The state has already authorized right-of-way acquisition on this corridor. That means appraisers are being hired, surveys are being ordered, and offers are being prepared. You're next.
Most property owners don't realize the first offer they receive is a starting point — not a final number. The state's appraiser works for the state. You need someone working for you.
These are your rights. The state is required to follow them. But you have to know to ask.
The state's offer is not a take-it-or-leave-it number. You have the right to hire your own appraiser, document damages the state's appraisal missed, and negotiate for a higher settlement. Most property owners who engage independent counsel recover significantly more than the initial offer.
The state only appraises the strip of land they're taking. They will not account for what happens to the land you keep — the drainage change, the lost parking, the driveway that has to be reconfigured, the fence that now sits in the right-of-way. Those impacts are compensable under state law. You have to document them.
The best time to engage independent counsel is before the state makes first contact. Once you receive a written offer, you're already on the state's timeline. The state's attorney and appraiser have been preparing for months. Getting ahead of that process is the single biggest advantage a property owner can have.
We connect property owners with condemnation attorneys who know how to document what the state's appraisal will miss. The consultation is free. The form takes two minutes. What you do with the information is up to you.
Select all that apply.