ALTA surveys are a critical part of any commercial real estate transaction, but delays in fieldwork and drafting can quickly derail timelines. Preparing in advance can make the process much smoother and less stressful. Using CRE project oversight tools can help teams stay organized, communicate effectively, and avoid last-minute surprises. With planning, you can keep your survey moving on schedule from start to finish. These seven simple prep steps will help you do just that.
Step 1: Gather All Relevant Property Documents Early
Before fieldwork begins, having all the necessary property documents ready can save you a lot of time and stress. Collecting everything upfront gives your surveyor the full picture and reduces the risk of delays later.
Collect Deeds and Prior Surveys
Gather copies of deeds and any prior surveys for the property. These documents provide your surveyor with crucial historical context and help identify potential boundary issues before they appear in the field.
Secure Title Reports and Tax Maps
Make sure you have up-to-date title reports and tax maps. This information is crucial for confirming property ownership, easements, and any liens that could affect the survey timeline.
Organize Permits and Zoning Information
Include any permits, zoning certificates, or land use documents that relate to the property. Having these on hand prevents your surveyor from having to track down information from multiple sources, which can cause delays.
Step 2: Confirm Property Boundaries and Access
Making sure property boundaries and access points are clear before survey work begins can prevent unnecessary delays and confusion. Taking the time to verify these details upfront keeps fieldwork running smoothly and avoids surprises.
Verify Legal Boundaries
Check the property’s legal description and any recorded easements. Understanding exactly where the property lines fall helps your surveyor avoid mistakes and ensures the survey accurately reflects the site.
Inspect Access Points
Confirm all points of entry to the property, including gates, driveways, and secured areas. Surveyors need clear access to complete measurements, so coordinating with property managers or tenants in advance can help prevent rescheduling.
Identify Potential Obstacles
Look for areas that may be difficult to reach, such as steep slopes, dense landscaping, or construction zones. Noting these challenges in advance allows the survey team to plan efficiently and bring the right equipment.
Communicate with Stakeholders
Inform tenants, property managers, or any other necessary parties about the time of the survey. Proper communication is the key to everyone being ready, there being no wait times for access, and the on-site work continuing as planned.
Step 3: Schedule Fieldwork Strategically
Timing your fieldwork thoughtfully can make a big difference in keeping your ALTA survey on track. Planning ahead helps avoid delays caused by weather, limited access, or scheduling conflicts with other stakeholders.
Choose Optimal Weather Conditions
Schedule field visits during periods of good weather whenever possible. Clear skies and dry conditions make measurements easier, reduce safety risks, and allow surveyors to complete work efficiently.
Coordinate with Property Occupants
Check in with tenants, property managers, or site staff to avoid conflicts during busy times. Coordinating access ensures that surveyors can work without interruptions and prevents the need for rescheduling.
Plan Around Other Site Activities
Try to locate construction, maintenance that is going on, or an event that may slow down your fieldwork. If surveyors understand the site schedule in advance, they can plan routes, allow extra time if necessary, and keep the workflow going.
Allow Buffer Time for Unexpected Delays
Even with careful planning, unexpected obstacles can arise. Building a small buffer into the schedule helps keep the overall timeline on track without causing stress or rushed work.
Step 4: Communicate Clearly with Your Surveyor
Clear communication with your surveyor is one of the easiest ways to avoid delays and mistakes. Sharing expectations and important details upfront keeps everyone aligned and the project moving smoothly.
Set Clear Expectations
Be very clear about the information you want to obtain from the survey. This includes the scope, the deliverables, and the time frame. Once the surveyors know your priorities upfront, they will be able to organize their work more efficiently, and the chances of having to do a revision will be lower.
Share All Relevant Property Information
Provide any existing reports, maps, or notes that could affect the survey. Giving your surveyor context about the site prevents misunderstandings and allows them to address potential issues before fieldwork begins.
Establish Preferred Communication Channels
Choose the communication method by which the updates will be sent, for example, email, phone, or a project management platform. Regular correspondence is the main factor that guarantees that everything is going according to plan and that both parties are at the same level of awareness in the course of the day.
Address Questions and Concerns Promptly
Get your surveyor to communicate with you without delay, in case they come across any troubles or are unsure about something during their fieldwork. Fast solutions hinder the escalation of minor issues into major delays and are instrumental in keeping up with the project schedule.
Step 5: Pre-Identify Potential Survey Challenges
Anticipating possible obstacles before fieldwork begins can save time and prevent frustration. By identifying challenges early, your surveyor can plan efficiently and avoid unnecessary delays.
Assess Complex Topography
Look for slopes, hills, water features, or other terrain issues that could make measuring difficult. Alerting your surveyor to these areas allows them to bring the right tools and allocate enough time for accurate measurements.
Check for Site Improvements
Point out any buildings, fences, landscaping, or utility installations that may hinder access or measurement. By giving these details to the survey team beforehand, they can map out a safe route to carry out the work and ensure their safety.
Review Historical Site Issues
Consider past issues such as flooding, boundary disputes, or prior construction problems. Sharing this history helps the surveyor anticipate potential complications and avoid delays caused by unforeseen surprises.
Plan for Restricted Access Areas
If there are any locked gates, note them, as well as private areas or sensitive zones that may require special permission. Booking access beforehand is a way to ensure that surveyors can do their work without being interrupted or having to reschedule at the last minute.
Step 6: Streamline Internal Review and Approvals
You need a very clear, thorough internal review and approval process to keep your ALTA survey timeline on track. One of the main reasons for slow drafting and finalization is a very common occurrence of bottlenecks, which can be avoided if feedback is given quickly and approvals are done in an organized manner.
Define Review Responsibilities
Assign specific team members to review survey drafts and approve final versions. Knowing who is responsible avoids confusion and ensures decisions are made quickly without unnecessary back-and-forth.
Establish a Review Timeline
Assign a time frame for each step or part of the internal review, starting with the initial feedback, changes that may occur, and ending with the final approval. Well-defined timelines ensure that all team members are responsible for their tasks and facilitate the flow of the entire project schedule.
Prepare for Quick Revisions
Anticipate that some adjustments may be needed after review and communicate this to the surveyor promptly. Fast turnaround on revisions keeps the project moving smoothly and prevents unnecessary delays.
Step 7: Use Technology to Your Advantage
Leveraging technology such as commercial real estate management software can make the ALTA survey process faster, more organized, and less stressful. Digital tools help your team and surveyor stay connected and reduce delays caused by miscommunication or misplaced documents.
Share Documents Digitally
Employ cloud-based systems to hold and distribute property maps, old surveys, and supporting documents. That way, all team members can have the latest files at their fingertips without needing email attachments or printed versions.
Track Project Progress in Real Time
Project management software allows you to monitor survey milestones, fieldwork completion, and draft approvals. Real-time visibility helps catch potential delays early and keeps the timeline on track.
Facilitate Easy Collaboration
With the help of digital tools, your team and surveyor can track changes in the files, give their input, and raise queries, all from one place. This, in turn, reduces the number of email exchanges and ensures that the feedback received is in one place and can be acted upon.
Automate Notifications and Reminders
Put in place alerts and notifications for time limits that are coming up, approvals needed, or tasks that have been completed. When reminders are automated, everyone can stay updated and keep the schedule. Besides that, it will be impossible for small oversights to cause great delays.
Conclusion
By following these seven prep steps, you can keep your ALTA survey on schedule and avoid common delays. Using CRE project oversight tools makes it even easier to stay organized, communicate effectively, and track progress from start to finish. A little planning upfront goes a long way in keeping fieldwork and drafting smooth and stress-free.