Family returns home to find it sold to Squatters

[Lillfilly]

http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/...6pLid%3D179227

I'm trying to figure how the real estate agent pulled this off. How did that couple think they could get a house for $5,000? Didn’t they wonder where the deed was? How come it took that poor family 8 months to prove they’d owned that home for 12 years!? Didn’t the couple think it was suspicious that there were no keys and stuff was left behind?

[Andara Bledin]

I am somewhat baffled that they didn't have someone they trusted to check on the property while they were gone. I certainly wouldn't trust a house to be empty for that long and not have something happen.

Otherwise, I hope that shady ex-agent gets his ass nailed to the wall for that shit.

^-.-^

[TheHuckster]

http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/...6pLid%3D179227

I'm trying to figure how the real estate agent pulled this off. How did that couple think they could get a house for $5,000? Didn’t they wonder where the deed was? How come it took that poor family 8 months to prove they’d owned that home for 12 years!? Didn’t the couple think it was suspicious that there were no keys and stuff was left behind?

To answer your first two questions, they probably didn't care. They probably knew it was too good to be true, but hey, it's only $5,000... why not take a chance and just snatch it up? It was probably a furnished house, so bonus points! All they have to do is replace the framed pictures of the mysterious family who disappeared with their own!

As for the court stuff, it's sad, but the court system runs so slowly even "slam dunk" cases like this could take months to process. The defendants were probably dragging their feet as much as they could to stay in the house.

The squatters are trying to portray themselves as the victims in this case, and it's stupefying how anyone could take their side on this. If they are telling the truth and they truly didn't know something was awry about this whole arrangement, they are really stupid people. But, chances are they knew something was off, but they didn't give a damn.

I am somewhat baffled that they didn't have someone they trusted to check on the property while they were gone. I certainly wouldn't trust a house to be empty for that long and not have something happen.

From what the story says, the neighbors did tell them people were living there. I'm sure the real estate agent was a bit sly on this whole thing and showed the house quickly and sealed the deal fast. After all, if it's going for $5,000 you've got to act fast! By the time they signed the bogus papers it was too late and they quickly moved in.

[Akasa]

Who the hell isn't suspicious about getting a house for $5k? That's a down payment not a buying price!

[bainsidhe]

The article is sure skimpy on details. I'd like to know WHY it took 8 months for the courts to rule they should get their home back. This entire time, who was paying property taxes, and mortgage, etc?

Reading through the comments, one of the owners comments how she & her husband were served restraining orders and couldn't even watch the home to see if damage was being done. She also said the squatters have STILL refused to move and now they'll have to pay to hire the sheriff to try and force them out. She also mentions the sheriff won't even serve the squatters with trespassing because he's afraid of being sued for discrimination.

[Andara Bledin]

Part of the reason that it took so long was that the people who "bought" the place were fighting it. They likely waited until the absolute last day for every filing they made in relation to the case, which can add literally months to the whole process.

^-.-^

[Greenday]

Who the hell isn't suspicious about getting a house for $5k? That's a down payment not a buying price!

5k isn't even a down payment where I live. 50k more like it. 5k should have been a definite sign of ripoff.

[lordlundar]

I can see it. In fact I'm surprised it's so rare.

Think about it, the housing market went bust and banks are foreclosing on properties left, right, and centre often kicking people out with only the clothes on their back. All it takes is a scammer with some official looking paperwork and a for sale sign. They find a house that's not terribly secured, change the locks stick the sign up and tell the new people "The house was foreclosed and we need to sell it fast so we're offering it for dirt cheap!" They get the money, get the people to sign the bogus paperwork and BAM! off and running before the true owners return.

[bara]

Well, weve had doing the same thing. BoA the worst offender. So Im really not surprised at all.

[KitterCat]

I can defiantly see it happening. Heck I almost bought a house for 8k that ended up going for 6k. Some of the websites said it was on the market some said it wasn’t. Took a relater to verify it had all ready sold 3 months prior. During that time I also looked at a few foreclosed on houses. People had left stuff behind, so it doesn’t surprise me that the squatters thought it was legit.

What’s really messed up is that it took 8 months for this to be fixed. Also looks as if the “relater” in this case has gotten away scott free.

[mikoyan29]

8 months seem like a long time to close an open and shut case but I guess I'd rather have the court system move quickly in order to avoid the opposite error. I just hope that the realtor who sold this house was brought up on charges afterwords.

[BookstoreEscapee]

5k isn't even a down payment where I live. 50k more like it. 5k should have been a definite sign of ripoff.

Heck, my downpayment was $24K and that was just for a condo, not a house.

[Andara Bledin]

My down was closer to $7k.

For a down, $5k isn't completely out of line, but for a final price, it's as ridiculous as a $50 Rolex or $20 designer handbag.

^-.-^

[Lachrymose]

Mine was 6K-ish on a 150K single family house.

I, unfortunately, put the absolute minimum down. Payments still aren't that bad, though.

[Andara Bledin]

I, unfortunately, put the absolute minimum down. Payments still aren't that bad, though.

I, also, put pretty much the minimum. I had up to about 3 times that much I could have drawn from, but the payments, overall, wouldn't have changed enough to be worth the extra paid at the front. *shrug*

^-.-^