Land Squatters

Adverse possession - Protecting the Land ancestors

Several years ago , my great-great - grandfather was given several acres of land with a different understanding between him and the seller that the property was never sold . No one warned me to refrain generation of " negligence . "

Land has worked over the years and well-known companies make billions of dollars while our family was sitting scrambling to get by . Some family members have discouraged their children go to college . Others have lost vacation . They just can not afford it .

When I was a kid , I used to watch old westerns . One of the problems faced by people who are squatting on land they do not own . Lately , I have been dreaming about the western and I do not understand why until I receive a monthly check from the rental proceeds .

I wonder if the results from our property fair . The thought made me nervous . After all , if there is a problem , I might have to do something about it . I throw out ideas and focus on finishing my novel . My novel only acerbated the problem , because until now , I did not realize that all the dreams , fears , and questions I had were infiltrated into the pages of my book . Revelation stunned me . I laughed for a moment . I shed tears . Then I decided it was time to use my fear as motivation .

The thought of losing the ground we were driven out by an article I found titled " Couple Loses Land to Squatters Rights Law " ( 1 ) . This article is a precious gift to people like you and me . Before its discovery , I always assume when you buy a piece of property , it really belongs to you forever until you decide to sell it . We all may need to rethink this .

We can all sit back and blame the greedy neighbor , greedy businessmen , or sibling rivalry for the theft of our property . In the end , it is the fault of our family to sit in the back of our ancestors who worked hard relentlessly to achieve the one thing that they think is the last from generation to generation - Land ! We do a disservice to our ancestors when we waste what they worked hard for . We owe it to them to do everything we can to preserve their heritage through integrity and kindness towards others .

Since doing nothing showed no kindness to our ancestors , we have to get busy putting the home of our ancestors ' back in order . With that in mind , I made ​​a list of questions and searched the internet until I felt calm enough to appease my guilt .

Although these steps may not be in the correct order , they are still relevant if you want to protect your family's wealth .

1 . Find out what Squatters Land Law is in the state where your property is located.

2 . If you do not have a copy of the deed to the property , get one . You will need a description of the property . You may also need the deed to take that next step .

3 . Find out if the "adverse claim of ownership " has been filed against your property . If some greedy businesses or neighbors want your property , they will most likely have to file a claim against it . It is possible these claims can be called by other names in other countries . You will need to investigate this and get familiar with the terminology that is appropriate for the country in which filings may occur .

4 . Contact the Office of County Assessors ' where your land is located . They should direct you to a website where , hopefully, the registered owner of the property . If someone other than your family is registered , worried . Get an attorney .

5 . Realize you can use the option to file a lawsuit against the violation of land users . Further investigate this option .

6 . Realize filed a court order prohibiting the user can land on the property . Further investigate this option .

7 . If there is a company leasing your property , get a copy of their annual report . I think it's always a good idea to know how many companies are taking advantage of using our land .

8 . Take pictures of your property . And I would advise you to do this every year . Because of my family live in one country and our property somewhere else , this is a good idea so everyone knows , especially the next generation , what should or should not be on the property .

9 . Hire a land surveyor . The sole purpose of a land surveyor to measure the soil to determine the boundaries and the exact size of the property . Do not take this step lightly . It will prove worthwhile in the end .

10 . If your land is being leased to companies or individuals , to get a copy of the Lease Agreement . Particular attention to how long the lease agreement is for , which is a Lease Agreement with , and how much the monthly payments .

11 . Have you assessed land . There can be a big difference between fair market value and what you charge for your monthly rent for the land .

12 . A year before the rental agreement expires , make sure the monthly cost is proportional to the fair market value of your property , or property in the surrounding area .

13 . Seek the advice of an attorney . I know what you're thinking - it's too expensive . Most reputable attorney will not charge a consultation fee . Do not be afraid to ask a lawyer what you and your family can do to reduce costs . If your family is debated , prayed . If they are cooperative , you will be surprised how your problems with your property can bring you and your family closer together .

14 . Do not be selfish . The land belongs to the family , not the individual . You all are important . If you have nine family members and you receive monthly rental payments of $ 1.00, split -dollar nine ways . Or come to an agreement to have the money put into a special fund that will be issued to each family member in another designated time .

What I write here does not include everything that can and must do to protect your family's assets . It will , however , get you started. Remember , you can not go wrong with seeking advice from an expert lawyer who specializes in land law .

My family and I learn more every day about how to be better stewards over the treasure of our ancestors ' . I hope to continue this discussion so I can share the extra information I've gathered and experienced . This has been a process , but one that needed to recover from years of neglect .