‘They claim everything to be theirs’: Florida real estate agent blasts squatters for ‘destroying’ people’s properties, says homeowner was ‘scared to death’
Stories of squatters are increasingly capturing headlines across the U.S. Many homeowners are finding that the process of protecting their properties from unauthorized occupants is significantly more complicated than they anticipated.
Josh Bradley, a real estate agent based in Port St. Lucie, Florida, recounted an instance where he purchased a house in Fort Pierce from a woman who had inherited it. She decided to sell the property to Bradley after she found six individuals squatting inside.
Don't miss
Commercial real estate has beaten the stock market for 25 years — but only the super rich could buy in. Here's how even ordinary investors can become the landlord of Walmart, Whole Foods or Kroger
Cost-of-living in America is still out of control — use these 3 'real assets' to protect your wealth today, no matter what the US Fed does or says
These 5 magic money moves will boost you up America's net worth ladder in 2024 — and you can complete each step within minutes. Here's how
“She was scared to death of the situation. She didn't know what to do,” Bradley said in an interview with WPTV News.
According to Bradley, dealing with squatters can prove to be quite overwhelming for homeowners.
“They claim everything to be theirs. That's the biggest thing,” he remarked.
‘They would take it’
Bradley shared that, in the case of the house he purchased, he involved law enforcement to remove the squatters on grounds of trespassing.
However, such actions can come with repercussions.
When WPTV reporter Joel Lopez asked Bradley if squatters “retaliate” as they face eviction, the answer was affirmative.
“Oh absolutely. In this particular property, they broke multiple windows. We shut the power down. They'd break a window. It's three units. They'd break a window in another unit and get in. Anything they could unbolt or take, they would take it,” Bradley recalled.
He added that such situations can impose considerable financial burdens on homeowners, stating, “It's costing a lot of people $1,000, $2,000 a month to hold these houses… let alone if they're not getting rent and people are destroying it. It's costing people a lot of money.”
Read more: Baby boomers bust': Robert Kiyosaki warns that older Americans will get crushed in the 'biggest bubble in history' — 3 shockproof assets for instant insurance now
DeSantis to the rescue?
In March, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed HB 621, a bill aimed at protecting property rights, offering homeowners solutions to combat squatting and increasing penalties on squatters.
“We are putting an end to the squatters scam in Florida,” DeSantis said. “While other states are siding with the squatters, we are protecting property owners and punishing criminals looking to game the system.”
This new Florida law allows property owners to request law enforcement to immediately remove a squatter from their property if certain conditions are met: the squatter has unlawfully entered and stayed on the property, has ignored the owner's request to leave, and is not involved in a legal dispute as a current or former tenant.
In other states, the approach to handling squatting can be vastly different.
For instance, in New York, squatters are “classified as tenants and receive temporary rights as such” after occupying a property for 30 days.
What to read next
Car insurance premiums in America are through the roof — and only getting worse. But 5 minutes could have you paying as little as $29/month
Jeff Bezos and Oprah Winfrey invest in this asset to keep their wealth safe — you may want to do the same in 2024
You don't need to invest like Warren Buffett to get rich — this simple technique tops his returns without taking on more risk
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
