Property Valuation
Highest-and-best-use analysis, before-and-after valuation, and cross-examination of opposing appraisers.
What this case is really about
Every eminent domain case is, at its core, a valuation case. We treat appraisal as a courtroom discipline — not a report to accept at face value. The difference between the condemnor's number and yours is almost always a highest-and-best-use argument the state's appraiser didn't make.
Owners in these situations
- Owners of land whose highest and best use differs from its current use
- Commercial owners facing partial takings with severe remainder impact
- Investment property holders whose income streams are undervalued
- Property owners preparing for mediation or trial who need an independent appraisal
Highest and best use
The condemnor's appraiser often values property at its current use rather than its highest and best use. We develop the record — market studies, entitlements, comparable sales — for the higher value the owner is entitled to.
Before-and-after methodology
For partial takings, we present rigorous before-and-after valuations that capture both the acquired area and the damage to the remainder — access, drainage, visibility, and functional utility.
Cross-examining the state's appraiser
Most gains at trial come from disciplined cross-examination that exposes flawed comparables, missing adjustments, and unsupported highest-and-best-use conclusions.
A trial-ready process, start to finish
Independent Appraisal
We retain a qualified appraiser aligned with the legal strategy — not one who works both sides of the aisle.
Highest-and-Best-Use Case
Zoning, market demand, and comparable sales — we build the record for the use the property is truly capable of.
Remainder Damages
For partial takings, we quantify what changed for the leftover parcel and price it into the demand.
Trial Presentation
Jury-friendly exhibits, aerials, and demonstratives that make the value gap self-evident.
Signals it's time for counsel
Any one of these means the clock is running. Early counsel almost always improves the outcome — and sometimes preserves rights that would otherwise be lost entirely.
Request a Consultation- 01The condemnor's appraisal values your land at its current use, not its highest and best use
- 02The offer treats your partial taking as if the remainder is unaffected
- 03The state's comparable sales are stale, dissimilar, or from a different submarket
- 04You're heading to mediation without an independent appraisal in hand
Frequently asked
Should I get my own appraisal?
+
In most matters, yes. An independent appraisal aligned with legal strategy is essential leverage in negotiation and at trial.
Who pays for the appraiser?
+
Appraisal costs are advanced as part of the litigation and typically recovered from the additional compensation obtained.
Ready to discuss your property valuation matter?
Initial consultations are confidential and without obligation. Bring the notice, offer, or letter that brought you here — we'll tell you what we see.
Other practice areas
Eminent Domain
Direct condemnation by state, federal, or quasi-public entities for roads, utilities, pipelines, and infrastructure.
Inverse Condemnation
When government action takes or substantially damages property without formal condemnation.
Land Use & Regulation
Zoning, permitting denials, and regulations that strip economic value from real property.
Real Estate Disputes
Title, boundary, easement, and restrictive covenant litigation affecting the value or use of real property.