Property line issue...Is your fence on property line or did you bring it in a few inches?

First, I have a very small piece of property, 50 by100. I just found out my fence is very much further in from property line than I thought in my backyard. This was done years back with previous owners giving us a problem about where the fence should be so we brought it in, but I didn't realize until today that it is way more in from line than we thought. I allowed my neighbor to put their front fence to connect with my front fence, which makes part of their fence on our property, and now realize their front fence is WAY more on our property than we thought. We want to put a small fence in front yard and if we follow this line of the way the back fence is, we lose a lot more property than we thought, given my property line is further over than I thought. The only way to remedy this is by putting small front fence going down front yard starting in front of neighbor's front fence, which is really our property. If I don't do that, I will lose a lot of my front yard. Not sure what to do. I'm also concerned if we go to sell, as we talk often of not ending up here or selling. I guess I shouldn't have agreed to let them put their fence on my property but the way it was mentioned, it went right over my head. I just don't know what to do with the front fence I want to put in. We really want to put it in.

Message edited 9/13/2016 7:15:10 PM.

Property line issue...Is your fence on property line or did you bring it in a few inches?

Out of possession property is a big problem. Ask the lawyer who did your closing when you bought the house to help you with a boundary affidavit.

Property line issue...Is your fence on property line or did you bring it in a few inches?

Adverse possession may not be an issue, as the law no longer really exists. It's also only really an issue if, in addition to being grandfathered in, you had no access to the property. In a front yard this wouldn't be the case.

Re: Property line issue...Is your fence on property line or did you bring it in a few inches?

You need to check with your town what the rules are regarding fences. Where I live, we cannot have front fences and all other fences must be less than a certain height and cannot be on property line. Once you get the rules (in writing), then you will have a better idea of what to do.
If you plan on moving and this is an issue, you will be working with a real estate attorney already so he/she will help you figure it out.
Also, we had the property "staked out" by a land surveyor so that we were sure where the property lines were. TOTALLY worth the investment.

Message edited 9/14/2016 6:13:51 AM.

Re: Property line issue...Is your fence on property line or did you bring it in a few inches?

Property line issue...Is your fence on property line or did you bring it in a few inches?

After we bought our house 5 years ago, we realized that the fence was a foot short of the property line. We found out when we went to use the in ground sprinklers and one sprinkler head was in our neighbors yard. They were aware and told us if we ever got a new fence, we can get our property back! 5 years later, we finally got the new fence and our 1 foot of property back! I have no idea why they put up the old fence the way they did.