by Rob Howard @knoxvillerob
Survey says!
When Trent Anders —my trusted surveyor—suggested that clients might have better luck finding their own property pins than waiting for his packed schedule, I figured it was worth a shot. This afternoon, armed with the Regrid app, a basic metal detector, and a shovel, I found myself in Rick and Glenda’s backyard, hunting for iron pins like some kind of suburban treasure hunter.
What started as a practical solution to a scheduling problem became something more interesting—another reminder of how the best parts of this job happen when you stop worrying about what’s “supposed to be” your responsibility.
Don’t get me wrong!
There is NO substitute for having a real licensed surveyor give you the official designation of your property boundaries. There is a reason there are surveyors. They can find and mark and say the pins are the actual corners. Sometimes there are multiple pins near the same corner and it can get confusing, even for surveyors. When you absolutely need to know where your boundaries are, surveyors need to be the ones to verify the corners are correct.
The Detective Habit
Twenty-three years in real estate has taught me that the real work often begins after someone says “I need a surveyor” or “I want to sell my house.” The journalist in me learned long ago to ask the follow-up questions: Why do you need to know exactly where that line is? What are you planning back there? How quickly do you need this resolved?
Most of the time, clients don’t need a full survey—they need confidence about their boundaries before installing a fence, or they want to know if their neighbor’s shed is actually on their property. Understanding the “why” behind the request usually reveals a simpler path forward.
Creating Frank Merchant reinforced this investigative approach. Frank notices details that matter precisely because he’s learned to observe without assumptions. In real estate, that translates to seeing what clients actually need rather than just hearing what they initially request.
Getting Your Hands Dirty
The Howard’s Pond project taught me that some lessons only come through direct experience. Reading about tiny house conversions and talking to contractors gave me knowledge, but actually swinging hammers, dealing with permitting challenges, and problem-solving in real time gave me stories—and stories are what help clients understand their options.
Today’s pin-hunting expedition was similar. I could have simply referred Rick and Glenda elsewhere, but there was something appealing about the challenge. Plus, if I could learn the process myself, I’d be able to help future clients the same way.
The metal detector took some getting used to—lots of false alarms from buried bottle caps and random metal debris. But when we finally heard that solid, consistent beep and uncovered the actual iron pin, perfectly positioned where the survey said it should be, there was genuine satisfaction in the discovery.
The Network Effect
One thing Frank Merchant and I share is an appreciation for knowing who to call. Over the years, I’ve built relationships with people who solve problems I can’t—surveyors like Trent, contractors who understand historic homes, inspectors who catch what others miss, lenders who actually answer their phones.
But sometimes the best solution isn’t calling someone else; it’s learning enough to handle the situation yourself. Today reminded me that clients often appreciate the agent who’s willing to figure things out alongside them rather than just providing another referral.
Stories Make Better Service
Writing fiction has made me more attentive to the stories my clients carry. Rick and Glenda weren’t just looking for property pins—they were planning improvements to a home they’ve worked years to afford. Finding those boundaries wasn’t just about legal compliance; it was about confidence in their investment and clarity for their next steps.
The Howard’s Pond experience taught me that every project contains multiple stories: the financial story, the timeline story, the relationship story with neighbors and contractors, the vision story of what could be possible. Understanding which story matters most to each client makes all the difference in how you serve them.
Beyond the Job Description
I’ve never quite figured out where “real estate agent” ends and “helpful neighbor” begins, and I’ve stopped trying to draw that line precisely. Some days that means researching obscure zoning regulations, other days it means wielding a metal detector in someone’s backyard.
Frank Merchant’s transition from police work to real estate mirrors something I’ve experienced: the skills you develop doing one thing well often become your advantage in completely different situations. Curiosity, attention to detail, willingness to get dirty, and knowing who to trust—these qualities matter whether you’re solving crimes or finding property pins.
As we packed up the equipment this afternoon, pins successfully located and photographed for future reference, Rick mentioned they’re already planning their fence installation. Those iron markers we dug up aren’t just legal boundaries—they’re the foundation for their next chapter in that house.
Sometimes the most memorable part of this work happens after the closing, when clients realize their agent is still willing to show up with a shovel and figure things out together. That’s not above and beyond—that’s just good neighborly business.
Rob Howard is a Knoxville real estate agent and author of “Principles of Real Estate & Murder.” When he’s not helping clients navigate property transactions or writing about Frank Merchant’s adventures, he can occasionally be found with a metal detector, proving that the best solutions often require getting your hands dirty.
Rob Howard – 865-385-9070 (Mobile)
Keller Williams – 865-966-5005 (Office)
License #287135 – Agent/Broker serving Knoxville and East Tennessee since 2003