Getting Eminent Domained - I think??

[SpeedPhreak]

My Girlfriend has to go to a hearing on the 16th regarding her neighborhood.  It is an old neighbor hood (the 1st part of her house was built in the 20s).  There are really nice houses & some real shite holes... we are in the process of renovating hers to sell.  Most houses have a huge lot (she says her paper work says hers is .7 acres - I don't think its quite that big).  As an example she has her house 2 sheds, a detached oversize 1 car garage.  She has a small front yard, a "small" side yard (with a clothes line, drive way, & the oversized garage w/room to spare). & the other side yard/back yard where we are pouring a patio doing grass, has a hot tub, & the narrowest point from fence to the house is 35 ft - about 100ft long.

Anyway the meeting is to determince if they are going to condemn the whole neighborhood.  As soon as she said that I knew that some developer wants to build shopping & townhomes there.  They already have 1 townhome project underway a block away.  There is a new city hall about 3 blocks away.  All kinds of new development w/in a 1 mile radius (formerly park/open space).  She is on a downtown committee & verified that is pretty much what is probably going to happen (though there is a very small chance the city will allocate funds to the private owners to beautify their homes since it is part of historic downtown... there are however no historic buildings).

If they "condemn" the whole area do they have to pay us still? 
Or will she be kicked off, the land sold to the developer & she is stuck w/a 6 figure mortgage & no home?

I won't actually be too upset if they give us a decent price - she wants to move anyway & we were expecting to make about $30k off the sale of her house in the next 2yrs.  IF we can get that w/out having to do anymore work I think we would be OK w/that.... then again there is the principal of the whole thing.

It could also give me a reason for probation to transfer me to NH

[Spencer]

Condemnation generally involves the forced sale of your property to the gubmint for "just compensation."  Depending on where you live and what the gubmint is like, you can either get screwed or do okay (and by do okay, I don't mean to say that eminent domain is not wrong).

[enloopious]

They will only compensate you for work that has been done. If you tear down the old and haven't put up the new yet, you will be screwed. To protect yourself you should do as much work as possible, get a private appraisal, and even talk to those at city hall to find out their intentions.

[SpeedPhreak]

Thanks for the feedback - guess I will build that workshop & green house after all (& the outdoor kitchen)... thought I was going to get lucky.

[enloopious]

Yeah, they will have their own appraisal guys "evaluate" what the CURRENT structure is worth. They can't evaluate what you had planned on doing but sometimes to avoid a hassle (if you make a lot of noise) they will pay you a bit more than they should.

You can and should fight it if they try to short change you. Working in the system sometimes has results, squeaky wheel and all that.

[SpeedPhreak]

the only other thing about this town is the good ole boys network.

it is deep & not even all that well hidden.

if you are not a good ole boy then $ definately walks & talks around here... we dont get to say a lot - though her being on a committee & me helping her w/all her events elevates us to a point just above jed clampet & his sister next door.

[enloopious]

Hahaha, well maybe you should just make them all a jug o moonshine. Whatever it takes right?