Buying a lake home feels like a checklist of details. Financing lined up? Check. Budget for docks and lifts? Check. Septic systems inspection? Check. But here’s the question that almost no one asks at the right time: Did you get a property survey?

Skipping that one step isn’t just careless. On the lake, it can cost you tens of thousands of dollars and years of frustration.

The Overlooked Safeguard

I can’t tell you how many buyers I’ve seen do everything else right, only to skip this one piece. It seems small compared to the excitement of a new lakefront home. Yet a survey is the difference between knowing you own your shoreline and finding out later that the township or your neighbor actually does.

It’s tempting to rush the process, but this safeguard deserves your full attention. The lakefront market is different, and the risks are amplified if you don’t pin down where your property lines actually begin and end.

Why It Matters

Every parcel is unique, but lakefront properties are especially complicated. A survey uncovers things you would never find just by walking the lot.

• Easements: Neighbors may have rights you don’t know about, such as the right to cross your yard, use part of your shoreline, or access the water.
• Encroachments: That dock, seawall/retaining wall, or even a corner of a neighbor’s cottage might actually sit on your land.
• Boundaries: What looks like “your beach” might legally belong to the township, a homeowners’ association, or even the neighbor next door.

Without a survey, how would you know? Essentially, you’re buying blind without a competent property survey.

Hidden Risks

Skipping this step might feel harmless at the closing table, but the headaches show up later.

• Costly disputes: Imagine spending $20,000 on a new dock only to learn that part of it sits on your neighbor’s parcel.
• Limited use: Unknown easements can block your ability to remodel or expand.
• Resale problems: When it’s time to sell, future buyers — or their lenders — will likely insist on a survey. If an issue turns up, you’re left scrambling.

That shortcut at closing can easily become the most expensive mistake you ever make at the lake.

Why People Skip It

So why do buyers skip it? I hear the same answers again and again:

• False confidence: People assume the last owner knew where the lines were.
• Perceived savings: The thought that the cost isn’t worth the potential findings.
• Agent oversight: Not familiar with selling lake homes, or that it will slow the transaction.

The problem is that these reasons disappear the instant a boundary dispute arises, and almost always, expenses go up beyond what the survey would have cost.

A Local Professional’s Perspective

As hyper-local professionals in selling lake homes in Southwest Michigan, here’s what we tell every buyer: Make the survey non-negotiable and include it as a contingency of the agreement to buy.

Here’s what a property survey will provide you:

• Certainty about what you’re buying
• Protection against disputes and unrecorded encroachments
• Leverage in negotiations if issues are uncovered
• Confidence for resale when your future buyer asks the same questions

I’ve walked through more Michigan lakefront homes than most buyers will ever see in a lifetime. What looks “close enough” on paper rarely matches what’s on the ground. A professional survey cuts through all the confusion.

Local Reality

Lake properties here aren’t like suburban lots in Chicago or Indianapolis. There, parcels are usually clean, rectangular, and governed by tight legal structures. At the lake, you’re dealing with irregular lots, old cottages built under different codes, and neighbors who may not even realize they’ve built over the line.

In summer, I’ve seen buyers discover their neighbor’s seawall juts two feet onto their new property. In winter, frozen ground can hide property markers, leaving people shocked when the thaw reveals misplaced fences. That’s the Michigan lakefront reality, and a survey is your way to navigate it.

What Buyers Ask Us About Property Surveys

Do I really need a survey if the seller already has one?
Yes. Old surveys may be out of date, especially if docks, fences, or additions were built later. A current survey ensures accuracy.

How much does a survey cost?
Usually, a fraction of a percent of the purchase price. Compared to a dock, lift, or renovation, it’s a bargain for the protection it gives. Depending on the parcel and the complexity of the location, $500 to $2000 is a fair estimate.

Will a survey delay closing?
Sometimes it adds a week or two, but that small delay is nothing compared to years of conflict or costly legal disputes. If a survey is ordered on the date of agreement, it shouldn’t delay a closing. It’s also market activity dependent.

What happens if a problem shows up?
You gain leverage. You can renegotiate, request repairs, or walk away before you’re locked in.

Make the Smart Move

The biggest mistake lake buyers make isn’t overpaying or picking the wrong lender. It’s skipping the survey. For a relatively small cost, you buy certainty, protection, and peace of mind.

When boundaries blur on the shoreline, lifestyles are on the line. That’s why I make surveys non-negotiable for my clients. Start your conversation with us today. I’ll help you protect your purchase, your future, and your peace of mind.