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Just compensation doesn't matter. Gov't lowballs because it knows it can; once the gov't wants it, no one else is going to bother, so you can't get "market value."

Case in point:

"The UKMD (hail, comrade!) wants to create something they call a "community center" and offered to buy a two-story building for $1.9 million. It's owned by the American Automobile Association, and located on the Southwest Freeway near the Greenway Plaza; prime commercial real estate. Then the Girl Scouts, headquartered in the building next door -- even sharing the same parking lot -- found out it was for sale. It doesn't get any better than that. Either pay a lot of money to rebuild theur current structure, or they buy out their longtime neighbor. So they outbid the UKMD (hail, comrade!) , offering $2.2 million. (The property is assessed by the HCAD at $1.8m). The District decided that fine, they could meet that offer. This is great--capitalism at work! Someone's got a commodity, folks who are bidding have got the money. Lets do this!

Only one side didn't want to play fair in a bidding war. Suddenly, the AAA broke off the negotiations with the GSA. Why? They got a letter from the UKMD (hail, comrade!) stating that if it had to do so, it would use eminent domain to take the building. The AAA, cowed into avoiding what would be a costly legal battle if they tried to defy the District, folded."

Emphasis added.

Full story
Almost a 25% difference between the assessed value and the last offer before the unelected "reinvestment zone" board cheated.

Most people don't have the knowledge or attention span to follow these municipal deals all the way and in detail. Those who do seem remarkably one-dimensional or dilettantes. Professionals can do it, right-of-way agents have the particular blend of character traits needed for success in this field of endeavor.

No doubt there will be more people taking a look at this kind of career, but the professionals will remain a small, select group.