It is good practice for ROW PD personnel to make the initial contact with the property owner and secure permission for appraisers to appraise the property. Where fee appraisers are utilized, this is particularly good practice since staff personnel can answer questions about TxDOT policies and procedures with which the fee appraiser may not be completely familiar. In addition to setting a pattern for good relations with the owner, this practice also conserves the appraiser’s time when making the appraisal. A complete discussion of the procedures to be followed in the pre-appraisal contact is given in Appendix A, .

In all cases, the appraiser in his/her position as a representative of TxDOT must be considerate and courteous in dealing with the owner. Good public relations in the appraisal stage definitely aid in subsequent negotiations. Before being released to make specific appraisals, the appraiser should be instructed to:

Always contact the owner of the property or his/her agent, if possible, unless instructed otherwise by TxDOT, and offer him/her the opportunity to accompany the appraiser in the inspection of the property.
Always make an independent and separate investigation and inspection of the parcel unless joint inspection is approved by ROW PD as outlined in
Independent Appraisals
. The parcel inspection should include a thorough inspection of the premises and improvements in a deliberate and methodical manner.
Be courteous and considerate of the owner or tenant in answering his/her questions, but
under no circumstances
discuss valuation in any form with the owner. Questions regarding the acquisition or relocation assistance processes shall be referred to the ROW PD office.