Prevent Squatters from Taking Your Property: Expert Advice

Nothing can be more alarming than having squatters in your properties these days. Squatting involves the illegal occupation of properties without landlord-tenant relationships.

The National Rental Home Council trade group estimated that around 1200 homes are occupied by squatters in the metro Atlanta alone. That begs the question: How can you prevent squatters from taking your properties?

Read on to get answers to this critical question and expert advice from other property owners.

Expert Tips to Prevent Squatters from Taking Your Property

Investing in real estate, whether residential or commercial, is a great idea. Not only does it help make your dream home come true, but this lucrative investment also lets you earn money. 

Here’s the problem: Squatting is gradually becoming a problem in the U.S. If you neglect your properties for so long, they might get occupied. Since there are what we call squatter rights, reclaiming them can be legally and financially exhausting. 

Take a look at the squatter rights by state:

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The old cliche always rings true to this day: Prevention is always better than cure. So, the key here is to prevent squatters from taking your properties. Here’s how:

1. Secure proper documentation for property ownership

First and foremost, property ownership requires tons of signed paperwork, on top of which is the deed. Other proof of ownership documents include title insurance policy, property tax records, and mortgage documents. Set proper documentation in place for your acquired and owned properties.

Jonathan Feniak, General Counsel at LLC Attorney, recommends securing all pertinent documents for property ownership. “The secured legal paperwork tells you are the legitimate owner of a house or a business establishment. Should there be a squatting incident, it’s your best defense against squatters for reclaiming your hard-earned and fully owned properties.”

2. Set security measures in place

Top security is key to preventing squatters from invading your personal space. To implement security measures, start by building barriers like fences and gates. Likewise, install a security system that includes closed-circuit televisions (CCTVs), sensors, and alarms. Lastly, monitor your premises regularly to prevent trespassers from getting in.

If you’ve invested in a commercial property, for instance, hire a security agency to have people secure and monitor your place. Or, if you’re renting out your residential property, get a home title lock protection to safeguard your rental investments against title theft and deed fraud. Ultimately, robust security measures help shoo squatters away!

3. Perform regular property inspection and maintenance

It’s easy to see squatters invade properties that aren’t constantly checked and well-maintained. They take space in these properties because they think they are abandoned houses. So, what better way to prevent squatting than to regularly inspect and maintain your properties?

Alan Parkes, Owner of Denver Roofing and Colorado Springs Roofing, suggests working with a property inspection and maintenance company. “Hire one quarterly or bi-annually to inspect, repair, and maintain your properties. They can ensure these properties are in top shape and working condition, giving squatters the impression that they are occupied and not neglected at all.”

Additionally, you can perform consistent rental inspections yourself to ensure you’re up-to-date on what’s happening in your properties.

4. Consider getting your property rented out

For the most part, squatting occurs if and when houses are abandoned. Squatters invade and claim properties that aren’t occupied at all. To prevent this from happening, ensure you are constantly checking in on your rentals if they are supposed to be unoccupied or ensure you have tenants in place. 

The same idea applies to commercial properties as well. However, contracts should be established to avoid legal implications and financial losses. For instance, have a Triple Net lease agreement between you and your tenant. So, while your tenant pays a portion of taxes and insurance to gain property control, you can ensure constant occupancy and avoid squatting.

5. Work with property management software or property manager 

Property management entails overseeing various aspects of your houses or business premises. Property managers handle house listings, tenant screening, maintenance, rent collection, and tenant issues. You can also handle this aspect of your business as well using property management software like RentRedi. They can guarantee that your properties aren’t susceptible to squatting. Over half of rental property owners usually have property managers.

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Mark Pierce, CEO at Wyoming Trust, recommends hiring a property manager for managing various properties to prevent squatting. “If you own a handful of residential or commercial properties, work with a property management company. Not only will they help you maintain your real estate possessions, but they can turn them into lucrative investments. Ultimately, hiring them is all worth it, especially when you start seeing ROIs coming in.”

Hiring a property manager to oversee all your rental properties is not always available. If this option isn’t viable for you, consider investing in property management software. As a landlord, this software application enables you to manage all your houses or establishments in a unified platform. With this in place, you can organize property listings, ensure tenant occupancy, collect rent payments, manage finances, and even handle tenant concerns. Ultimately, managing the properties yourself helps you prevent potential squatting altogether.

6. Take prompt action against unauthorized occupation

Sure, you might have all the security measures in place. However, let’s say your neighbor calls to inform you that someone has trespassed your property. What better way to address this than to take prompt action against unauthorized occupation? Call the police, and don’t delay it at all!

Jonathan Feniak, General Counsel at LLC Attorney, explains that squatting happens due to no actions taken to unauthorized occupation. “Some properties look abandoned, making squatters think no one owns them and compelling them to stay there for years and years. As a property owner, the last thing you don’t want to happen is to waste time, money, and energy trying to reclaim what you rightfully own.”

Final Words 

Squatting is a form of trespassing with the serious intent to claim property ownership and permanent residency. The Washington Post reported that it’s still a rare case, and no reliable source shows the number of squatters in the country. This report surfaced after squatting sparked a national debate and reached its fever pitch!

Still, no one ever wants to have their properties illegally occupied. 

To prevent squatting, consider the top tips and expert advice recommended above. Start with having proper documentation and end with being proactive towards unauthorized occupation. Likewise, secure your place, perform regular maintenance, hire a property manager, rent out your properties, and engage with the community.

With all these tips and steps, you can guarantee squatter-free properties, ultimately maximizing their income potential!

RentRedi Partners

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