A survey discloses exactly what portion of property is being purchased and everything on that property.
Though purchasing a survey is optional, every buyer is advised to obtain a survey before a real estate transaction closes. If a buyer obtains a survey of the property and owner’s title insurance on that property, the title company will insure you for any surveying issues that may arise. Without a survey the owner’s title insurance policy will exclude coverage for anything that a survey would have disclosed.
Many real estate transactions have some type of problem. These problems can be minor (a fence is over the property line) or more serious (a driveway, pool, or deck is over a property line, the deed outlining the parcel of property is incorrect, the house is in a flood zone, etc.). Some problems are irreparable. If a driveway is completely off the property, for example, the buyer has no ingress or egress to the home.