How do I find original land plans and survey...?

Question

for a property?

Can I find it online?
Or how do I obtain it offline?
The property is in miami dade, Florida.

I already looked on miamidade.gov and have located the land and square feet, etc.
but need survey and plans.
thanks!

Answer 1

Original plats (plans) were made by the Federal Government at some time in the past, perhaps 200 years ago. I doubt that this is what you want. The original plats divided large areas, perhaps a whole state, into Townships, Ranges and Sections. In an urban area like Dade County, Florida, these large dimension survey and plats won't do you much good on a small tract such as a lot or a block. Developers, who wish to purchase acreage and sell lots for houses and businesses, are required by law to file a Subdivision Plat. These are normally filed in the county courthouse in the office of the recorder of deeds. If you inquire at the Office of the Recorder of Deeds in Dade County in Miami, someone will help you find the subdivision plat for the lot in which you are interested.
A caution however, there are many things not shown on the recorded plat, i.e. location of buildings, drains, encroachments, easements. To get this information you will probably have to employ a qualified and licensed Surveyor who will inspect and measure the property and the legal records, and produce for you an accurate drawing of all of this. Unfortunately, there is some considerable expense for this service.
Chief

Answer 2

You're going to want to go and look at the plat maps. This is not a substitute for a survey but will show you the land plans. In Charlotte County, Fl, it's available on-line through the clerk of the court's office. Try that for Dade county.

Good Luck,

Jim Reske, Realtor
Port Charlotte, FL
http://www.flwaterhomes.com

Answer 3

Go the the local deeds office, they are recorded there if they exist. The tax assessor office only cares about collecting the taxes and doesn't typically store that info, it would be a duplication of services not needed.

If your property is a plated subdivision there will be a recorded plat there. As for house "plans" you will have to determine the builder; if a national company contact them, if not and it is an old home it may have been drawn on notebook paper using known building techniques at the time of construction and no formal plans in existence.

I've demolished a few of those. In the last one I found the "builder's" name on a small board with the build date, and the name of the owner for whom it was built between the walls. You may also look in the attic area as sometimes strange things are stored there. We have had incidences of Confederate uniforms being found in nooks of attics, civil war relics, old family Bibles, letters, old underwear- you name it. I've known of instances of money being found in fireplaces behind bricks. We found old toys in my wife's grandparents home when we were cleaning it out to sell it.

Anyway it does not hurt to look in unusual places if you really need the plans. You can also go to a local university and see if there is a drafting student that for a nominal fee will re-draw the home for you. Be sure to get it in writing that the plans are YOUR property not his nor his intelectual property.

***The original 13 colonies plus Kentucky (cut from Virginia) and Tennessee (cut from North Carolina) were laid out using metes and bounds. The remaining states were mapped by US Army Engineers. They used a length of chain and litterally measured the entire remaining US. That is what started the Indian wars in the mid-west and western states. Indians would kill the army corps troops performing their duties when they were caught in the Indian territories. The remaining states were laid out in grids and townships in a set measure of a grid, can't remember the exact terms used but it is very interesting reading and part of our US history.

Good luck.

Answer 4

you can obtain this from the property tax office in the county seat.I don't know if they have it online but I would doubt it.