Austin Condemnation Law Office

Austin Condemnation Attorney Protecting Property Owners When It Matters Most

When the government targets your property, the financial stakes are real. Austin is one of the fastest-moving real estate markets in the country. Property values across Central Texas shift quickly. Condemning authorities often use that pace to their advantage. At McFarland PLLC, our Austin condemnation attorneys are experienced in eminent domain law throughout Travis County.

Our attorneys understand neighborhood-by-neighborhood valuation trends and local market dynamics. We know the strategies local agencies use to minimize what they pay. We are here to stand between you and an inadequate settlement. We will fight for what your property is genuinely worth.

The Condemnation Process In Travis County Courts

Condemnation cases in Austin follow a defined path through the Travis County court system. After a condemning authority files a petition, the court appoints three special commissioners. These commissioners hold an administrative hearing to assess and award just compensation for your property. Their hearings typically take place at the Travis County Courthouse at 1000 Guadalupe Street in downtown Austin. If you disagree with the commissioners’ award, and we often recommend objecting, your case moves into the Travis County district courts for a full trial.

The City of Austin, TxDOT’s Austin District, and CapMetro are among the most active condemning authorities in this region. Each agency comes with its own legal team. They also have their own appraisers. Understanding how each authority operates, and how Travis County courts run condemnation proceedings, gives property owners a meaningful advantage from the very start.

Geographic Areas We Serve From Our Austin Office

Our Austin office serves property owners across a wide stretch of Central Texas. We handle cases in the following counties and communities:

• Travis County:  Austin, Pflugerville, and Lago Vista, where urban commercial properties and suburban neighborhoods are the most common targets.
• Williamson County: Round Rock, Georgetown, and Cedar Park, where suburban growth has intensified condemnation activity along major corridors.
• Hays County: San Marcos, Kyle, and Buda, where development pushing south along I-35 has brought a surge in condemnation cases.
• Bastrop County: Bastrop and Smithville, involving suburban corridors and timberland facing utility and highway projects.
• Caldwell County: Lockhart and Luling, where farm and oil-country property is frequently targeted for pipeline and utility easements.
• Burnet County: Marble Falls and Burnet, home to Hill Country ranch land and Highland Lakes waterfront properties.
• Blanco County: Johnson City and surrounding scenic ranch tracts that require careful, locally informed valuation.
• Llano County: Llano and Kingsland, centered on Colorado River corridor land and Hill Country acreage.
• Lee County: Giddings and surrounding rural residential and farm ground targeted for utility expansion.
• Fayette County: La Grange and Schulenburg, where agricultural land and utility easement cases are common.

Central Texas holds some of the most varied property types in the state. Urban towers, Hill Country ranches, suburban neighborhoods, and productive farmland can all exist within a short drive of each other. We will travel throughout this entire region to meet clients at their properties. We also offer virtual consultations for those who prefer to connect remotely.

Austin Property Types We Protect

We represent all types of Austin-area properties facing condemnation. Here are some of the specific property types we handle:

• Downtown Austin office buildings and high-rises: Commercial towers near Congress Avenue or the Seaholm District carry income-based value that condemning authorities often underestimate.
• Retail corridors like South Congress and the Domain: Retail properties along South Congress Avenue or near the Domain in North Austin include lease and business value that must be fully reflected in any award.
• East Austin industrial warehouses: Warehouse and flex-industrial properties east of I-35 are frequent targets as infrastructure projects push through that corridor.
• Hill Country ranch land: Large rural tracts west of Austin involve water rights, grazing capacity, and scenic value that require careful, locally informed analysis.
• Austin-area schools and churches: Institutional properties near major road corridors face condemnation more often than owners expect.
• Mixed-use developments on Rainey Street and East Sixth: Properties in these evolving urban districts require highest-and-best-use analysis that reflects their true market potential.
• Residential properties in Round Rock and Cedar Park: Homeowners in these suburbs regularly receive initial offers that fall well short of true market value.

No matter what type of property you own, our attorneys will review any offer from a condemning authority to ensure you receive fair compensation.

Why Austin Property Owners Choose McFarland PLLC

Austin property owners choose us because we are rooted in this community and in Travis County courts. We have appeared before Travis County Special Commissioners and district court judges in condemnation matters. We know how local proceedings are structured and what to expect at every step. We maintain strong relationships with Austin-area appraisers and property analysts. These professionals understand neighborhood-level market dynamics in areas like Mueller, South Lamar, and Barton Hills.

We know how TxDOT’s Austin District approaches major highway acquisitions. We understand how Cap Metro structures its offers for Project Connect properties. We know the arguments the City of Austin typically makes, and we know how to counter them with solid local evidence. Our office sits just steps from the Travis County Courthouse, putting us close to where your case will be decided.

Austin-Specific Condemnation Considerations

Austin’s rapid growth creates valuation challenges unique to this market. Property values in East Austin, the Riverside corridor, and along South Congress have risen sharply in a short time. When a condemning authority sends an appraiser, that appraiser may rely on outdated comparable sales data. That data may no longer reflect current conditions. We work to ensure that your compensation reflects what the market is doing today, not what it was doing in a previous cycle.

The I-35 Capital Express expansion is one of the largest highway condemnation projects in Texas history. It affects owners in the Rundberg area, along the St. John’s and MLK corridors. Many of these are partial takings. They damage access, reduce visibility, and eliminate parking well beyond the land physically taken. In partial takings, property owners may pursue severance damages for loss in value to the remaining land, provided the impact constitutes a legally compensable injury under Texas law.

Hill Country ranch properties west of Austin involve a distinct set of issues. The Lower Colorado River Authority often acquires easements across ranch land in Llano and Burnet County. Compensation must fully account for land-use restrictions, livestock access issues, and how utility infrastructure impacts sensitive ranch terrain. Standard appraisal methods rarely capture these losses in full.

Project Connect’s transit expansion creates a different type of condemnation impact than a traditional highway taking. Properties near the Blue Line or Orange Line corridors along Lamar Boulevard and South Congress Avenue face serious disruptions. Construction activity, traffic pattern changes, and altered land use designations can all diminish property value. These factors affect long-term value in significant ways.

Austin’s environmental regulations add real complexity for properties in the city’s western and southwestern areas. Properties within the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone or subject to Save Our Springs ordinance restrictions carry limitations that directly affect market value. In some cases, these restrictions can be severe enough to qualify as a regulatory taking or inverse condemnation claim. A sound condemnation claim in these areas must address how those regulations shape what a property can do and what the market will pay.

Mixed-use properties in areas such as the Second Street District or along Rainey Street present valuation challenges that traditional appraisal models often miss. Current income rarely reflects full market potential in these districts. We will bring locally grounded analysis to close that gap at every stage of the process.

Visiting Our Austin Office

Our Austin office sits in downtown Austin within easy walking distance of the Travis County Courthouse, the Texas Capitol, and Austin City Hall. Street parking is available on surrounding blocks, and several parking garages are accessible within a short walk. Cap Metro bus routes along Congress Avenue and Guadalupe Street stop near our front door, making it easy to reach us without a car.

We are open Monday through Friday. We accommodate both scheduled appointments and urgent consultations on short notice. We also offer video and phone meetings for clients across Central Texas. We will travel to client properties throughout the region when a site visit helps us better understand your case.

Contact McFarland PLLC Today

Your property is more than land or a building. It is something you have worked hard to build and protect. When a government authority moves to take it, you deserve more than a form letter and an inadequate offer. At McFarland PLLC, our attorneys will review your condemnation notice, evaluate the offer you have received, and give you an honest, clear picture of your legal rights and your options.

Do not wait to take action. The sooner you reach out, the more time we have to build a strong case on your behalf. Contact us at 512-641-8702 or reach us online today to schedule your consultation and take the first step toward a fair result.