48 thoughts on “Court Rules Squatter Owns Home and Can Sell It”
Now that I understand the law more. I can say it was negligence on the original owners' part for not checking on their property for 10-15 years. As someone who came from a big city. I am aware how dangerous abandoned properties can be to a neighborhood. Lots of crimes can happen in there.
There is a lot of that going on where I live because of the large number of absentee ownership. Mostly what you see is people buying prime timber land then going away for awhile and coming back to clear cut. The law is pretty lax as far as taking the loggers to task and mostly the people are screwed. I had a guy come on to my place and threaten me with a gun because he though I was the guy that stripped off his timber. Figured out later that he lost about a half a million in timber. They knew who did it but nothing was ever done.
I would agree with this law but only ONLY if the front porch and main doors were wide open inviting any stranger to cone inside. But these prick should be deny the application process if they somehow broke into the house.
This crap should not be legal at all. Property laws are a fckin joke. You've been paying taxes on it for 30 years, well you better give me back all the money I was paying then if ur taking it and it wasnt legally mine technically. Our countries legal systems are garbage.
It would be so simple to change the laws that allow squatters to "squat". In the case of adverse possession, it's not quite so clear that a squatter hasn't established interest. If you own property that you aren't caring for, paying taxes for, maintaning then you have your own set of issues, among them not being very smart.
Good coverage. … Document the Adverse Possession (i.e. squatter). Give legal notice to the squatter to vacate your property. Wait for the squatter to respond. If they ignore the legal title holder's right, then file an unlawful detainer (i.e. eviction) suit. After judgement, the title holder must get a court order to remove the squatter. And, then contact the sheriff for enforcement of the Court Order. … Never said defending it would be cheap. But, depending on the property, a good defense may be cheaper than just giving up the property.
Law states, Squatters must legally acknowledge the property they’re possessing at property tax offices to verify any discrepancies. This is a red flag for state offices to find criminal offenders. Due to squatters identifying precise time of their squat.
I had squatters squat in the house next door to me. My neighbors moved out. Squatters squatted a week later. They squatted there for 3 months before the cops made them leave. Within those 3 months, they were very loud and obnoxious. Up to 5-6am in the morning with loud music. Fortunately, the cops got tired of going over there and kicked them out. There were 13 squatters squatting in there.
Squatters get a bad rap. The fact is every situation is different and the case should be delt with on an individual basis. This situation however shows there was an act of fraud. Good for you uncle. How dare that couple.
Sqatters rights are in place for a good reason, you never know the situation. Its not always a few conartist weezeling their way in and taking money out of the pocket of the owner. Try a senario where the property has been forgot about and is rotting away. Whats the problem with a young family of 4 occupying said property? Should it sit delapidated and overgrown or two toddlers have a roof over their head?
I recently sqatted in a little rancher on the corner of Snug Harbor Road. The local coo who knew of my situation brought up the home while harassing me while I was camping. I apalogized and explained, I hadn't been born in the woods. I wasnt raised in the woods, I don't want to live in the woods. I wanted a roof and the safty of walls and a door. Excuse me. The house was going to be levled and replased by 10 xondos. There is a reason for sqatters rights, one being so people dont act as visulanties and smash the windows while they brandish a gun. This was the outcome. That house on the corner is now borded up and the yard is littered with garbage. This is the outcome of iignoring the laws in place and having byist views. The house is now an eye sore and im without a home. And so I apologized to that cop. Sorry for squatting
This happened in the UK. The “man” that ended up getting the house (after squatting in it), looked like an orc from lord of the rings, if the orcs from lord of the rings smoked cra**
Adverse possession takes 20 years in Illinois. Comes up often over easements or misplaced fences. Simply sending a letter at least annually, stating you are PERMITTING your property to be used, can eliminate it.
Its funny squatters can take over someone else,' house, and its consider a Civil matter, But if its a car, and I take possession of someones' car, by sitting inside the drivers seat, and start to pay the registration and insurance and the car payments and the car which is consider property as well should be mine legally, But because its a motor vehicle its consider criminal and not a civil matter. Steal a house its a civil matter, but steal a car its criminal and can get arrested immediately. Weird!
Next time we build a world. Let’s make ownership absolute with blockchain so no evil government or squatters can steal. Also property taxes against the law.
I feel like there are more layers in this story. Did the original owner know that someone was fixing up this property (which given the value and location was likely in bad shape) and let them put money into it believing that he would still own it afterward? Was the original owner in such poor health that they couldn't oversee the property? Was someone else hired to oversee the property in the owner's poor health and neglected its care? Did the original owner really do NOTHING to the property for nearly 20 years? I thought Steve said the original owner was paying the property taxes. How is that not enough in its own right? I need the Paul Harvey on this one.
Now that I understand the law more. I can say it was negligence on the original owners' part for not checking on their property for 10-15 years. As someone who came from a big city. I am aware how dangerous abandoned properties can be to a neighborhood. Lots of crimes can happen in there.
There is a lot of that going on where I live because of the large number of absentee ownership. Mostly what you see is people buying prime timber land then going away for awhile and coming back to clear cut. The law is pretty lax as far as taking the loggers to task and mostly the people are screwed. I had a guy come on to my place and threaten me with a gun because he though I was the guy that stripped off his timber. Figured out later that he lost about a half a million in timber. They knew who did it but nothing was ever done.
I’d tell the pig pen people that they can lease the land for a low, fair price or gtfo
Where are the proper laws that could prevent this?
I would agree with this law but only ONLY if the front porch and main doors were wide open inviting any stranger to cone inside. But these prick should be deny the application process if they somehow broke into the house.
This crap should not be legal at all. Property laws are a fckin joke. You've been paying taxes on it for 30 years, well you better give me back all the money I was paying then if ur taking it and it wasnt legally mine technically. Our countries legal systems are garbage.
Yea squatters are fucking crazy, can't harm them because they soemhow legally stay there but dont pay rent. That's straight BS
Ok, who paid the property taxes on the home he occupied?
Not the courts to decide
It would be so simple to change the laws that allow squatters to "squat". In the case of adverse possession, it's not quite so clear that a squatter hasn't established interest. If you own property that you aren't caring for, paying taxes for, maintaning then you have your own set of issues, among them not being very smart.
people have tragic accidents all the time..
must be the water.
Good coverage. … Document the Adverse Possession (i.e. squatter). Give legal notice to the squatter to vacate your property. Wait for the squatter to respond. If they ignore the legal title holder's right, then file an unlawful detainer (i.e. eviction) suit. After judgement, the title holder must get a court order to remove the squatter. And, then contact the sheriff for enforcement of the Court Order. … Never said defending it would be cheap. But, depending on the property, a good defense may be cheaper than just giving up the property.
If the squatter “lives there” then cut all utilities from the place and find a way to condemn the home
A fun discussion is: Adverse Possession vs. Encroachment vs. Easement.
About having the property visible to others as a squatting requirement, what about a camp, log cabin or such, far out into the woods?
When property rights are not enforced. You don't own property. What a loophole. I can real estate going downhill. Getting too much of this going on.
The court should refund the homeowners purchase of the property, then. This is sick.
Why was he allowed to stay there???
Law states, Squatters must legally acknowledge the property they’re possessing at property tax offices to verify any discrepancies.
This is a red flag for state offices to find criminal offenders. Due to squatters identifying precise time of their squat.
Don't take them to court. Hire some people to move them out.
I had squatters squat in the house next door to me. My neighbors moved out. Squatters squatted a week later. They squatted there for 3 months before the cops made them leave. Within those 3 months, they were very loud and obnoxious. Up to 5-6am in the morning with loud music. Fortunately, the cops got tired of going over there and kicked them out. There were 13 squatters squatting in there.
That just does NOT make sense! What court would give legal ownership to a thief???
Turns out 'finders keepers' is actually the law in some cases…
In most places of the US the property would be sold by the government for back taxes long before 10 years had passed.
GOD IS GREAT❤
California 5 years for adverse possessions
Wtf!
Squatters' rights were necessary in a time when you didn't want farmable land to be wasted. That's about it. We don't live there anymore.
Squatters thrive in socialism, communism way. USA is been run by JoeSquatter.
Squatters get a bad rap. The fact is every situation is different and the case should be delt with on an individual basis. This situation however shows there was an act of fraud. Good for you uncle. How dare that couple.
that would turn me from christian to sinner
Sqatters rights are in place for a good reason, you never know the situation. Its not always a few conartist weezeling their way in and taking money out of the pocket of the owner. Try a senario where the property has been forgot about and is rotting away. Whats the problem with a young family of 4 occupying said property? Should it sit delapidated and overgrown or two toddlers have a roof over their head?
I recently sqatted in a little rancher on the corner of Snug Harbor Road.
The local coo who knew of my situation brought up the home while harassing me while I was camping. I apalogized and explained, I hadn't been born in the woods. I wasnt raised in the woods, I don't want to live in the woods. I wanted a roof and the safty of walls and a door. Excuse me. The house was going to be levled and replased by 10 xondos.
There is a reason for sqatters rights, one being so people dont act as visulanties and smash the windows while they brandish a gun. This was the outcome. That house on the corner is now borded up and the yard is littered with garbage. This is the outcome of iignoring the laws in place and having byist views. The house is now an eye sore and im without a home. And so I apologized to that cop. Sorry for squatting
Continual use…i wonder if that applies if the squatter rents it out?
This happened in the UK. The “man” that ended up getting the house (after squatting in it), looked like an orc from lord of the rings, if the orcs from lord of the rings smoked cra**
It’s called legalized stealing
Adverse possession takes 20 years in Illinois. Comes up often over easements or misplaced fences. Simply sending a letter at least annually, stating you are PERMITTING your property to be used, can eliminate it.
Its funny squatters can take over someone else,' house, and its consider a Civil matter, But if its a car, and I take possession of someones' car, by sitting inside the drivers seat, and start to pay the registration and insurance and the car payments and the car which is consider property as well should be mine legally, But because its a motor vehicle its consider criminal and not a civil matter. Steal a house its a civil matter, but steal a car its criminal and can get arrested immediately. Weird!
If it's a law then the law needs to be changed! Did he pay taxes on it? How can this be legal when nothing was legalized!!!
In Arkansas if you're caught in an abandoned house you'll get arrested for trespassing.
Next time we build a world. Let’s make ownership absolute with blockchain so no evil government or squatters can steal. Also property taxes against the law.
jfc
I feel like there are more layers in this story. Did the original owner know that someone was fixing up this property (which given the value and location was likely in bad shape) and let them put money into it believing that he would still own it afterward? Was the original owner in such poor health that they couldn't oversee the property? Was someone else hired to oversee the property in the owner's poor health and neglected its care? Did the original owner really do NOTHING to the property for nearly 20 years? I thought Steve said the original owner was paying the property taxes. How is that not enough in its own right? I need the Paul Harvey on this one.
It’s nearly impossible to remove someone off your property once thier inside your home. So never let anyone in. Or watch carefully your empty homes
In Georgia it’s 20 years unless you basically have a fake deed and can prove it in seven years!
Government are criminals
Squatters can sell homes they squat tin no second mortgage for those who "actually" own it. KC Comanche tx