Squatters

[ultrarunner]

Got a text from a neighbor I only met once or twice that lives near my rural property.

Neighbor said not to pry but asked if I was on property or had people there working and I said no.

Got in the car and drove 15 hours through the night and arrived to find 2 people at the place… not knowing if they were alone and knowing no cell service and sheriff 90 minutes away best case gave me pause for a moment.

I got out and said sorry I’m late… which got me a dumbfounded look from one guy.

I followed saying are you the contractor or the realtor I’m supposed to meet with while looking at my watch.

The guy said he was sent by the property manager to look after the place because the owner is out of state…

I responded I’m the owner and didn’t know the “Property Manager”sent anyone out… (there is no property manager)

The two apologized for the mixup, quickly gathered their things and got in their SUV and made a Beeline getaway… the padlock for my gate is missing and the shop lock and door frame all bent to hell… but still holding.

All in all I think the situation turned out the best under the circumstances and maybe saying I’m expecting more people to show up helped?

The neighbor now has a key to the place and thanked me for coming up because they don’t want a squatters camp next to them… I thanked them profusely…

Probably not related but someone went onsite and harvested a massive old growth cedar leaving just the stump…neighbor said they heard chainsaws a few months back but said there was also logging going on in the area for a new home build… and didn’t think anymore about it… the cedar would have been floated out… so no logging truck… I miss that tree!

Just one more thing to be on top of… my great old time neighbors have all passed and it was just by chance I exchanged numbers with the family that shares my back property line.

Can’t be too careful these days…

 

[mrmikey]

To me, squatters are the lowest of low. Those sound like great neighbours to have and be friends with.

 

[lman]

We thought about buying a second home out of state but didn't want the headache of trying to keep it secure. We're happy with our little farm and don't need another place to worry about whether it has been burglarized or vandalized.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

Well played sir, well played! That sucks you had to drive all that way, I hope you at least made a weekend out of it. Did they gain access to the main living structure? How long do you think they had been there?

 

[Torvy]

Do you have any cameras on the property?

It might be worth the small investment.

 

[Bill Guenthner]

We thought about buying a second home out of state but didn't want the headache of trying to keep it secure. We're happy with our little farm and don't need another place to worry about whether it has been burglarized or vandalized.

That's us. I had planned to have a second home in retirement, but in today's America if you show up at your second home and someone has moved into it, they will have more rights than you will.

 

[Torvy]

That's us. I had planned to have a second home in retirement, but in today's America if you show up at your second home and someone has moved into it, they will have more rights than you will.

It varies by state quite a bit.

The sad, but unsurprising, wording in many of these state laws in that the squatters have to pay taxes to gain lawful ownership, but they don't have to pay the actual property owners anything.

Some states have tightened up their laws making it a bit easier to evict.

 

[ultrarunner]

Well played sir, well played! That sucks you had to drive all that way, I hope you at least made a weekend out of it. Did they gain access to the main living structure? How long do you think they had been there?

Easy to access windows all had screens out but no evidence of home entry.

The detached garage man door was open but no sign forced and the only thing inside an otherwise totally empty garage is broom and dustpan.

Only the shop man door has signs of attempted entry…

I think I dodged a bullet on this with no shortage of stories of home/property squatting.

Kind of at a crossroads on the place… owned 20 years with retirement being the plan but with property taxes having tripled with no end in sight it’s looking to be less of a reality.

 

[ultrarunner]

Do you have any cameras on the property?

It might be worth the small investment.

No, mostly because no wifi or cell service… thought about a dummy cam mounted high and obvious.

 

[drizler]

Does your garage door have the little plastic T handle for the emergency release attached? If so, untie it and throw it away. That’s an easy way to break into a garage. They just take a slim gym sneak it in over the top seal and hook that emergency release to open the door. There’s no use making it easy for them. If they gotta work for it, they’ll usually go find somebody else who’s less security minded to break into.

 

[ultrarunner]

It varies by state quite a bit.

The sad, but unsurprising, wording in many of these state laws in that the squatters have to pay taxes to gain lawful ownership, but they don't have to pay the actual property owners anything.

Some states have tightened up their laws making it a bit easier to evict.

WA state seems to be going the other direction… at least when it comes to renters rights and owner responsibilities..

 

[tradosaurus]

Alls well that ended well.
After reading your post, I would have brought the deed to the house and property to prove ownership in case I needed the sheriff.
Maybe bringing the sheriff with you so the squatters could have been prosecuted?
Depending on the state I would have come armed.

 

[ultrarunner]

Does your garage door have the little plastic T handle for the emergency release attached? If so, untie it and throw it away. That’s an easy way to break into a garage. They just take a slim gym sneak it in over the top seal and hook that emergency release to open the door. There’s no use making it easy for them. If they gotta work for it, they’ll usually go find somebody else who’s less security minded to break into.

T-Handle was in open position and heavy garage door found with one top roller off the track.

Roller damaged and woul not stay in so I swapped it with one midway down and working now…

With absolutely nothing in the garage I don’t know if I want to make it harder if harder increases likelihood of damage.

 

[ultrarunner]

Alls well that ended well.
After reading your post, I would have brought the deed to the house and property to prove ownership in case I needed the sheriff.
Maybe bringing the sheriff with you so the squatters could have been prosecuted?
Depending on the state I would have come armed.

A co-worker said shotgun but I would have needed to buy one first.

 

[ultrarunner]

A former tenancy that ended in a 6 month eviction cut every wire to the home security system including panel, sensors and copper phone line.

Don’t think new copper phone service is a currently available option.

 

[JeepHead]

No, mostly because no wifi or cell service… thought about a dummy cam mounted high and obvious.

Glad everything worked out. I think I would be getting Starlink and cameras if it were me.

 

[ultrarunner]

Does Starlink need external power or can it function with internal batteries for extended period?

 

[Torvy]

Does Starlink need external power or can it function with internal batteries for extended period?

In plugs into a regular outlet. You would have to put in a solar battery unit or similar to power it.

I use Spypoint Cameras. They can use cell networks and don't need to be on your cell plan to send images.

 

[Eagle1]

In plugs into a regular outlet. You would have to put in a solar battery unit or similar to power it.

I use Spypoint Cameras. They can use cell networks and don't need to be on your cell plan to send images.

Yeah that cell service (or lack there of) negates many popular options. Now take no power, no local phone or cell service and you are very limited. Then add 90 minute LE response time and you are pretty much at natures mercy.
Installing Solar, batteries and Starlink seems like more of draw for theft than nothing at the property.

Now if a neighbor would let you piggy back on theirs you might have an option for reasonable costs.

 

[ultrarunner]

No cell plan there but as of 2 months ago t-Mobil coverage at 1-2 bars started… though I would never see the day cell coverage would reach the property…

Appreciate the lead