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Oceanguia - a title insurance company will take care of concerns.
Title insurance will pay your legal fees if you are sued to contest your ownership or claim damages? I'm not saying you won't be able to find a buyer. A serious buyer will hire a lawyer to review your past issues and determine if there is an ongoing potential threat. I'm just saying a lot of buyers may dismiss you before it gets to that point. The fact that your legal issues lasted for 9 years tells me it wasn't so cut-and-dried.
A property like yours will have a very, very small pool of potential buyers and people with this kind of money do not search the internet themselves, they have "people". Your most likely buyer will be in Texas or have some connection to the local area. The best way to sell it is by talking to the real estate brokerage that sells similar properties in similar price ranges. And even then it may take a long while to sell.
I live in Florida which has several of these type islands and even with beautiful fully built/furnished turnkey home(s) it can take years of marketing by realtors to get it sold. I don't think it will be easier in Texas.
Potable water: one local large island near me has mainland water available but some homes pre-date that connection and owners use cisterns to collect rainwater. However you are basically selling raw land and a buyer will have to work out all the problems, which will be manifold. A local high end realtor will tell you what a realistic listing price should be for an island with no amenities. It is really worth what someone is willing to pay, not what you think it's worth.
Potable water: one local large island near me has mainland water available but some homes pre-date that connection and owners use cisterns to collect rainwater.
It appears to me the water between the land and the island will be dredged regularly. Wouldn't a permanent water pipe be a problem for the dredgers?
Oceanguia - a title insurance company will take care of concerns. Many pieces of land have had lawsuits in the past- the files are pretty clear. no lis pendens etc
blueherons - the site private islands is not about Germany its international. For $350 I can get a listing -- I am not convinced to use them for agents. Maybe there is a DFW - Houston Firm that can do this -- havent heard from any so far.
I would skip 'island' specialists because you are in Texas not the Caribbean.
I agree with the poster who said you are wasting $350.
This needs to be marketed to someone who specifically wants a TEXAS vacation home. That is your pool of buyers and it will most likely be someone who lives in Texas.
Again, you are stepping over dollars to save pennies.
Ok in 2004 or so the Linebarger Law Firm said " You need to meet this guy--real estate is his hobby too". So I did without doing enough diligence. Along with another person we bought the island and acreage pretty cheaply. The other person then dropped out , not being comfortable with this Partner.
While looking at the land this Partner said "See that fence its actually on our property line" I didn't know. Next thing I know I was involved in a suit by the owner. Partner never told me until it was time for mediation. The suing party was not surprised I didn't know about the suit and asked if I was willing to come by their house to talk. Small community and they knew me. Once there they told me his real name ( a bit different from what he called himself) They said he was on felony probation in De Witt County for bilking a group of seniors out of their retirement. I was skeptical and told them that DA was my personal friend and may I use their phone? When I called Mike and mentioned Partner's name he said "Stay away".
I wanted out of the partnership as I was not being informed and Partner's reputation was driving me nuts.
He then tried to carve up my portion of land - blocked the road with a fence etc. I sued him in 2006 he settled. On an affidavit he swore under oath that he had never been convicted of a felony. Wrong and i brought to grand jury. He sued me in 2010 and by then half the county was suing him for one type of fraud or another. He had young girls ( while being married) coming to the police that he had done some lewd stuff and I was called as a witness in his Motion to Revoke Probation. He went to prison for about a year.
I was pretty much doing the pleadings free for anyone who would sue him. His wife filed for divorce and when he couldn't make payments he filed for bankruptcy. His wife did well. He still claimed an easement on the 10 acres but by now I had won the island.
Other parties sued him and secondarily myself. At some point he became honest. He testified that I played no part in this last case ( he had sold some land that was his and mine via quitclaim and I was not informed.) Finally as everyone aside from me was having financial issues due to legal expenses etc we had a settlement meeting. There he signed and we filed papers renouncing any claim to any easement over any of my property.
He was a bold man who testified under oat that he had millions of dollars in properties , shuffled around $50,000 from one bank to another owned a Mercedes, a limo and a truck, along with oil and gas and real estate. He claimed he only made $1000 a month, The US Trustee filed a complaint but hoped they would win on Summary Judgment - it was set for trial but Ive learned Bankruptcy Court is all about lawyers and trustees carving up a pie and justice is not relevant. The IRS who was provided with the documents and evidence has done nothing. Its been years. They are hopelessly incompetent.
I don't hold grudges -the guy now 71 or so seems to have come to peace with the world I'll sell my island and move on .
This was finally entered into a contract to sell Buyer pays title insurance- Title Company wants a survey and surveyor just gave an exhibit saying 1. It would be too expensive and 2 As the State of Texas claims all submerged lands , and the deed converys land that is submerged, the exhibit shold be enough. There are survey markers on the island but of course not in the water.
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