Description
Appraise real property rights for right-of-way acquisitions, easements, and partial takings for public and utility projects. Develop before-and-after valuations and just compensation in compliance with USPAP and the Uniform Act, addressing severance damages and cost-to-cure, and provide support for reviews and testimony as needed.
- • Prepare USPAP- and Uniform Act-compliant right-of-way appraisal reports with supporting analyses.
- • Respond to appraisal review comments and revise reports as needed.
- • Compute just compensation for partial acquisitions, easements, and fee takes using before-and-after valuation.
- • Account for severance damages, special benefits, project influence rules, and cost-to-cure in valuations.
- • Inspect subject properties, corridors, and affected improvements to determine project impacts.
- • Collect and analyze comparable sales, leases, and easement transactions relevant to right-of-way work.
- • Maintain parcel files with right-of-way plans, plats, maps, take areas, and ownership data.
- • Explain valuation methods and compensation components to agencies, property owners, and counsel.
- • Identify ownership, title encumbrances, and the specific property interests to be acquired.
- • Evaluate changes to access, utility, visibility, and site functionality resulting from the project.
- • Track appraisal progress, revisions, and just compensation amounts for assigned parcels.
- • Verify the accuracy of comparable transaction data and correct errors as necessary.
- • Monitor design revisions and construction activities that may affect appraisal conclusions.
- • Apply consistent appraisal standards and agency guidelines across property types and acquisitions.
- • Analyze income and expenses of income-producing properties to support value and damages.
- • Perform highest and best use analysis for the whole property and the remainder.
- • Stay current on local market conditions, corridor sales, and easement rates.
- • Search public records for deeds, easements, plats, sales, and right-of-way dedications.
- • Review zoning, land use, access control, setbacks, and permitting that affect value and impacts.
- • Verify legal descriptions and take area calculations against survey and county records.
- • Confer with owners, tenants, engineers, surveyors, and local officials to gather pertinent information.
- • Photograph properties, take areas, and affected improvements to document conditions.
- • Compile market data on land sales, corridor acquisitions, and easement payments in the area.
- • Assess neighborhood and corridor features, services, and trends influencing value.
- • Estimate replacement and cure costs for impacted improvements using cost manuals and estimators.
- • Prepare parcel sketches and take-area diagrams to support appraisal findings.
- • Provide expert testimony and defend valuations in condemnation hearings or depositions.
- • Allocate compensation among land, improvements, fixtures, temporary easements, and damages.
- • Determine rental rates and durations for temporary construction easements.
- • Coordinate with project teams to align appraisal scope and assumptions with current right-of-way plans.
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Last reviewed: Jan 2026
