A certified plot plan is a stamped drawing created by a state registered land surveyor. It shows a piece of land to scale, including its boundary lines, square footage and any structures on the land. Structures may include houses, sheds, decks, pools, garages, driveways, parking spaces, fences and so on. In Boston, a certified plot…
We recently performed a certified plot plan in Arlington. Many Massachusetts cities and towns require certified plot plans, and for a variety of reasons. In this case, our client needed a building permit for a proposed addition. In Arlington, this requires a certified plot plan. But what is a certified plot plan? A certified plot…
If you’re a homeowner, you will likely need to have your property surveyed at least once in your lifetime. In Massachusetts, land surveys can be required for a variety of reasons. You might need a survey if you’re purchasing, selling or subdividing land, mortgaging property, building or adding onto a house, installing a septic system,…
We recently performed a land survey in Salem, MA. This was for an Elevation Certificate in Salem for a waterfront property directly on the harbor. The homeowner had been told that he was in a flood zone. Unfortunately, he would have to purchase flood insurance as a result. Once we completed the property survey in…
We recently conducted a property survey in Shrewsbury, MA. This was an elevation survey for a homeowner who had been paying flood insurance for years. We performed the elevation survey and found that the home was not in a flood zone. The homeowner was understandably very happy. He can submit the elevation certificate to his…
Home buyers consider many factors when looking at properties. These include location, size, curb appeal, school system, property taxes and more. But what about flood insurance? We recently completed an elevation certificate in Lowell for homeowners who were unable to sell their home. The cost of flood insurance required for their property had turned away…
A Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) is an area designated by FEMA on a National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) map. This area has a 1-percent or greater chance of flooding in any given year. SFHAs may also be referred to as the 1-percent-annual-chance floodplain, base floodplain, or the 100-year floodplain. Properties located within an SFHA…
Are you paying for flood insurance because your property is in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA)? Are you concerned that this designation is incorrect? If so, you can request a change to your flood zone designation with an elevation certificate. To do this, you need to submit an application for a formal determination of…
Has your lender determined that your property is in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) as shown on a Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM)? Do you disagree? Well, you do have some options. In these cases, property owners can request either a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) or Letter of Map Revision Based on Fill…
At Massachusetts Survey Consultants, we’ve been very busy with elevation certificate requests, from elevation certificates in Malden, Winthrop and Revere, and elevation certificates in Essex and Beverly, to elevation certificates in Quincy and Hull, and elevation certificates in Framingham, Lexington, Chelmsford and beyond. With frequent updates to FEMA flood zone maps, elevation certificates are always…