Just when you thought you knew everything about real estate law, there comes along something that changes everything. If someone owns a piece of property and allows unabated trespassing across the property for long periods of time, and then arbitrarily starts enforcing their property rights, real estate law tells them they may not have the rights to do this, even if they own the property. With all these home vacated, it is prime pickings for someone moving in. Worse, many of the banks that own these properties have let them go, and have not even been out to see if anyone has moved in illegally. Even if they do inspect the property, getting a squatter to leave is not as easy as it looks.

 

Now many enforcement agencies will not even serve foreclosure demands to remove people from a property. Worse, the note holders who've bought the mortgages and own the homes may not even be in the United States. If a foreclosed empty home becomes a de facto residence for the homeless, a habitat for wildlife, an alternative parking lot for the neighbourhood, a short-cut to the next block or community centre for the locals, then once it's sold these groups could indeed sue to maintain their new rights. Especially after many years of unabated activity in the empty homes. Just because you think you know real estate law, does not mean that your investments are safe. Please consider all this.