Real Property Report: what it is and when your lawyer asks for one

A Real Property Report is a legal document prepared by a land surveyor that shows the buildings and other improvements on a property in relation to its boundaries. It answers a simple question that matters a lot at closing: is everything where it should be?

The name varies by province. Alberta and Saskatchewan use Real Property Report, Ontario has the Surveyor's Real Property Report, and other provinces speak of a building location certificate or surveyor's certificate. Ask your lawyer which document is expected where you live.

What it shows

• the property lines and their dimensions, based on the registered plans;
• the house, garage, deck, shed, fences and other visible improvements, with their distances to the lines;
• registered easements and rights of way that affect the property;
• possible encroachments, for example a fence or a shed over the line, in either direction.

Why it is requested

• Selling a home. In some provinces, standard purchase contracts ask the seller to provide a current report showing the property as it is today.
• Getting a mortgage. Lenders and their lawyers want to know that the buildings comply and that nothing encroaches.
• Municipal compliance. In Alberta, many municipalities review the report against zoning rules and issue a compliance certificate or stamp.

Is an old report enough?

A report shows the property on the day of the survey. If you have since added a deck, a garage, a fence or an extension, the report is out of date and a new one, or an update, will be needed. A surveyor can tell you quickly whether your existing report can be updated.

Order it early

Surveyors are busy during the spring and summer real estate season. If you plan to sell, order the report before you list: you will have time to fix an encroachment or a compliance issue instead of discovering it a week before closing.

Describe your property in the form: commissioned land surveyors in your province get back to you with a written quote.