Adriana Ward assumed the most nerve-wracking part of selling her Marietta home would be waiting for the right offer. Instead, she discovered someone else had already claimed it as their own.
When her Realtor arrived at the house on Twin Brooks Court last weekend for a scheduled showing, the warning signs were immediate (1). The lockbox was missing. The For Sale sign was gone. And when Ward arrived, she noticed the windows she typically leaves open were shut and the deadbolt had been changed.
Must Read
- Approaching retirement with no savings? Don’t panic, you’re not alone. Here are 6 easy ways you can catch up (and fast)
- Dave Ramsey warns nearly 50% of Americans are making 1 big Social Security mistake — here’s what it is and 3 simple steps to fix it ASAP
- From Bezos to Beyoncé, real estate makes the rich richer. Here’s how everyday investors can cash in too (without paying millions or managing a single property
When police officers on the scene knocked on the door, the man who answered said he lived there. Court records show Timothy Pyron told officers he had settled in the vacant home and was “nesting.” Investigators say he claimed Georgia’s squatter laws protected him from removal, describing the situation as a “peaceful hostile takeover.”
Cases like Ward’s are drawing increased attention as homes sit empty for extended periods of time. An estimated 5.6 million properties across the 50 largest U.S. metro areas are currently vacant, widening the window for unauthorized occupants to test the limits of homeowner protections (2)…