Why do I need a survey? When purchasing a home people sometimes make the decision not to get a survey because of the added expense. Big mistake. You are not only buying a house, you are buying the land it sits on as well. There could be easements, encroachments that you may not notice, the fence you thought was part of the property might very well be the neighbors. To protect yourself from any unforeseen problems, always opt to get a survey when purchasing any house or land. This survey will be necessary for obtaining construction permits as well as giving you piece of mind.