Active Railroad Tracks Adjacency

[Sid Holderly]

Most Midwest town were built around a railroad line of two. Two rails cross in My little town and 80% of the homes are within 2 blocks of the rail. I am within a block of both. On the half mile the busy rail passes through town I only know of one with a fenced back yard. The main line is a CSX and Amtrack run from Indianapolis to Chicago, it hauls everything. No $ discount can be found in local sales for being close to the track. Emergency vehicles coming from the neighboring towns are more annoying than the railroad.

 

[Mike Garrett RAA]

In my state anyone can sue anyone for anything for less than $100. Our job is to estimate value and in doing that we should take into consideration certain factors that might affect that value. We are not here to "protect" a purchaser, home owner, or even the client.

 

[J Grant]

I am not going to do something ridiculous in a report, such as make "subject to a fence", when no fence is required, just for fear of remote chance a buyer will sue one day for not "protecting" them.

You can recommend installing a fence, other than that, leave a fence out of it. Likely UW can demand a comp with similar location, I had to go back 3 years to find last one I did next to a train track, can overhead map surf tofind it if your aerial map shows sales by lot #

 

[Tom D]

after reading all the posts here, and a minute worth of though, i am recanting my "put up a fence" position.

 

[RSW]

Wise decision.

 

[Tom D]

after reading all the posts here, and a minute worth of though, i am recanting my "put up a fence" position.

appraising is like a rail road track. i got one to do with rail tracks right behind lot. i thank my professors for preparing me for this train ride. i just have to be careful now backing up to take the rear of house photo.
wait, is that a safety issue? nah. an old appraiser has no value.