diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/Properties/PropertyDetail.js b/frontend/src/pages/Properties/PropertyDetail.js
index 5acb081..c5c0f2b 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/Properties/PropertyDetail.js
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/Properties/PropertyDetail.js
@@ -350,6 +350,7 @@ const PropertyDetail = () => {
   const [isTracing, setIsTracing] = useState(false);
   const [gpsWatchId, setGpsWatchId] = useState(null);
   const [gpsTracePoints, setGpsTracePoints] = useState([]);
+  const [gpsSamples, setGpsSamples] = useState([]); // recent raw samples for smoothing
   const [gpsDistance, setGpsDistance] = useState(0);
   const [gpsAccuracy, setGpsAccuracy] = useState(null);
   const [isSnapPreview, setIsSnapPreview] = useState(false);
@@ -476,10 +477,39 @@ const PropertyDetail = () => {
   };
 
   // GPS filtering and snapping (defaults)
-  const ACCURACY_MAX_METERS = 15;     // Ignore points with accuracy worse than this
-  const MIN_MOVE_METERS = 2;          // Ignore points if user hasn't moved this far from last point
+  const ACCURACY_MAX_METERS = 12;     // Ignore points with accuracy worse than this
+  const MIN_MOVE_METERS = 2.5;        // Ignore points if user hasn't moved this far from last point
+  const TURN_MIN_DEG = 12;            // Minimum heading change to record when small movement
   const SNAP_METERS = 5;              // Snap to starting point when within this distance
 
+  // Compute bearing between two lat/lng points (degrees)
+  const bearingDeg = (a, b) => {
+    const toRad = (d) => (d * Math.PI) / 180;
+    const toDeg = (r) => (r * 180) / Math.PI;
+    const lat1 = toRad(a[0]);
+    const lat2 = toRad(b[0]);
+    const dLng = toRad(b[1] - a[1]);
+    const y = Math.sin(dLng) * Math.cos(lat2);
+    const x = Math.cos(lat1) * Math.sin(lat2) - Math.sin(lat1) * Math.cos(lat2) * Math.cos(dLng);
+    const brg = (toDeg(Math.atan2(y, x)) + 360) % 360;
+    return brg;
+  };
+
+  // Maintain a short buffer of samples; return averaged lat/lng of best by accuracy
+  const addSampleAndSmooth = (lat, lng, accuracy) => {
+    const now = Date.now();
+    setGpsSamples((prev) => [...prev, { lat, lng, accuracy: accuracy ?? 999, t: now }].slice(-12));
+    const pool = [...gpsSamples, { lat, lng, accuracy: accuracy ?? 999, t: now }].slice(-12);
+    const top = pool
+      .filter((s) => s.accuracy != null)
+      .sort((a, b) => a.accuracy - b.accuracy)
+      .slice(0, Math.min(5, pool.length));
+    if (top.length === 0) return [lat, lng];
+    const avgLat = top.reduce((s, p) => s + p.lat, 0) / top.length;
+    const avgLng = top.reduce((s, p) => s + p.lng, 0) / top.length;
+    return [avgLat, avgLng];
+  };
+
   const acceptAndNormalizePoint = (lat, lng, accuracy, currentPoints) => {
     if (accuracy != null && accuracy > ACCURACY_MAX_METERS) {
       toast("GPS accuracy too low (" + Math.round(accuracy) + "m). Waiting for better fix…");
@@ -490,8 +520,16 @@ const PropertyDetail = () => {
       const [llat, llng] = currentPoints[currentPoints.length - 1];
       const moved = haversine(llat, llng, lat, lng);
       if (moved < MIN_MOVE_METERS) {
-        // Too close to last point
-        return null;
+        // Allow small move only if heading changed sufficiently vs previous segment
+        if (currentPoints.length >= 2) {
+          const prevHead = bearingDeg(currentPoints[currentPoints.length - 2], [llat, llng]);
+          const candHead = bearingDeg([llat, llng], [lat, lng]);
+          let diff = Math.abs(prevHead - candHead);
+          if (diff > 180) diff = 360 - diff;
+          if (diff < TURN_MIN_DEG) return null;
+        } else {
+          return null;
+        }
       }
     }
     // Snap to starting point if near
@@ -512,11 +550,12 @@ const PropertyDetail = () => {
       const { latitude, longitude, accuracy } = pos.coords;
       setGpsAccuracy(accuracy || null);
       setGpsTracePoints(prev => {
-        const normalized = acceptAndNormalizePoint(latitude, longitude, accuracy, prev);
+        const [sLat, sLng] = addSampleAndSmooth(latitude, longitude, accuracy);
+        const normalized = acceptAndNormalizePoint(sLat, sLng, accuracy, prev);
         // For preview: check proximity to start even if skipping
         if (prev.length >= 2) {
           const [slat, slng] = prev[0];
-          const dStart = haversine(slat, slng, latitude, longitude);
+          const dStart = haversine(slat, slng, sLat, sLng);
           setIsSnapPreview(dStart <= SNAP_METERS);
         } else { setIsSnapPreview(false); }
         if (!normalized) return prev; // skip
@@ -567,11 +606,22 @@ const PropertyDetail = () => {
     }
 
     try {
+      // Ensure closed ring and recompute area
+      let coords = pendingSection.coordinates || [];
+      if (coords.length >= 3) {
+        const [f0, f1] = coords[0] || [];
+        const [l0, l1] = coords[coords.length - 1] || [];
+        if (f0 !== l0 || f1 !== l1) coords = [...coords, coords[0]];
+      }
+      if (coords.length < 4) { toast.error('Polygon invalid: need at least 3 unique points'); return; }
+      const recomputedArea = calculateAreaInSqFt(coords);
+      if (!recomputedArea || recomputedArea <= 0) { toast.error('Polygon area is zero — adjust points'); return; }
+
       const sectionData = {
         name: sectionName,
-        area: pendingSection.area,
+        area: recomputedArea,
         polygonData: {
-          coordinates: [pendingSection.coordinates],
+          coordinates: [coords],
           color: pendingSection.color
         },
         grassType: sectionGrassTypes.join(', '),
@@ -611,7 +661,7 @@ const PropertyDetail = () => {
       setCurrentColor(SECTION_COLORS[nextIndex]);
     } catch (error) {
       console.error('Failed to save section:', error);
-      toast.error('Failed to save section. Please try again.');
+      toast.error(error?.response?.data?.message || error?.message || 'Failed to save section. Please try again.');
     }
   };
 
@@ -939,10 +989,11 @@ const PropertyDetail = () => {
                         const { latitude, longitude, accuracy } = pos.coords;
                         setGpsAccuracy(accuracy || null);
                         setGpsTracePoints(prev => {
-                          const normalized = acceptAndNormalizePoint(latitude, longitude, accuracy, prev);
+                          const [sLat, sLng] = addSampleAndSmooth(latitude, longitude, accuracy);
+                          const normalized = acceptAndNormalizePoint(sLat, sLng, accuracy, prev);
                           if (prev.length >= 2) {
                             const [slat, slng] = prev[0];
-                            const dStart = haversine(slat, slng, latitude, longitude);
+                            const dStart = haversine(slat, slng, sLat, sLng);
                             setIsSnapPreview(dStart <= SNAP_METERS);
                           } else { setIsSnapPreview(false); }
                           if (!normalized) return prev;
@@ -1226,6 +1277,55 @@ const PropertyDetail = () => {
                 />
                 <span>{pendingSection?.area.toLocaleString()} sq ft</span>
               </div>
+              {/* Nudge controls */}
+              <div>
+                <label className="label">Adjust Position (1 ft)</label>
+                <div className="grid grid-cols-3 gap-2 w-40">
+                  <div></div>
+                  <button className="btn-secondary" onClick={() => {
+                    setPendingSection(prev => {
+                      if (!prev) return prev;
+                      const lat = prev.coordinates[0][0];
+                      const metersPerDegLat = 111320;
+                      const dLat = (1 * 0.3048) / metersPerDegLat; // 1 ft north
+                      const coords = prev.coordinates.map(([la, ln]) => [la + dLat, ln]);
+                      return { ...prev, coordinates };
+                    });
+                  }}>▲</button>
+                  <div></div>
+                  <button className="btn-secondary" onClick={() => {
+                    setPendingSection(prev => {
+                      if (!prev) return prev;
+                      const lat = prev.coordinates[0][0];
+                      const metersPerDegLng = 111320 * Math.cos(lat * Math.PI / 180);
+                      const dLng = (1 * 0.3048) / metersPerDegLng; // 1 ft west
+                      const coords = prev.coordinates.map(([la, ln]) => [la, ln - dLng]);
+                      return { ...prev, coordinates };
+                    });
+                  }}>◀</button>
+                  <div></div>
+                  <button className="btn-secondary" onClick={() => {
+                    setPendingSection(prev => {
+                      if (!prev) return prev;
+                      const lat = prev.coordinates[0][0];
+                      const metersPerDegLng = 111320 * Math.cos(lat * Math.PI / 180);
+                      const dLng = (1 * 0.3048) / metersPerDegLng; // 1 ft east
+                      const coords = prev.coordinates.map(([la, ln]) => [la, ln + dLng]);
+                      return { ...prev, coordinates };
+                    });
+                  }}>▶</button>
+                  <div></div>
+                  <button className="btn-secondary" onClick={() => {
+                    setPendingSection(prev => {
+                      if (!prev) return prev;
+                      const dLat = (1 * 0.3048) / 111320; // 1 ft south
+                      const coords = prev.coordinates.map(([la, ln]) => [la - dLat, ln]);
+                      return { ...prev, coordinates };
+                    });
+                  }}>▼</button>
+                  <div></div>
+                </div>
+              </div>
               <div>
                 <label className="label">Grass Types</label>
                 <TagInput