Six Ways to Keep a Property Dispute in Guadalupe County, TX out of Court

Few homeowners are lucky enough to live next door to people who make the world’s perfect neighbors. So, if you are one of the lucky ones, you must do everything you can to maintain that good relationship! Unfortunately for others, their situation is not ideal—and it’s common for property line disputes to be the reason for bad blood.

If you do find yourself in a neighbor war over boundary lines, try your best to peacefully resolve the issue. Otherwise, if one or both parties resort to assistance from the law, your living situation will undoubtedly become tense—at least, unless or until one of you decides to move. With this in mind, here are some ways to keep a property dispute in Guadalupe County, TX out of court:

• Know where your property lines are: Property lines are drawn up on a map for every single property in a county; they distinguish different parcels of land, from yards to fields to farmland to ownership of natural features. You want to know where your property starts and ends to keep from accidentally building on your neighbor’s land—or someone else encroaching on yours.
• Consult a land surveyor: Don’t rely on a fence or old surveys to tell you where the property lines are located. Whether you have lived in your home for years or recently moved in, do yourself a favor and have a current land survey performed. This is especially important to help you avoid finding yourself in court over a land dispute.
• Be civil with your neighbor: If you know your neighbor has built over the property line, approach them with a friendly demeanor, as if they did it so accident—perhaps they did! Have official documentation in hand to show them where the true lines run.
• Write your neighbor a letter: In the event that your neighbor is unwilling to talk, and does nothing to remedy the situation, try writing them a letter discussing the property line issue. Include a copy of your plat map and property land survey to prove you are not making it up. The hope is that this will prompt them to come to a peaceful resolution.
• Suggest mediation: When all your attempts fail, keep moving forward. Invite your neighbor to meet you at a professional mediation session (or a few). This could cost a little money, or you might find out whether your community offers free or reduced cost mediation services that focus on neighbor conflict resolution.
• Be aware of your neighbor’s home improvement projects: While you’re trying to resolve a property line dispute, make sure that your neighbor does not make any home improvements that encroach onto your property. You may need to call law enforcement to report them trespassing to stop the project.

Nobody wants to be named in a neighbor property dispute in Guadalupe County, TX. It can lead to a community-wide issue, with neighbors coming to their own conclusions and taking sides. The best thing you can do to protect yourself from a land dispute is to hire a professional at Bettersworth & Associates, Inc. to locate your property lines, and then file the official documentation with the county. Get in touch with us today to learn more about the process.

Categorised in: Property Dispute