A couple from North Dakota paid $17,500 for a property in Brooksville, Florida, with the listing describing it as their “dream home’s canvas.” However, they soon discovered that nearly half of their land is owned by Duke Energy due to a 1955 easement that prohibits building anything other than a fence.
Donna Hartl and her husband had been told they could build any type of residence on the property but were not informed about the easement. The issue came to light when they reached out to Duke Energy, which revealed the surveyor responsible for the property did not disclose this information.
Consumer Investigator Shannon Behnken found that the licensed surveyor, Clyde McNeal, had previously agreed to pay a $5,000 fine and complete continuing education after being involved in several cases of inaccurate surveys. The surveyor’s company, Nexgen Surveying, LLC, is also under investigation from state regulators.
Experts point out that buyers should get their own surveys to catch such issues before they become major problems. Hartl has filed complaints with the Florida Attorney General’s Office and several state regulators, while Nexgen representatives claim they rely on information provided by the client, the seller of the property.
Source: https://www.wfla.com/8-on-your-side/better-call-behnken/brooksville-couple-barred-from-building-home-on-new-property-questions-surveyor