Property Line Dispute

[Droopy]

We moved into our newly constructed home jun 02, Charles county Maryland. The builder clearly outlined our property boundries during the walk through. Post and markers were indentified. The landscapers even followed the lines indicated with sod and seed. Well a week ago we got new neighbors from a resale of the house next to us. They have large dogs and wanted to put up a fence. According to the surveyor they hired my driveway and a large portion of land along the side of my property is on their land. The neighbors without even consulting with us have placed markers right in the middle of our driveway and along side our property. Just short of angering us to the point of violence. What are the steps we need to take to get this resolved? Desparate in MD

[aaron]

You should consult a local real estate lawyer, and consider having the lawyer send your neighbor a notice that they are not at liberty to ignore what you believe to be the property line. You can discuss how to get a clear resolution of the boundary line (probably by hiring your own appraiser and, if your appraiser differs in opinion, how to resolve the dispute between appraisers) and if you are encroaching on your neighbor's property whether you have any claim to the land under doctrines such as adverse possession or acquiescence. You can also discuss whether there is any potential claim against the builder for any inaccurate information provided.