Do I Really Need a Brand-New Survey When I Buy a Resale Home in Stonebridge Ranch or Craig Ranch, or Can I Just Use the Seller's Old One?

Do I really need a brand-new survey when I buy a resale home in Stonebridge Ranch or Craig Ranch, or can I just use the seller's old one? In many McKinney resale deals, the seller's existing survey plus a signed T-47 affidavit is enough to satisfy your title company and lender, saving you a few hundred dollars.

But 'often enough' isn't the same as 'always enough,' and knowing the difference before you're staring down a contract deadline can save you money, time, and a headache with your lender. Surveys matter more than most buyers realize. They confirm where your property lines actually sit, whether that fence your neighbor built ten years ago is really on your lot, and whether any structure - a shed, a pool, an extended patio - encroaches on an easement or a neighboring property. In established Collin County neighborhoods like Stonebridge Ranch and Craig Ranch, lot lines and easements are usually well-documented, which is exactly why an old survey often holds up fine. Still, title companies and lenders have their own rules about how old a survey can be and what has to be true about the property since it was drawn. If anything has changed - a new fence, a pool addition, a room addition, or even a boundary dispute with a neighbor - that old survey may no longer reflect reality, and that's when problems surface at closing. This post walks through when you can safely rely on the seller's existing survey, when a new one is worth the cost, and how the T-47 affidavit fits into the decision. By the end, you'll know exactly what questions to ask before you agree to skip a new survey - or before you agree to pay for one you didn't need.

What a Survey Actually Does for You

A survey is a legal drawing of your property's boundaries, improvements, easements, and any encroachments. It's different from a title search, which looks at ownership history and liens. Your lender wants a survey (or an acceptable substitute) to confirm the home you're financing sits where everyone says it does, and your title company wants one to decide whether it can remove the 'survey exception' from your title policy.

When the Seller's Old Survey Is Usually Fine

In neighborhoods like Stonebridge Ranch or Craig Ranch, many homes haven't changed shape since they were built. If that's the case, the existing survey plus a T-47 affidavit - a sworn statement from the seller confirming nothing has changed since the survey was made - is often all your title company needs to issue a new title policy without requiring a fresh survey.

• The property hasn't had any additions, pools, sheds, or fence line changes since the survey date.
• There are no known boundary disputes with neighbors.
• The existing survey is reasonably recent and matches the current legal description.
• Your title company and lender both confirm in writing that they'll accept it.

The T-47 Affidavit, Explained Simply

The T-47 is a short form the seller signs, swearing that the existing survey is still accurate and that nothing on the property has changed. Title companies rely on this affidavit to extend coverage based on the old survey rather than requiring a new one. It's a low-cost tool, but it only works if the seller is being truthful and thorough - which is exactly why it's worth having someone review it closely rather than just accepting it as boilerplate paperwork.

When You Should Push for a New Survey

A new survey earns its cost in a handful of common situations around McKinney and greater Collin County:

• Additions or pools built after the last survey. If the seller added a pool, patio cover, or room extension, the old drawing won't show it - and your lender may require an updated one anyway.
• Fence lines that look 'off.' If a fence appears to cross where the survey says the line should be, that's worth confirming before you own the disagreement.
• No survey exists, or it's decades old. Older surveys sometimes use outdated methods or don't reflect current easements recorded by the city or HOA.
• Your lender simply requires it. Some loan programs are stricter than others about accepting an old survey plus a T-47, regardless of how clean the property looks.

Why This Matters More in Established Communities

Stonebridge Ranch and Craig Ranch are both well-established, amenity-rich communities in McKinney, and that maturity cuts both ways. On one hand, most lots have been surveyed multiple times over the years, so a good paper trail often exists. On the other hand, mature neighborhoods also mean more homeowners have added pools, outdoor kitchens, casitas, and expanded patios since the original survey - any of which can make an old drawing outdated. If you're buying a resale home with a similar situation, like the one covered in our post on solar lease complications in a Craig Ranch resale, it's a good reminder that resale homes often carry small paperwork surprises that are easy to miss without a close review.

Who Typically Pays for the Survey?

In Texas, it's negotiable, and local custom varies by transaction. Sometimes the seller provides the existing survey and T-47 at no cost, and the buyer only pays if they want a new one. Other times a new survey becomes a negotiated repair-style item once an issue is found. Either way, this is a detail worth settling early in your contract rather than discovering at the closing table.

A Simple Way to Decide

Before you commit either way, it helps to have someone experienced look at what the seller already has on file. A quick review of the existing survey and T-47 affidavit can usually tell you within a day or two whether you're in good shape or whether a new survey is worth requesting - and that clarity is worth far more than the survey fee itself.

FAQ

How old can a survey be and still be accepted in Texas?

There's no single statewide rule - it depends on your specific lender and title company. Many will accept a survey that's several years old as long as a current T-47 affidavit confirms nothing has changed, but some lenders set their own age limits.

Does a new survey protect me from neighbor boundary disputes?

A current survey won't prevent a dispute, but it gives you documented proof of where the boundary lines are, which is valuable if a disagreement over a fence, driveway, or tree line ever comes up later.

Can I order my own survey instead of relying on the seller's?

Yes. You can request and pay for an independent survey at any point during your option period, which is a reasonable step if the existing survey is old, missing, or doesn't match what you see on the lot.

Before you decide who pays for a new survey, ask us to review the seller's existing survey and T-47 affidavit first. Jane Clark with Keller Williams McKinney helps buyers and sellers across McKinney and Collin County - including Stonebridge Ranch and Craig Ranch - sort out exactly this kind of detail before it becomes a closing-day surprise.