Why You Need an Improvement Location Certificate

Should home buyers require a survey of the property?

Maybe - Sometimes - Explore other options.

Here in Colorado, in subdivisions, buyers rarely ask for a survey of the property. (Acreage, of course, is a completely different scenario and USUALLY needs a survey to verify boundaries, easements, encroachments, etc.)

However, even smaller lots in the middle of subdivisions are not immune to "hidden problems" regarding the properties integrity. These kinds of problems, though rare, can include:

• encroachments
• easements
• unrecorded rights
• and other adverse conditions

Sometimes, in lieu of a survey, a faster, cheaper option is the "Improvement Location Certificate" or ILC. These can be used to find encroachments onto and off of the subject property and to identify boundary problems regarding fences, structures, driveways, etc. It should provide the buyer with a scaled drawing which would depict these problems and any easements that might cross the property.

We need to keep our clients informed about the differences between an ILC and a survey so they can understand when and why one might be required over the other.