Buying commercial property involves serious financial risk. You look at a lot and assume you own everything inside the fences. The reality is usually more complicated. Underground utility lines cut across the lot. Neighbors might have a legal right to use your driveway. Zoning laws dictate exactly how close you can build to the street. A standard Land Survey maps the basic borders of a property. That works fine for putting up a residential fence. Commercial real estate requires a much deeper look. This is where an Alta survey comes in. What Makes an ALTA Survey Different ALTA stands for the American Land Title Association. They teamed up with the National Society of Professional Surveyors to create strict national drafting standards. When you order an Alta survey, you get a highly detailed map. It shows property lines, improvements, easements, and rights-of-way. It uncovers things you cannot see. Standard boundary surveys show where the land ends. An ALTA survey shows who else has a c...