Right-of-Way Agent

Contract Land Staff; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Contract Land Staff (CLS) is seeking an experienced Acquisition Agent local to Houston, TX for in-house work. You will conduct field investigations to gather information on land values, permits, crop data, and route-related concerns, and work independently.

The role requires 3–5+ years of acquisition experience, a valid driver’s license, and the ability to coordinate with property owners and attorneys. A local presence in Houston is essential.

Qualifications

• Must have 3-5+ years of Acquisition experience.
• Must be local to Houston, TX for In-House work.
• Must be willing to work out of the client's office, Monday - Friday.
• An active TREC license is a plus!
• Experience in interpretation of documents and in the use of all of the tools required in the Right-of-Way field.
• Broad array of knowledge in all phases of Right-of-Way.
• Understanding of environmental issues.

Responsibilities

• Contact the owners of land interests regarding acquisition of real property rights and related matters.
• Negotiate property purchases, analyze appraisals, and advise the client using real estate practices and regulations.
• Represent the client in complex negotiations with property owners and attorneys.
• Recommend whether to pursue further negotiations or condemnation litigation.
• Prepare lawsuit packages for condemnation proceedings and assist the attorney.

Skills

Negotiation

Communication

Problem solving

Time management

Education

Associate degree or two years college and 2+ years ROW experience

Right-of-Way knowledge

Tools

MS Office

General PC skills

Job description

CLS is looking for an experienced Acquisition Agent local to Houston, TX for in-house work. This position is responsible for the field level investigations to obtain all information needed for land values, agencies requiring permits, crop data, potential areas of concern along the route, etc. This person is an experienced agent, able to perform a variety of duties independently.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

include but not limited to:

• Contact the owners of interests in land regarding the acquisition of real property rights, amendments of rights, notifications of entry, settlement of claims and other matters.
• Responsible for purchasing property by negotiating with the property owners, analyzing property appraisals, and making recommendations to the client using real estate practices, legal concepts, governmental standards and regulations.
• Represent the client in complex negotiations with property owners and attorneys.
• Responsible for recommending to the client whether a reasonable compromise is likely and further negotiations should be pursued or whether to pursue condemnation litigation.
• Responsible for recommending payment increases to the client if the property owner has a legitimate basis for seeking a substantially higher amount.
• Responsible for estimating areas of potential damage in advance of construction and accumulate information as to damages occurring during construction.
• Responsible for preparing lawsuit packages for condemnation proceedings, assisting the client’s attorney, and serving as an expert witness in mediation or trial if the negotiation process fails.
• Capable of working unsupervised in a variety of roles.
• Well qualified in a specialized area such as regulatory matters or acquisition that they are selected to work only in this area of special expertise.
• May be responsible for Right of Way operations and maintenance.

Accountability

• This position is responsible for working with all office staff, ensuring a healthy work environment and the satisfaction of all staff.
• Must be able to work effectively and professionally with office staff, the client and landowners.

Qualification Requirements (minimum and preferred requirements)

• Must have 3-5+ years of Acquisition experience.
• Must be local to Houston, TX for In-House work.
• Must be willing to work out of the client's office, Monday - Friday.
• An active TREC license is a plus!

Education:

• Associate’s degree or two years of college and two plus years of Right of Way experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Experience:

• Experience in interpretation of documents and in the use of all of the tools required in the Right-of-Way field.
• Broad array of knowledge in all phases of Right-of-Way.
• Understanding of environmental issues.

Licensing:

• Must have a valid driver’s license.
• Must maintain minimum automobile liability insurance in the amount of $100,000/$300,000/$100,000.

Language Skills:

• Requires excellent oral and written communication and presentation skills.
• Must be able to write clearly and concisely to prepare reports, specifications, and correspondence.

Mathematical Skills:

• Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, percentages, and decimals.

Reasoning Ability:

• Ability to apply commonsense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form.
• Ability to deal with problems involving several variables in standardized situations.

Other Skills and Abilities:

• Intermediate computer skills and familiarity with general PC operation.
• Intermediate software skills with all Microsoft Office applications.
• Ability to learn new computer programs rapidly.
• Ability and willingness to move rapidly from place to place and meet timeline constraints.
• Capacity to be flexible, multi-task and maintain a great attitude.