Missouri Zoning, Planning And Land Use Legal Questions

Often you can get a county to relinquish unused or maintained land like this simply by asking and buying it for a small fee.  There is a legal mechanism called "adverse possession" that allows you to take property that has been been possessed for a period of time against the orriginal owner in a manner that is "open, notorious, and hostile". In Missouri, you must do this for a period of ten or more years to qualify. However, depending on the state and jurisdiction this may be difficult, if not impossible, to claim against any governmental entity. I would therefore attempt to procure the land in the direct way of contacting the current owner (presumably the county) of the land and attempting to purchase it.  When purchasing land from a governmental entity they will always attempt to sell the land at "market value". The benefit a lawyer can bring to a transaction like this is to argue down the market value cost. E.G. an acre of land in your county may go for an average of, say, $2000 where you live, and the state may claim that their are of roadway should be valued at that, or higher, due to improvements. A lawyer would be able to go in and argue that is unreasonable due to the abandoned condition of the roadway, innaccessibility, unfitness for any other use, or a myriad of other reasons. Prior to engaging a lawyer, you should do a cost benefit analysis. If the plot of land you're looking to acquire is worth less than what you will likely spend on an attorney then there is no sense in hiring one. The goal is to spend less on the lawyer than you will benefit in savings. ... Read More