Staking vs. Survey When Purchasing Property in Hawaii

When purchasing property in Hawaii, it is always recommended, and most times required by lenders, that a survey of the property be performed. The purchase contract has two options regarding the survey, a C-41 staking or a C-42 survey. As a real estate professional, I always recommend that the purchaser choose the C-42, and I’ll explain why.

The first option is a staking of the property. In a staking, a surveyor will visit the property and verify that the boundary corners are accurate. They will be clearly marked for the purchaser to see. No map will be provided.

In a C-42, the surveyor will not only verify boundary corners, but will also prepare a map of the property. Structures along the boundary will be located. If there are any encroachments, this will be visible on the map. By acknowledging the encroachments at this point, the ownership of the structures can be determined, and any issues addressed and handled before the closing.

The prices for a staking of an average residential lot usually start at about $400 with surveys starting around $550. Prices are determined by the size and condition of the property.

Typically, the seller will pay for the survey to be performed, but in this market with so many REO properties, it’s not unusual for the seller (the bank in most of these cases) to refuse to pay. Regardless of who’s paying, the peace of mind that the survey provides is worth the money.