Opinion ID: 1412425
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Prior Condemnation Award

Text: Atlantic Title argues that the master erred in taking judicial notice of the amount of the settlement in the condemnation action between Stanley and the D.O.T. Atlantic Title posits that the amount of the condemnation settlement is not probative of the value of the land at the time of purchase because the settlement occurred over five years after Stanley purchased the property and included compensation for the loss of the building and boat ramp as well as the land. Accordingly, Atlantic Title argues the master's ruling is based on improper evidence. We disagree. We need not reach the questions raised as to the relevance of the condemnation award in this action, because an analysis of the order below demonstrates that this argument must fail. While Atlantic Title correctly points out that the master's order makes note of the condemnation award, the order additionally provides that [b]ased on the testimony offered by [Stanley] and other evidence, this court concludes that the value of Mr. Stanley's remaining 1.093 acres was $100,000 at the time of purchase. The master's order clearly ties the valuation of Stanley's land to Stanley's testimony at trial that his land was worth $100,000 per acre at the time of purchase, and for this reason, the master's notice of the condemnation award is inconsequential. Stated differently, to the extent Atlantic Title argues that the master's order bases its determination of the value of Stanley's land on the prior condemnation award, this contention is incorrect. The general rule in South Carolina is that a landowner is permitted to testify to the value of his land, South Carolina State Hwy. Dep't v. Wilson, 254 S.C. 360, 370, 175 S.E.2d 391, 397 (1970), and Atlantic Title does not dispute Stanley's testimony in this regard. Because the master did not base his time of purchase valuation of Stanley's land on the amount of the prior condemnation settlement, the question of whether the master erred in taking judicial notice of the settlement is, in this case, purely academic. Accordingly, we hold that the master's conclusion that Stanley's land was worth $100,000 at the time of purchase is reasonably supported by the evidence in the record.