Land price drop. Maybe time to buy?

[PunaLover]

Gps property lines. Thats a good idea. And making sure you have a safe copy of your title somewhere.

Wonder if I planted a big chunk of scrap metal in the ground at each corner if a metal detector could find it through several feet of lava?

[lavarat]

There will be plenty of big chunks of metal buried by the lava to confuse the metal detectors, even if they work at greater depths. Steel roofing, stoves, old cars, propane tanks, fence posts, anything made of steel will survive and be buried. The lava has to ability to float things around to different locations.

[VancouverIslander]

You can always get a survey done - they will use the closest available known marker to locate your lot for you. Or just wait until one of your neighbors gets a survey done - closer reference point then.

[lavarat]

You can buy a handheld/hiking gps for under $100 at Walmart, Amazon, REI, etc. You can buy more expensive ones that have more bells and whistles, but a cheap one will do just fine. There is a learning curve to get proficient and get accurate readings, so it's not something that you want to learn how to use at the last moment. Finding somebody who has one and knows how to use it would be better. I would put the gps on the ground at the location you want to record and let it settle for five minutes or so. The gps needs three satellites overhead to get an accurate reading, the more satellites the better. You can see the last digits of the coordinate flopping around...wait until they settle the best they can. The gps needs an open view of the sky. It may take longer to settle down if the area is under the trees.