When the government swoops in to take your property through the process of eminent domain, you can quickly feel like your future is out of your control. Depending on the circumstances of your case, you might not be able to prevent the government from taking your property, but you do have the ability to steer conversations about the price being offered for that taking.
So, as you prepare to move forward with the eminent domain process, you’ll want to be sure to avoid some commonly made mistakes.
What mistakes are oftentimes made in eminent domain cases?
You don’t want to jeopardize the value of your property. So, moving forward, be aware of these potential mistakes and do your best to avoid them:
- Not requesting the government’s valuation of your property. By carefully analyzing how the government came to their offer, you might find areas to pushback for more just compensation.
- Agreeing to the first offer that’s made. You don’t have to take the government at their word and accept what they’re offering you. Think through how you can best negotiate with them.
- Telling the government what you think your property is worth: If you state what you think your property is worth upfront, then the government is going to latch onto that as a beginning negotiation point, which means you might end up with less than that even though your property is worth way more.
- Neglecting to consider costs associated with relocation: Through the eminent domain process, you might be able to recover expenses tied to your move and relocation. But the government isn’t going to be forthcoming about paying for this, so you’ll need to be proactive in advocating for it.
Don’t get taken advantage of in your eminent domain case
There’s a lot that can go wrong in an eminent domain case. To minimize the risk of being taken advantage of and to maximize the probability of obtaining the outcome you want, you need to understand the process and how to properly advocate for you position. To do so, you might want to turn to available resources and seek out any additional help that you may need.