Ambrose Group Guide Explains Eminent Domain Appraisal for Texas Landowners
Oct 21, 2026
A new guide from The Ambrose Group explains how eminent domain works in Texas, from the first written offer to the special commissioners' hearing and appeal, and what an independent appraisal can establish for landowners facing a full or partial taking.
Jersey Village, United States, October 21, 2026 /NewsNetwork/ -- The Ambrose Group, a Texas appraisal, property tax, and cost segregation firm, has published a guide for landowners who receive an offer from a government agency or another entity with eminent domain authority. The guide was written by James Hamon, the firm’s Vice President of Appraisal Services and a Certified General Real Estate Appraiser in Texas. It is available on the company website at https://theambrosegroup.com/what-is-eminent-domain-appraisal-texas/.
The Texas Constitution requires adequate compensation when property is taken for public use, and Chapter 21 of the Texas Property Code sets out how the process works. According to the guide, the entity must first make a bona fide offer. That means a written initial offer, followed at least 30 days later by a final offer backed by a written appraisal from a certified appraiser. The owner then has at least 14 days to respond. The entity must also disclose any appraisals of the property from the previous 10 years.
If the two sides cannot agree, the entity files a petition, and the court appoints three special commissioners within 30 days. The commissioners hold a hearing and set the compensation. Either side can object to the award, which sends the case to trial. The guide notes that the hearing cannot be held earlier than the 20th day after the commissioners are appointed, and that appraisal reports must be exchanged on a tight schedule before it.
A central point of the guide is that the entity’s appraisal is a starting point. The statute makes that appraisal the floor for the final offer, not the ceiling on what the property is worth. “Two credible appraisers can reach different conclusions from honest work,” Hamon writes. “The question is never whose number is higher.” What matters, the guide says, is which appraisal the evidence supports.
For a partial taking, the analysis has two parts: the value of the land taken and any damage to the remaining property. The guide explains that Texas law separates property-specific injuries, such as a material loss of direct road access, from injuries shared with the general public, such as longer travel routes. Only the first kind can be counted. It also cites the Texas Supreme Court’s 2011 decision in State v. Petropoulos, which requires evidence that the taking itself caused any loss in the remaining property’s value.
The guide also stresses independence. An appraiser hired by the owner still works under the profession’s ethics rules and cannot accept an assignment for a predetermined result. “An appraiser who promises a number has stopped being an appraiser,” Hamon writes.
The topic is timely as Texas expands its road network. In August 2026, the Texas Transportation Commission approved the 2027 Unified Transportation Program, a 10-year plan totaling $138 billion, according to a release from Gov. Greg Abbott reported by FOX 26 Houston. In the Houston area, the plan includes work on the North Houston Highway Improvement Project and Interstate 10. Projects of that scale often require right-of-way from private owners.
The guide recommends starting an independent appraisal when the initial offer arrives, since the statutory timeline leaves at least 44 days before a lawsuit but moves quickly after that. The firm’s eminent domain appraisal services are described at https://theambrosegroup.com/eminent-domain-appraisal/ and its support for cases that go to court is covered at https://theambrosegroup.com/real-estate-litigation/ on the same site.
About The Ambrose Group:
The Ambrose Group is a Texas real estate consulting firm based in Jersey Village that has provided appraisal, property tax consulting, cost segregation and brokerage services since 1994. The company profile at https://theambrosegroup.com/about-real-estate-company/ covers its history and team.
Contact Info:
Name: The Ambrose Group
Email: Send Email
Organization: The Ambrose Group
Address: 16545 Village Dr Building A, Jersey Village, TX 77040, United States
Website: https://theambrosegroup.com/
Source: NewsNetwork
Release ID: 89206907
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