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be applied to the facts herein, and that the sales comparison
approach is the best method of valuation under our facts. The
sales comparison approach is premised on the common sense
technique of finding the actual sales prices of properties
similar to the subject property and relating these actual prices
to the subject property to determine its value. Given the fact
that the location, structure, and use of the Flick practically
mirrored the location, structure, and use of the Faust, we are
persuaded that the Flick is sufficiently similar to the Faust to
use the sale of the Flick for comparison purposes. We believe
that the $750,000 price that the City would have paid for the
Flick, had the 1988 amendments to the zoning code been passed
when the City exercised its option in 1987, is the most accurate
measure of the Property's fair market value. Lunieski's report
does not reference the sale of the Flick as a comparable
property. Strachota's report does. Strachota states in his
report that the sale of the Flick "would have possible relevance"
but for the fact that "it was bought by a governmental agency".
Neither Strachota nor respondent, however, explains adequately
why the fact that the Flick was bought by a governmental agency
should eliminate that sale as an accurate measure of the fair
market value of the Property. Although it is true that a
governmental agency bought the Flick, the agency still had to pay
fair market value for it. The City acquired the Flick from
Alexander under the threat of condemnation. If the City had been
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