I've seen folks get into a fist fight over a the placement of a fence post, but this is an entire different level of a property line dispute. https://bangordailynews.com/2020/07...rs-garage-in-half-amid-boundary-dispute/

When we moved into our current house several years ago, we had a survey done despite being in an established subdivision, because we knew we'd be putting a fence up. Turns out the property line was not where the previous owner and my neighbor thought it was (perfectly in between the 2 houses). Instead, it was about 2' from the corner of his house. Even worse (for him), the city has an easement between the 2 houses for an underground storm drain.........that easement actually goes about 5' into his house. Basically, whoever laid out that neighborhood and its lots 25-30 yrs ago really screwed up on his lot and the placement of his home in the lot.

He stayed pissed off at ME for a few years after all that, as if it were somehow MY fault.

The lesson here is to ALWAYS pay for a survey, subdivision or not.

Why was he pissed at you? He shoulda done his die diligence.
Did the city put in a storm drain once they figured out his house was on their easement?

Yes, ALWAYS get a survey.
My grandfather bought 10 acres from a life long friend on a handshake.
After buying it and having it surveyed, it was just a little over 3 acres.

When did Outback move to Maine?

He was pissed at me, presumably, because "ignorance is bliss" and if it wasn't for me, he would've gone on living happily unaware. He literally didn't speak to me for like 4 yrs. My understanding is the city put in the storm culvert before the houses were built. His house is in a curve on a pie-shaped lot that quite frankly isn't big enough for a house. On the side toward me, the front corner of his house is a couple ft from the property line, but the city easement is 30' wide - 20ft of the easement is on my side of the property line (well away from any structure), but 10' of the easement is on his side of the line. With his house only being a couple ft from the property line itself, the easement actually "cuts off" a significant portion of the corner of his home.

He said he was told by his realtor (a family member who was new to realty at the time) that he didn't need to do a survey since he was in a subdivision.

damnit, that sucks for your neighbor.

Had the same battle when building my shop. City said I was going to build my shop on top of the drain and rejected permits and I keep telling them nope, the driveway is over the drain. They fought me tooth and nail. Waited a few days, and called the city and said my yard now has a sink hole and I think a pipe or something collapsed. I took the tractor, dug down right after my driveway to revel the pipe. They came out and realized the survey was wrong. Asked for the name of the guys, went back to the permit office and called the guys on my cell, put them on speaker. Got my permit.

I didn't draw it on the diagram, but his backyard fence goes about 15' onto the back corner of my property (being the nice guy I am, I wrote him a no-cost easement for his fence for as long as he and I are the respective owners, so he wouldn't have to completely rebuild it) and his driveway goes a couple of ft onto his other neighbors property. Whoever laid out that lot really screwed the pooch.

I knew of a fellow that cut off the steps to his neighbors back porch because of similar circumstances.

That dude in Maine deserves an attaboy

Or a Warrant

He did exactly what needed to be done. I probably wouldn't have been so polite.

Good advice Gomer. Developments often only have a front setback from the property line and side and rear clearances are specified. In other words, your house can literally be built where it lies partially on your neighbors property as long as minimum clearance between the structures is maintained.

When we rebuilt our house, we had to have a survey even though we used the same footprint of the original house. A lot of cities require a survey before any building these days even in existing neighborhoods. Next to us for years was an empty lot where the house was torn down after the elderly lady that lived in it died. The family had the lot for sale for about 7 years before someone finally bought it right while we were starting construction. They built at the same time. Their builder didn't pay attention to the setback on the side by us. When the city noticed, they tried to say we were the ones to close to the line that they line was not were out survey said it was. The city had them get another survey and their surveyor had not shot the line correctly or had placed the markers wrong. The city made them stop after they were framed, tear out some of the house, get a variance and still, they were so close to the line, they were not allowed to brick the house because the brick would put them over the line.

They don't like me much. But, they are two 30 year old trust fund kids whose parents paid for their house.

Anytime someone has a property dispute, I am reminded of one in Choctaw county. 6 different surveyors has placed 6 survey pins for the same property corner. No idea how much money was spent but I don't think the issue was ever resolved.

The land I bought has a fence that is about 15 yds on my neighbors land. It's been there for prob 25+ plus years.

Bet the surveyor is thinking "Crap, I hope my math was correct".

Always handle boundary lines issue immediately upon discovery that there is a problem.

Do not slumber or ignore such problems.
Nip all such problems in the bud quickly, authoritatively and clearly.

People don’t think it be like it is but it do.

Shoulda called Beaul Hunkapillar and all of this could have been avoided