 At closing, many people assume they are buying property and improvements shown to them by a realtor or developer. Unfortunately, what they see is not always what they get. It may come as a shock to learn that they actually bought property described in a document called a deed. The deed is evidence of legal ownership of property. In other words, proof of purchase. Although the deed describes a property in detail, it can be difficult to understand. Land surveys specialize in the location and visual depiction of real property as described in the deed. Obtaining a survey will clearly define the property and reveal potential concerns.