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Entire nations have ben built by squatters. Both the U.S. and Austrailia were formed by squatters who moved in on land occupied by native people. They imported laws to secure their rights to take and own the land.
As it relates to this situation, in this state, after 30 days of openly using the property, squatters cannot be forcibly removed in Florida. In other words, state laws give rights to squatters. You might be surprised to learn the laws of your own state. You would be the criminal if you attempted to force a squatter out at gun point.
Squatters target estate and bank-owned properties, establish occupancy and secure their rights. Sometimes such properties are leased out to others who pay rent to the original squatter.
Likely, the bank will eventually prevail through the courts.
There is nothing unique about squatting to the U.S. It's been a huge problem all over the world and especially in Europe. Great Britain only recently changed it laws to allow squatters to be evicted by force without a court order. That only took serious centuries to accomplish.
So, if you went on a 5 week vacation somewhere you could come back to find someone has broken into your house and now has the right to be there? Just so I understand this correctly.
Or does it have to be something abandoned?
I would think this could be a huge problem for snowbirds that aren't there year-round.
But what should be done to the neighbors? Nosey people should not get off scotch free. They are the ones that 'started this'.
Since they are, however, 'innocent' of any technical legal wrongdoing, I say burn their houses, but give them a few minutes warning so they may vacate, should they desire. If more squatters force their way into the neighbor's homes in the period between the neighbors fleeing for their life, and the time the torches arrive, so much the better!
Buts what to stop them from being nosy in the future? I say be proactive! Burn out their eyes with a hot poker, give them a few minutes to make it out of the house, and THEN burn it down.
This ^^^ You can't call the police and force someone out of a house that you don't own. The bank could do it, but not the neighbors.
Police cannot do anything about it. It's up to the bank and the courts. Till then....the squatters live rent free no different than the prior so called owners who defaulted on their obligation to pay their mortgage.
It's ironic how if one misses a few payments on their car, it will be promptly reposessed. Yet, some people purchased property with no skin in the game and transferred the market and interest rate risks to the lender. They continue to occupy their property despite not paying their mortgage or taxes. In some cases, they lease out their property and pocket the income and do so without declaring the income, paying their mortgage or taxes. And the laws have always allowed them to do this.
There has been a huge shift in the moral compass of a lot of people since 9/11. I don't know if it's a generational thing or what.
Entire nations have ben built by squatters. Both the U.S. and Austrailia were formed by squatters who moved in on land occupied by native people. They imported laws to secure their rights to take and own the land.
As it relates to this situation, in this state, after 30 days of openly using the property, squatters cannot be forcibly removed in Florida. In other words, state laws give rights to squatters. You might be surprised to learn the laws of your own state. You would be the criminal if you attempted to force a squatter out at gun point.
Squatters target estate and bank-owned properties, establish occupancy and secure their rights. Sometimes such properties are leased out to others who pay rent to the original squatter.
Likely, the bank will eventually prevail through the courts.
There is nothing unique about squatting to the U.S. It's been a huge problem all over the world and especially in Europe. Great Britain only recently changed it laws to allow squatters to be evicted by force without a court order. That only took serious centuries to accomplish.
Then Florida needs to change their laws. They're in session now and it's an easy fix. Laws are created by people, and they can be changed by people.
So, if you went on a 5 week vacation somewhere you could come back to find someone has broken into your house and now has the right to be there? Just so I understand this correctly.
Or does it have to be something abandoned?
I would think this could be a huge problem for snowbirds that aren't there year-round.
That can and has happened in Florida. Last year it happened to a snow bird. It's a seriously dumb law. Usually these squatters just want to be paid off to vacate.
Adverse possession requires 7 years. He has been there for 18 months. So, he has 5 1/2 more years of squatting before he has a chance at a claim.
Does he never leave the house? Seems like the owner (bank?) of the property would want to take steps to get him kicked out and arrested.
Also, has he been paying property taxes? If not, perhaps the city has a claim to the property and could evict him.
Reminds me of the story of the Colorado couple who took a job in Indiana then came home to find squatters living in their home. And to make it worse, the law seemed to be on the side of the squatters!
Very likely they will get him removed way before the 7 year deadline especially now that this has made headlines.
So, if you went on a 5 week vacation somewhere you could come back to find someone has broken into your house and now has the right to be there? Just so I understand this correctly.
Or does it have to be something abandoned?
I would think this could be a huge problem for snowbirds that aren't there year-round.
If that were the case and it was a private home owner coming home and finding someone in his house then he should be justified in shooting him.
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