Due Diligence Survey for a Site With Shared Parking

Posted on September 17, 2026 by Arlington Surveyor

Shared parking looks simple on paper. A property has spaces. Tenants and visitors use them. Everyone gets along fine. But the truth is often more complicated. This is especially true when the parking crosses onto a property next door, or depends on an agreement nobody can find.

A due diligence survey shows what’s really going on with shared parking before you buy a property. busy areas and older commercial buildings often share parking. This step protects buyers from costly surprises after closing.

Mapping How Shared Parking Crosses Property Boundaries

Shared parking rarely stays inside one property line. Spaces used by tenants or customers often sit on more than one lot. The exact line between them isn’t always easy to see just by walking around.

A due diligence survey finds the real property lines. It shows exactly where the shared parking area sits compared to each lot. This confirms how much of the parking sits on the property you’re buying, and how much sits on the one next door.

In busy areas, like Clarendon or Ballston, older properties sometimes share parking with buildings next door that were built decades apart. A survey makes clear which parts of the lot belong to which owner. That matters before you assume anything about what you’re buying.

Comparing Parking Layouts With Recorded Property Documents

A parking lot’s real layout doesn’t always match what’s written down in county records. A due diligence survey compares the real, on-the-ground shape of the parking area with the legal papers, easements and agreements tied to the property.

This step often finds mismatches such as:

A parking easement that describes a different area than what’s used today
Painted parking spaces that stretch past the area described in the agreement
A shared parking agreement that talks about a building or layout that no longer exists

If the survey finds a mismatch, this doesn’t always mean the agreement is invalid. But it does mean you need clear answers before closing. Ask your title company or attorney how a problem like this should be fixed. The answer can change based on the specific papers involved.

Documenting Connections Between Parking and Building Access

Shared parking often connects directly to how tenants, customers or residents reach a building. A due diligence survey writes down these connections. This includes driveways, walkways and any paths that cross between the parking area and the building.

This matters because access paths aren’t always covered by the same easement as the parking itself. A tenant might have the right to park in a shared lot but not have a clear right to walk across a certain path to reach the building door.

A survey usually finds:

Driveway and walkway spots compared to property lines
Whether access paths match what’s written in the recorded easements
Any barriers, like curbs or plants, that affect how people move between parking and the building

Gaps here can cause real problems for tenants or future buyers if they aren’t found early.

Evaluating Shared Parking Before Changing the Property Use

Changing how a property is used, like adding tenants, changing a space or adding more units, often changes how much parking is needed. A due diligence survey gives you the starting facts you need to check if shared parking can handle a new use.

This matters a lot in Arlington, where zoning often ties parking rules to specific uses and tenant types. A survey alone doesn’t decide if a planned use meets zoning rules. But it does confirm the real parking count and layout you’re working with before you talk to the county about a change.

If your plans depend on adding more units or tenants, check parking rules with Arlington County’s zoning office early. These rules can change based on property type, location and the exact use being planned.

Using Survey Findings During Acquisition Due Diligence

A due diligence survey becomes one of the key papers buyers, lenders and attorneys review before closing on a property with shared parking. It gives everyone clear, correct facts instead of guesses or old records.

Lenders may require this kind of survey because shared parking carries more risk than a lot that stands alone. Title companies also use survey findings to spot problems that could affect title insurance, especially when an easement doesn’t match the real layout.

If your closing date is coming up fast, order the survey as early as you can. Parking-related boundary or easement problems sometimes take time to fix. Finding them late in the process can delay your closing date.