Ottakee Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 The next door neighbor had a letter from MDOT on her door last night. They are coming to start staking out the highway next week. Not sure what that means yet for us that are in the path of the highway. First buyout was to be 2007, then winter/spring 2011 and last we had heard not until 2013/2014 but with them staking it out ?????? The highway is slated to go right through our property. The biggest issue is, of course, we don't want to move. We live in West Michigan where property values have taken a HUGE dive BUT we have a 5 bedroom, 2 bath home with 3 stall attached garage and 40x48 barn on 5 1/2 acres here. I did a search on Realtor.com and the only place for sale with over 5 acres in our area is listed at almost double what our place is "worth" to sell. We need over 5 acres as that is the magic number for zoning for horses, our chickens, and LOTS of freedom. Under 5 and the zoning restrictions are quite a bit more restrictive. Also, my special needs kids don't want to move out of the school district, etc. I also feel as I have a friend that is also in the path of the highway who will be looking for a horse farm on over 5 acres in the same township. There just aren't those places available and to BUILD what we have would be very pricey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AuntieM Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 Seems like I remember the whole imminent domain thing getting some bad press last year. Any way you can organize your neighbors and make enough "noise" to get MDOT to change the plans? Oh! Forgot to say what my first thought was - That really stinks and i am sorry this even has to be an issue in your lives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 not any personal experience here- but...my close friend (I homeschool her son) had a freeway expansion result in a huge bridge almost right over her house, they bought out the house next to her, but not her house. They were not very motivated to work with her, even though her house was starting to crack- the foundation was slipping from the vibrations...they were not nice to work with *Until she had a lawyer with experience going against the transportation agency-contact them in her behalf. She then got a very generous buy out (and all very quickly-before the lawyer, they took weeks/months to get back to her). All this to say that you might want to research lawyers. so sorry, your home sounds like my dream. hugs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacy in NJ Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 If you are forced to sell, you'll need someone to aggressively negotiate price on your behalf. All of those issues you've listed (horses, kids' needs) need to be considered above and beyond just pure property value. Your arguments needs to go beyond what the market will pay and into what you need to replace your current home and every aspect of it's location. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scuff Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 My good friend is a lawyer in Grand Rapids. I don't know if she has experience in this area, or if that's near you, but she might be able to refer you to someone if she can't help you. Let me know if you want her info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simka2 Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 MY dh handles this stuff a lot. Please be careful with how "difficult" you are, wise as a serpent...INNOCENT AS A DOVE! Again, feel free to pm me with any details thru this process and I would be willing to run things by dh ;). In the meantime, become good friends with your county commisioners!!!! If they have a permit...they are coming, no amount of noise will stop it. But if you are smart you can land on your feet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simka2 Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 also, staking means the surveyors are coming out. They are probly trying to get more acurate drawing made up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted January 15, 2011 Author Share Posted January 15, 2011 Seems like I remember the whole imminent domain thing getting some bad press last year. Any way you can organize your neighbors and make enough "noise" to get MDOT to change the plans? Oh! Forgot to say what my first thought was - That really stinks and i am sorry this even has to be an issue in your lives. No, this plan is set in stone, has all of the state and federal permits, EPA/wetlands, etc. and on on and on. It IS coming---it is just a matter of timing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RanchGirl Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 so sorry you have to deal with this. I would be getting a lawyer for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted January 17, 2011 Author Share Posted January 17, 2011 My whole worrying about this in on hold. My 45 dh had a heart attack Sat. morning and had stints put in less than an hour after we arrived at the hospital. He might come home today or tomorrow so right now I am very busy with that. I will get back to this later but thanks for the help/ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 My whole worrying about this in on hold. My 45 dh had a heart attack Sat. morning and had stints put in less than an hour after we arrived at the hospital. He might come home today or tomorrow so right now I am very busy with that. I will get back to this later but thanks for the help/ideas. OH MY GOSH!! Praying for your dh and your family. I'm so sorry. :grouphug::grouphug::grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Praying for your husband and your whole family.:grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mysticamethyst Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 I am glad he is coming home will keep you all in thoughts and prayers.:grouphug::grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brigitte Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Oh No! I am happy he is doing okay. Prayers go out to you and your dh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 oh no, praying for your dh! I was thinking about this thread, and about my friend's experience...now I remember that she didn't even have to pay this lawyer to write a letter, what she did was send a letter to the transportation authority- about issues she had been communicating to them about- and she put in a CC line with this lawyer's name..she didn't even actually hire him, just CC'd him and the transportation authority all of a sudden was very willing to deal more fairly with her. I will be thinking about you and hoping/praying you get a good outcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dayle in Guatemala Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 If you are forced to sell, you'll need someone to aggressively negotiate price on your behalf. All of those issues you've listed (horses, kids' needs) need to be considered above and beyond just pure property value. Your arguments needs to go beyond what the market will pay and into what you need to replace your current home and every aspect of it's location. :iagree: Just a side thought of mine, and I'm not usually thinking in this vein but, isn't it interesting that they do it when market values are at a low instead of waiting when they would maybe have to pay more? I don't know, it just seems unfair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dayle in Guatemala Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 My whole worrying about this in on hold. My 45 dh had a heart attack Sat. morning and had stints put in less than an hour after we arrived at the hospital. He might come home today or tomorrow so right now I am very busy with that. I will get back to this later but thanks for the help/ideas. I am praying for your dh. So sorry with all that's going on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudoMom Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 My whole worrying about this in on hold. My 45 dh had a heart attack Sat. morning and had stints put in less than an hour after we arrived at the hospital. He might come home today or tomorrow so right now I am very busy with that. I will get back to this later but thanks for the help/ideas. Oh my! :grouphug::grouphug::grouphug: and prayers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted January 18, 2011 Author Share Posted January 18, 2011 Just an update. I just talked to the guy from the state and our property is a total take which means we must move. They are coming now in MAY to do the appraisals and make the offers. This is a far cry from the 2-3 years we were told in November. He said to start looking for properties/land now.......but we obviously can't go out and buy another farm until this one sells and we have money in hand. Just needed a bit more stress in my life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 I'm so sorry. Praying you get a better situation than you can imagine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unicorn. Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 I'm so sorry. That really sucks! Our family farm (over 150 yrs old) may end up going that way if they go through w/ the Trans-TX corridor. We have voted twice not to widen a certain road in our town, and the PTB, decided to do it anyway. Lost some nice older homes to the stupidity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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