Don't let the Squatters get you!
Most recently has the been the example of Randy Quaid. He was caught living in a home that was vacant, probably waiting for someone to find out about it. He claims that the home was his but he was not on title and had no documentation.
If you own rental properties, it's important to always watch out for people that might randomly move into your home. This is known as "Squatting". It is very difficult to evict someone that has been living in your home for months and they can prove it. Our legal system is about 90% geared towards tenants as opposed to the landlords. This has also been happening in Hemet Homes also. They tend to be a little cheaper and they stay vacant longer.
Just FYI. Be careful!
Skylar Lewis
Lewis Realty
Here are some of my other real estate Blogs:
Temecula Real Estate
Temecula Restoration - Our Friends
Water Damage Temecula
Here are some of my other real estate Blogs:
Temecula Real Estate
Temecula Restoration - Our Friends
Water Damage Temecula
21 comments:
This is scary stuff. Hope it doesn't start happening here. We have enough homeless folks around. WE sure don't need them taking up residence in the better neighborhoods by simply "moving in."
Its already happening in some Tampa neighborhoods. But the local police have kept it from getting out of control
Problem of squatters is getting bigger and it's not as easy as it seems to evict them.
Very Scary Stuff.. Also suggest checking on your listings quite often... I have a current short sale listing and had an agent call me last week cause she said she went into the house and all the doors were open, appliances gone and someone had sawed off the pool pump. Who knows when it happened but this is a growing problem and important for everyone to stay on top of their properties.
Hope it doesn't start happening here. We have enough homeless folks around. WE sure don't need them taking up residence in the better neighborhoods by simply "moving in."
That is scary. I saw a show recently called Holmes on Homes where tenants turned a rental into a drug house. They did so much damage, it was incredible. Almost worse than having squatters.
It's emerging as an issue for neighbourhoods at the sametime it is not easy get rid of him as you can't see everyone as a suspect to it.Miami real estate industry has got some of the issues like same.
This is a huge safety concern for agents and customers as well. I encourage all of my agents to visit their listings on a regular basis to verify the home is secure and as it should be....especially if it is vacant. I also advise them to keep a sign in sheet in the house to document that the home is being visited and checked on a regular basis. Perhaps if a "squatter" shows up and sees that the home is not being neglected and that someone is checking it every 10 days or so, they will go find another property to take over. It never hurts to drop your card off with the next door neighbor too.
I worry about the agents on our team all the time because of this issue. You never know what you are getting into when you visit a property.
We had this happen to a house that one of the agents in my office has listed, scared the buyers and their agents right out of the house. Big deal to get them out. Hope it never happens to me.
Haven't had any direct problems with this in the condo market here since there's a lot more security (a bit obvious), but I have heard stories from the war zones in the area in the older single family sections of town.
Doesn't the "legality" of squatting take years to perpetrate? Otherwise it's just tresspassing isn't it?
Either way I could see this being a problem (having to prove you own the property, have them removed etc.).
Thanks for the heads up, most appreciated!
Oooh this is scary to think about! Especially if you're a home owner that lives in another city than your rental property... It's wise to have someone in the same city watch over the property every once in awhile to make sure everything is OK - or have a property management company deal with it for you.
Yeah, really scary. We don't have that kind of problems in Montenegro, but I just can imagine your issues.
Oh! it's so creepy.. Can we call them also a trespassing? First and foremost, they should have a deal in both parties..
If you have a real estate property than it's important to always watch out for people that might randomly move into your home.It just beneficial for the home buyers and for the property dealers too.
It is NOT that hard to evict a squatter.
Trespass / squatting is not as difficult as a bad renter.
Squatter = call the police.
Press charges = squatter removed immediately.
I am really surprised this is just now becoming an issue. I would have though people would have started squatting in these foreclosures years ago.
What are the signs that a squatter is living in a vacant house?
Big safety concerns for anyone. It's tough to watch your rental property if it's long distance from your home. Meet your properties neighbors and get an email, they don't want anyone squatting illegally either.
Wow, very eye opening! Have you ever actually dealt with a squatter? As in you, yourself, in person?
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