Do I need a survey before I can sell my land?

A survey is not always a legal requirement to sell a piece of land. Plenty of FSBO sales close without a new survey being done. That said, not having one can slow a deal down partway through, particularly if the buyer's attorney or lender wants one completed before closing, or if boundary lines turn out to be unclear once someone starts looking closely.

A useful way to decide whether to get one done before listing is to think through your specific parcel:

• Are the boundaries ambiguous, with no visible markers or fencing matching the plat
• Has the parcel never been surveyed, or is the only plat on file decades old
• Is the parcel being subdivided from a larger tract, which generally requires a new survey regardless

If any of those apply, getting a survey done before listing can prevent a buyer's due diligence period from turning into a delay or a renegotiation later. If the parcel has clean, well-documented boundaries and a recent plat already exists, you may reasonably decide to let a buyer request one during their own due diligence instead of paying for it upfront.

Either way, it is worth being upfront with buyers about whether a survey exists and how recent it is, since this is one of the first things a serious buyer or their attorney will ask about.