Because removing squatters can take months and cost thousands of dollars, prevention is your best defense. Therefore, take proactive steps before someone occupies your vacant property. The following tips can help protect your home and reduce the risk of squatters taking control:
Fortify entry points: Secure all windows and doors and avoid hiding spare keys in prominent places.
Deploy security cameras: Ensure comprehensive property coverage by strategically placing cameras in areas that are difficult to tamper with.
Eliminate the appearance of vacancy: Avoid showcasing vacant images when marketing your home online; this is why Harb and Co. often virtually stages our vacant listings.
Don’t call attention to the home. Often, we don’t place a For Sale sign on our vacant listings. Prevent mail from piling up and use timed lights to create the illusion of occupancy.
Regular property checks: Your Realtor should check on the home often. Inform your neighbors and ask them to report unusual activities, prompting them to notify you and the police.
Notify local authorities: Inform your local police about the vacant status of your house. Establishing this relationship beforehand can facilitate quicker response and verification in case of incidents.
Squatters, often associated with homelessness or substance abuse, are no longer limited to rundown neighborhoods. Instead, they now target well-maintained homes in owner-occupied areas. Many blend in with the neighborhood and avoid drawing attention. Economic hardship, lenient laws, and easy access to information have fueled this trend. As a result, squatters can exploit legal loopholes and use social media to identify vacant homes.
Because eviction can take months and cost thousands of dollars, prevention is your best defense. Keep your property secure. Install security cameras. When hired, the Harb & Company Team will visit your home weekly until the close of escrow. Also, make the property look occupied. These simple steps can help keep squatters out.
Some of the squatter stories on the news these days is terrifying. Very timely advice