Adverse Possession: "Exorcising Property Dispute Demons"

Excellent information. Very similar to Squatters Rights ...Yes?

We've got a listing now that brought up if prescriptive easement applies to federal forest service land. It doesn't, but it too, like adverse possession, has been physical, mental and temporal... for 27 years.  We did the exercise to find out if prescription applied, first because it's our job, and secondly to see if we could lead with the benefits of the easement in our marketing. We had to leave it out.

The research though was one of those things we do to learn something new, which is always a fun, good thing to do. Thanks for your thoughts here.

I was selling a piece of property last summer and the owner said the rights were well into the water, but that did not have anything to do with adverse possession. Wow, some people will do anything go get a piece of property.

Rich

I don't like Adverse Possession any more than I like Eminent Domain. I think both are a rip off on the property owner.  It would have to be something that was so important to the community and there was no other way and no other land, before I would approve.  This article just explained why. Not to mention that there is nothing more deadly than a crooked lawyer. :/

Rich

You are absolutely right.  Those cases are rare.  I know as Americans we have so many privileges that are non existent in other countries, but when a person pays fair market value and lives or works for their entire life, it just doesn't seem fair in any circumstance.  Just my humble opinion. :) Not to mention some creep coming along and using the law to steel from someone....oh that's just wrong!

A few years ago a teenage boy was causing trouble in the neighborhood. Police were notified. Everyone had watched him and knew he lived with his dad in a ramshackle house with boarded up windows. They even moved the lawn. When the police checked it out, the house was officially vacant and owned by a medical conglomerate with a nursing home on the other side that they had shut down. They were squatters. No clue if the utilities were on, do not want to go there. It is now gone.