Thread: Negotians with DHS bring varied land values

Negotiations with DHS bring varied land values
June 29, 2008 - 9:16PM
By Emma Perez-Trevino, The Brownsville Herald
Although some parties are heading to court over the U.S. government's attempts to access properties for a border fence, others are negotiating the price of their properties, public records show.

Some prices being negotiated reflect significant price differences.

From January through June 27, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has filed 154 lawsuits against landowners in Cameron County.

The initial 20 lawsuits were to access properties to conduct surveys, and DHS generally deposited $100 in the court's registry to offset the inconvenience.

The remaining 134 lawsuits seek to condemn the properties, but the government and property owners have been negotiating the properties' values.

Already, DHS has deposited 97 checks with the court's registry as payment for properties, The Brownsville Herald found.

Checks range from $1,000 for .07 of an acre of land to $46,600 for 7.05 acres.

In one case, DHS plans to pay $39,500 for .68 of an acre of land while it offers to pay $7,900 for 1.01 acre of land in another dealing.

DHS spokesman Barry Morrissey wasn't immediately able to explain the gaps, but said, "keep in mind that there are differences in properties."

He also noted that the parties had agreed on the prices.

Asked if better negotiating skills could factor in the prices, Morrissey said he frankly didn't know, but added that, "all these negotiations are based on fair market values."

"The basis of negotiations is what is the market value," Morrissey added.

The Herald found that the Cameron Appraisal District lists the market value of one 1.01-acre of land at a mere $250, though the DHS negotiated its price at $7,900.

Furthermore, the .68 of an acre is within a tract of land of more than five acres that the Cameron Appraisal District values at $24,977.

DHS also proposes to pay a property owner $49,900 for .75 of an acre of land.

The property is part of a 5.1640-acre tract of land that the Cameron Appraisal District values at $90,370 combined.

http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/p ... thers.html

Cameron Appraisal District lists the market value of one 1.01-acre of land at a mere $250

That sounds about right for an acre of dry sand, cactus and Mesquite trees.

Dixie