As a  writer  for an Insurance School there are insurance implications for squatters moving into abandoned homes after the Real Estate Crash and trying to take ownership through  the process of adverse  possession.  The squatters damage the property and cause claims .

People here in Florida are   trying to take  ownership through adverse possession and being arrested for it .  In Florida hundreds of those claims are  happening  and the police are arresting the people involved .   The law  harkens  back to use in Europe  five centuries ago  .  In Florida if you move into a  empty  house and pay the taxes on the house for seven years you will then become the owner.   Of course, that’s  if the  real owner  doesn’t pay the taxes .  When I  prepared  for my Real Estate License I had to  study about adverse possession because it was part of the law .  Why teach it as  a method  to gain property if all  the work and trouble just gets you  arrested by the police for trying it?

–This story brought to you by Florida Insurance and 220 School offering nationwide insurance and securities pre-licensing classes.

Obviously  some people  are breaking laws  while doing this  .   Some  are  falsely claiming  to be landlords of  house  and  charging money for rent  .  People are also being arrested for  being a trespasser  and for breaking and entering.  The law states that  that a squatter must publicly  let people know they are there, and not hiding there.  But the law kind of encourages you to try.  Yes you might get arrested, but you might also win .   Can you imagine  a law that says you can run drugs and if you don’t get caught for seven years, you are immune from ever getting busted again?  That would encourage you to  try selling drugs  .  A little bit like state-sanctioned entrapment.  What do you think about this  newest   twist  in the Real Estate  fallout  ?

Rick Sabian