legal rights for my home? (real estate, lease, mortgage)

[jenniem0922]

This is a little complicated but I'm hoping someone can help: My parents bought me my house about 8 years ago which I paid them back for and then some and it has been mine in every sense of the word including paying all the bills, the taxes every year and I've put over twenty thousand dollars worth of remodeling into the house over the years the only problem is that the deed is in my parents name which was never a problem till now, because of a family feud going on my house was threatened, I don't know if it would come to that but I have four kids and I can't take the chance that I might lose my house so my question is do I have any legal standing in this at all?
I have been told about squatters rights but I don't know if I would qualify for that.
If anyone can help I would greatly appreciate it!
Thank you!

[Linda_d]

I think you need to see a lawyer about this issue immediately.

• Do you have any proof that you paid your parents back?
• Are the tax bills in your name or your parents?
• Do you have or can you get proof that you paid the taxes?
• Do you have proof that you paid for the remodeling?

If you're on the opposite side of this "family feud" from your parents, they may claim that what you paid was "rent", especially if you don't have receipts/proof of what you paid and for what purpose. This is why you never, ever get involved with real estate without some kind of written contract, ie a lease, a land contract, a deed, a mortgage, etc.

[BuffaloTransplant]

This is why they should have had you pay as if they held the mortgage. If the payments went to their name in a mortgage and the taxes now go to them? Then you either have to really cure the problem with them or get a lawyer.

They might be using you on taxes as a tax break or rental, to their benefit, not yours. If you claim the taxes on your federal taxes, you might have some proof the place is yours. Receipts for everything done also will help, if done in your name and paid by you

As long as they are on the deed and not you , you don't own it. If your name is on the deed with theirs and you also pay taxes? You have a better chance on everything.

[jenniem0922]

I am not on the deed but I do have all the receipts for the remodel to the house and I also have all the receipts for the payments I have made for the taxes and they are all in my name.
The reason that the house was never put into my name before was because my ex and I were going thru some stuff which ultimately ended with us splitting up and because he had major student loans we didn't want them to tack his loans onto the house and then I didn't push the issue because it didn't seem like a big deal.
The house is actually in my families business name which my brother is the president of and that is who the feud is with but even though the deed is in the company name my sister as treasurer is the one who signed it so maybe there's something she can do!