According to the UN, 10% of the world’s population are estimated to be squatters. In the US, particularly, squatters continue to be a persistent problem for property managers. The housing bubble in North America too led to a significant increase in squatters as affordable housing got harder to find.
Property managers have taken precautionary measures to keep their properties safe, including investing in lockboxes.
Property managers have taken preventative measures by investing in lockboxes to keep their properties safe.
As we move forward with our blog, it’s important to know who exactly qualify as squatters.
The first distinction to make is between trespassers and squatters.
Trespassers enter the property for a short period of time, sometimes with the intent to cause damage. They may live on the property temporarily and do not claim ownership. Trespassers have rights too but it is easier to classify their actions as illegal and therefore evict them.
Squatters, on the other hand, reside on the property for years at an end and claim ownership. Hence, getting rid of squatters is harder and more often than not, a legal headache. Squatters have also been given rights by each state, making it possible for them to claim ownership.
Squatter tenants is when existing tenants become squatters. Here’s how:
Dealing with squatters can be a massive headache for property managers. It costs time, energy and money that they often can’t spare. According to property management experts, here are a few effective and simple tips to avoid squatters on your property:
If you find squatters on your property, you have to take immediate action. Any delays on your part will only strengthen the squatter’s claim. Here are the necessary steps you must take to get of squatters.
Unfortunately, if you do find squatters on your property, there is no easy way to get rid of them. Squatters have rights, protected by their state. Here’s a list of things you absolutely cannot do should you ever find yourself in this situation:
Squatter rights, simply put, give squatters a chance at ownership of the property if they haven’t been evicted by the rightful owners within a set period of time. This period is called the statute of limitations and it differs from state to state.
These are the 6 states with the most lenient squatter rights. Here’s what is required of the squatter in each state to claim ownership:
Arkansas and Utah: Live on the property and pay taxes for 7 years
California and Montana: Lived on the property and pay taxes for 5 years
Florida: Live on the property for 7 years and either hold a colour of title or pay taxes
Tennessee: Live on the property for 7 years and have a colour of title
Adverse possession is the when squatters are legally granted ownership of the property. Yes, it happens. Property managers should be aware of the adverse possession laws in their state and have a real estate attorney who is experienced in squatter evictions to avoid a lengthy legal battle.
The silver lining - there are a lot of conditions that must be met before a squatter qualifies for adverse possession.
While squatters exist in almost every state, it is not necessary that you will have you deal with one. However, it is still advised that you take the necessary precautions to avoid squatters. In case you do find squatters on your property, immediately seek legal help and ensure all communication is formal and in accordance with state laws.
Tenants today are young and tech-savvy using online tools to find a home for rent. This is one of the main reasons why Property Managers today are using rental listing sites to advertise their listings and get maximum exposure for their properties.
With popular rental listing sites like Zillow having moved to a paid model recently, more and more landlords and property managers are looking for free rental listing sites including social media to list their next property. In this blog, we’ll make a list of the best free rental listing websites.
Property management chatbot with built-in Artificial Intelligence technology can increase your conversion rate by up to 391% and save 30% of your communication cost. Keep reading to see how these chatbots attract high-quality rental leads, resulting in low turnover rates.