Squatters Rights/Adverse Possession? (Dallas, Flower Mound: short sale, rental, HOA)

[cyclones11]

And thank you to all the people who did help me. The link to the discussion on this board will answer my questions I am sure. Also the other links. I had read a little on it this morning. I had never heard of it before. It sure is an interesting concept

[ETex2]

Apology accepted. But here are some brief answers to your questions:

"Just what the laws are specifically?"

Sorry, I don't have time to post 12 pages of answers.


"How long do you have to "squat"?"

It depends on the circumstances.


"Do you have to notify anyone that you are doing this?"

Yes


"I know the home has to be in foreclosure but what if it's up for sale by the bank?"

We're talking about a home? You must be more specific.


"Do you notify the courts and pay the back taxes?"

It depends on the circumstances.


"And has anyone actually done this and had a good outcome?"

Not me.

[pappy97]

Originally Posted by skids929

This has been discussed ad nauseum on these boards when the guy in Flower Mound tried it..It won't work, it's incredibly complex legally, ultimately expensive. If it's in foreclosure that doesn't mean it's up for grabs to squat on, someone owns it (most likely a bank) and eventually they figure that out.

He's still there apparently.

Flower Mound squatter still exercising his rights | www.pegasusnews.com | Dallas/Fort Worth

In theory it could work if he could adversely possess for the required statutory period, which in this is probably 10 or 25 years (There is a 5 year statute, but that applies when you have some kind of title claim, which he doesn't). It won't work because something will come up in 10 or 25 years.

The article says how people want to congratulate him and all that, do seminars, etc. That's all fine and dandy...once he gets free and clear title to the home. He's nowhere close to that yet, and will (likely) never get it. Until then, it's a joke. BUT if he does, by all means, he should go on tour and give seminars on AP.

[Poltracker]

There is no such thing as squatters rights. I believe what you are trying to refer to is adverse possesion. You must jump through alot of hoops, hope you do not get arrested for tresspassing, be prepared to loose any money you have paid in taxes and upkeep, and be able to stick it out about 10 years not knowing that when you come "home" from work someone will have locked you out in order to secure their property from you.

Don't make the mistake thinking that just because a house is foreclosed that it is abandoned. A foreclosed house or an estate property has a better chance of being abandoned, but it is not necessarily so. I know a property that has been sitting empty for the past 17 years, but the owners show up once every year to 18 months to check it and maybe do a little minor maintenance then go on their merry way. Never there over night. Its rural so grass and gardening is not an issue.

[1957TabbyCat]

Actual opportunites are more like where no one really wants them in high crime areas of the city and hidden areas in the country where there are few jobs.

And they don't likely hit the news and people doing them don't tell anyone other then on a need to know basis.

Many forgotten homes and land wind up being brought into the tax sale net.

I did know of a real estate investor who bought a package properties who told me he got one rather nice one included as a clerical error. It was a real error, he did not have contact or pal to do it for him.

The man in Flower Mound just wants to be bought out by a bank or investor, and his pool is clean now and the lights and gas are one. He has a nice place to hang out for awhile a least. and was turned down for a Walmart Job. He may just wind up being kicked out.

It would be kind of amusing for someone who just needed a place to stay and moves into a house rather then paying for and apartment. It likely cost him less the a one bedroom apartment to live in the McMansion.

[hamiltonpl]

Something important that squatters forget is that once the owner tells the squatter to leave, the time period begins again. So the guy in Flower Mound will have to go ten years before anyone with authority tells him to leave.

[skids929]

Originally Posted by pappy97

He's still there apparently.

Flower Mound squatter still exercising his rights | www.pegasusnews.com | Dallas/Fort Worth

In theory it could work if he could adversely possess for the required statutory period, which in this is probably 10 or 25 years (There is a 5 year statute, but that applies when you have some kind of title claim, which he doesn't). It won't work because something will come up in 10 or 25 years.

The article says how people want to congratulate him and all that, do seminars, etc. That's all fine and dandy...once he gets free and clear title to the home. He's nowhere close to that yet, and will (likely) never get it. Until then, it's a joke. BUT if he does, by all means, he should go on tour and give seminars on AP.

I agree...I personally think it's a matter of time, and I am sick of these media pundits only focusing on how savvy he is and not the details and potential pitfalls of pursuing something like this.

I know I personally couldn't endure the psychology of this situation if I were him. First off, knowing my neighbors thought I was pond scum, second living in a paranoid world where I have to ask for ID before someone is allowed in, and third not knowing when the rug could be pulled out from underneath, and last, wasting potentially 10 years of my life on this when I could be out working and paying down Equity in a home.

Seems like a live by the gun die by the gun legal situation to me. Eventually someone will figure out how to get him out, or the rightful owner will surface and POW just like that he's out.

[SVTRay]

Originally Posted by cyclones11

Sorry...next time I will not befuddle your brain with 6 BIG questions...my bad

If these where simple, everyone would be doing it. But instead the opposite is true and there is almost a book on one subject question. Anyhow, I would read the Flower Mound thread, it actually has a lot of useful misc info.

[skids929]

Originally Posted by cyclones11

Sorry...next time I will not befuddle your brain with 6 BIG questions...my bad

Oh yeah, and how do you join a forum ask for help then when someone offers help give em a hard time? Google is your friend here, keep that in mind. I wouldn't put too much stock in the advice you get here anyway, it's mainly opinions, and you know what they say about those..Most of us aren't lawyers, which is a requirement in this situation..If you ask me, anyone who pursues this is a deadbeat, and quite honestly the rules of 'what goes around comes around' and 'easy come easy go' apply very well to anyone who tries to look for cheats in the system.

Some advice, focus your efforts into putting in hard days work and buying a house the traditional way. I think you will find you feel better about yourself overall and that it's actually less effort, believe it or not, than acquiring a house by squatting.

[cyclones11]

Originally Posted by skids929

Oh yeah, and how do you join a forum ask for help then when someone offers help give em a hard time? Google is your friend here, keep that in mind. I wouldn't put too much stock in the advice you get here anyway, it's mainly opinions, and you know what they say about those..Most of us aren't lawyers, which is a requirement in this situation..If you ask me, anyone who pursues this is a deadbeat, and quite honestly the rules of 'what goes around comes around' and 'easy come easy go' apply very well to anyone who tries to look for cheats in the system.

Some advice, focus your efforts into putting in hard days work and buying a house the traditional way. I think you will find you feel better about yourself overall and that it's actually less effort, believe it or not, than acquiring a house by squatting.

Hey Einstein...if you read our first posts then you will see exactly what I am talking about concerning his "helping out". I'll break it down for you.

I asked a question
Genius said I needed to ask a specific question
I asked 6 specific questions
Genius said that was too many questions
I berated and made fun of genius
Genius sent in more genius message board harassers to protect him. Your kind always stick together.

See the people who are intelligent posted links and stories to back them up...They are actually here to help. Not wine and cry because a question was asked