verify the legal description matches the property you are buying and that the survey is signed and dated by a licensed surveyor.
- Look for dimensions, bearings, and marked corners. Confirm that fences or structures near lines belong inside the lot.
- Note all easements and rights‑of‑way. Check whether they cross your yard where you plan to add a pool, patio, or shed.
- Review distances from the home to each boundary line. Compare to setbacks on the recorded plat, if available.
- Scan for flood zone labels and any drainage easements.
If anything looks off, raise it quickly within your contract deadlines.
Your Houston survey checklist
Use this checklist to stay on track from contract to closing.
- Confirm the contract’s survey paragraph and any deadlines for objections. Review the standard language on the TREC forms page.
- Decide who is ordering and paying for the survey. Schedule it early in the option period.
- Ask if the seller has an existing survey. If so, verify if your lender and title company will accept it and whether it can be certified to you.
- Check the survey for legal description, surveyor signature and license number, date, boundaries, improvements, setbacks, easements, encroachments, and flood notations.
- If the home may be in a flood zone, confirm the map using the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and ask about an elevation certificate.
- Coordinate with your lender about required survey type or endorsements.
- If issues appear, decide quickly whether to ask for a cure, a credit, an endorsement, or to terminate if your contract allows.
Finding a qualified surveyor
Work with a licensed professional who knows Houston’s plats, easements, and floodplain rules. The Texas Society of Professional Surveyors offers guidance and tools to locate licensed surveyors. Your title company may also have recommendations based on the type of survey you need.
How The Realty Chick helps
You should not have to decode legal descriptions or chase paperwork under pressure. Our team coordinates timing with your option period, connects you with trusted surveyors, and keeps your lender and title company aligned on the survey type they will accept. We review the survey with you, flag items to discuss with the title company, and help craft clear, timely objections when needed.
If a survey issue appears, we guide your next steps so you can pursue the best outcome, whether that is a cure, a credit, or a contract decision within your rights. Our goal is a smooth closing and a clear understanding of what you are buying.
Ready to move with confidence? Reach out to Erica Stietenroth and the team at Erica Stietenroth - The Realty Chick to plan your next steps.
FAQs
Do I need a survey to buy a home in Houston?
- Not always required by law, but it is strongly recommended, and many lenders and title companies will require a recent or specific survey before closing.
Can I rely on the seller’s old survey?
- Possibly, if it is recent, acceptable to your lender and title company, and can be certified to you; otherwise you will likely need a new survey.
Will a survey delay closing if ordered late?
- It can, especially if issues arise or if your lender or title company needs more detail; order early during the option period to avoid delays.
What if the survey shows my fence over the line?
- That is an encroachment; options include removal or relocation, a recorded agreement or release, a price credit, or termination if your contract allows.
Do I need an elevation certificate in Houston?
- If the home is in a mapped flood zone or your lender requires it, you will likely need an elevation certificate in addition to the boundary survey.
Who usually pays for the survey in Houston?
- Payment is negotiable in the contract, but it is common for the buyer to order and pay, especially when a new survey is required.
