Trespassers on new property

Old Vet · #21 01/14/11, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grandmajo

Thanks Kevingr,
I started out feeling sort of sorry for the son. Until I found out that not only had he not paid his house payments, but he'd never paid his property taxes or paid the sewer bill the entire time that he lived there. For 7 years!

In that case it will be resolved soon. Just like his father lost his property.

VERN in IL · #22 01/14/11, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by texican

Here's a little secret, that most people (especially urban folks) don't know...

You may own land you don't live on (de jure) but you'll never really own it (de facto) till your on it full time.

There is no such thing as unused land... if you own property you don't physically live on, someone, more'n likely the locals, who know the history, the owners (or non-owners, if their not local), more about the land than 'you', are using it... for hunting, foraging, four wheeling, firewood cutting, whatever.

Not saying it's "right". Just saying that this is the way it is.

I'd not invest too much in the property till you move on it.

If you do decide to fence it, you might consider investing in a little 'insurance' by cementing a dozen or t-posts deep along the corners, and where there are roads nearby... to prevent the new fence from getting 'borrowed'.

Whatever you decide, remember, You are the Outsider... and whoever is getting intimate with your land/property is probably an Insider. I'd 'live with it' till I moved there. Go and getting on the wrong side with a prominent clan (by getting one of their chilluns tires ruined, or nails in the feet, etc.) could ensure you a long and horrible future... literal wars have started over smaller things.

Talking to the sheriff about your concerns is ok... but, I'd avoid 'burning' a local. There's just no upside, and plenty of downside to worry about. When you get on the land, ingratiate yourself in the community... help out with the church, volunteer to help anyone and everyone, make yourself out to be indispensable. Achieve this, and then the community will protect your place when your off to work or on vacation. Don't do this, and you'll be holding occupied ground in a hostile country.

Good luck!!!

THAT IS THE POST OF THE YEAR! I am SOO TIRED of Snobbish land owners(we know them, all sorts of mean signs, but they are never around) Simply put, land you do not USE is land you do not OWN, and even then you do not own it, you just pay TAXES on it!

We got one of dem properties around here, a nowhere property with a pond, land is in a conversation program. New owners bought the deed and felt it necessary to post signs "NEW OWNER KEEP OUT" and "GAME CAMERAS" etc.

I don't like these people, you never see them, screw them! They treat their new "land neighbors" like this?

If I ever want to go back there, I will, don't give a crap about their new rude attitude from this city slicker.

Well said Texan, people need to understand this.

katydidagain · #23 01/14/11, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Vet

In that case it will be resolved soon. Just like his father lost his property.

His father still lives next door; the OP suspects the former owner, his son, is driving onto theirs from the father's property. The father farmed on his son's land; maybe he paid rent hoping to help his child?

BTW, I wouldn't move anything of value there but would feel out Dad, speak with other neighbors and talk with the authorities.

mtman · #24 01/14/11, 08:06 PM

so if i park my truck somewhere its ok to go and use it ,i dont think so
myself i would have someone drop me off sleep in there on the weekend, and when he opens the door and sees the shotgun i bett he wont be back

65284 · #25 01/14/11, 08:23 PM

gj,

I hope you realize that, in spite of the circumstances and the truth, you are going to forever be branded as the rotten so-and-so who "stole poor little Billy-Bob's house and had him thrown out of his home". Of course that's not what happened but that's how the locals are probably going to view it.

grandmajo · #26 01/14/11, 09:06 PM

Vern, I appreciate your view, I sincerely do. But, we are not some of those rude city slickers that you're talking about. We were both born and raised in this county. We simply bought this property because it was a good deal, we loved the layout of the house and it had more land for our small farm. We also bought this property knowing that we were going to have to put a lot of time and sweat equity in it to get the house finished.

I realize that it might make us unpopular with one of the neighbors, but we fully intend to introduce ourselves and be polite and neighborly.

JuliaAnn · #27 01/15/11, 01:01 AM

Well, it sounds as if the man who 'lost' the house didn't 'own' it either---if he never paid property taxes......

**Shrek** · #28 01/15/11, 01:24 AM

All you can really do is ensure you have adequate insurance coverage on your property,have photograph and video records of the state of your property, post it , install concealed survelience cameras and contact the Sheriffs Department to add it to their patrol route.

As an added tactic you could also introduce yourself to the father of the previous owner and ask him to keep an eye on your property in the interim. If lucky you may get the whole family on video.

Also instead of game cameras you might consider a web connected camara system to provide real time surveilance. A builder friend of mine purchases foreclosed properties and uses a hidden wifi laptop onsite and X-10 micro camera systems to survey his properties.

haypoint · #29 01/15/11, 02:17 AM

As with most problems, there are many solutions.
However, please keep in the forefront of your plans, push comes to shove, always.
Tire tracks in the snow is a bit vague. Is he driving across a corner of it or driving up to the back door of the house? The former is a bit like an adult version of, " Maw, he's touching me." Get over it. However, if he is getting into any buildings, the Cops need to fill out a report every time you see a new set of tracks.

tamsam · #30 01/15/11, 02:31 AM

Always carry a camera and be ready to use it. Good luck with your land. Sam

SweetwaterClyde · #31 01/15/11, 02:43 AM

What you need to do is make some kind of makeshift gate consisting of a two big steel pipes cemented in the ground with a huge chain and indestructible lock on it. You can unthaw the ground by building a fire on it and digging a hole little by little. I would invest in a trail camera as well, put it up on a fence post or somewhere NOT obvious, hopefully at an angle you can get license plate numbers. POST no trespassing signs and take a picture when you do, that way you have proof you posted your property...even if they are torn down by some trespasser. I once had a neighbor post his property every 30 feet on one side of my property...a little nuerotic don't ya think? Then I caught him fishing in my pond! The look on his face was priceless, LOL!!!

When I lived in Alaska years ago, the town junk yard dealer had wires strung up about 20 feet high all over his lot, making a mesh. He would hang paint cans from the wires, if anyone would drive through, he would shoot a can over their car, splattering them with paint...that only needed to happen a few times.

EDIT: I reread your post and noticed that you will be neighbors with the former landowners relatives. Play it cool, don't get too uptight, this kind of thing can be traumatic for people(losing property)...but they need to understand that it is not their property any longer. Just make your presence known, I'd go up and introduce myself to the relative, I don't think I would mention the trespassing to him, just tell him you will be in the area quite often and this is my car so don't worry, its just me poking around. If you act like a big ahole, from the get go, or act like everyone wants to steal from you, you might deny yourself a good neighbor, having the county mounty cruise around is probably not needed right now.

As they say, country folk have country ways, you'd be wise to abide by them now and make a good first impression.

Drizler · #32 01/15/11, 02:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by texican

Here's a little secret, that most people (especially urban folks) don't know...

You may own land you don't live on (de jure) but you'll never really own it (de facto) till your on it full time.

There is no such thing as unused land... if you own property you don't physically live on, someone, more'n likely the locals, who know the history, the owners (or non-owners, if their not local), more about the land than 'you', are using it... for hunting, foraging, four wheeling, firewood cutting, whatever.

Not saying it's "right". Just saying that this is the way it is.

I'd not invest too much in the property till you move on it.

If you do decide to fence it, you might consider investing in a little 'insurance' by cementing a dozen or t-posts deep along the corners, and where there are roads nearby... to prevent the new fence from getting 'borrowed'.

Whatever you decide, remember, You are the Outsider... and whoever is getting intimate with your land/property is probably an Insider. I'd 'live with it' till I moved there. Go and getting on the wrong side with a prominent clan (by getting one of their chilluns tires ruined, or nails in the feet, etc.) could ensure you a long and horrible future... literal wars have started over smaller things.

Talking to the sheriff about your concerns is ok... but, I'd avoid 'burning' a local. There's just no upside, and plenty of downside to worry about. When you get on the land, ingratiate yourself in the community... help out with the church, volunteer to help anyone and everyone, make yourself out to be indispensable. Achieve this, and then the community will protect your place when your off to work or on vacation. Don't do this, and you'll be holding occupied ground in a hostile country.

Good luck!!!

This does about sum it all up, the good , bad and ugly. Most places I know of trespassing isn't an offense without properly displayed posted signs. By that I mean not on the house but all along the perimeter. I think the spacing has to be 50' or at least in view of each other so no one can come walk through without being able to say they saw

the sign. Check with the Sheriff's office to see the regulations in that area.
With most of these types they soon enough move on to something else as they wander aimlessly through their life. Better not to directly provoke him though as he can make your life miserable, and you never really know if you are dealing with someone who is truly dangerous. There are some real nut jobs out there.

tinknal · #33 01/15/11, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beeman

This just keeps sounding worse. Also remember the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

Ummmm, the "tree" has managed to keep his property...........

Laura Zone 10 · #34 01/15/11, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by texican

Here's a little secret, that most people (especially urban folks) don't know...

You may own land you don't live on (de jure) but you'll never really own it (de facto) till your on it full time.

There is no such thing as unused land... if you own property you don't physically live on, someone, more'n likely the locals, who know the history, the owners (or non-owners, if their not local), more about the land than 'you', are using it... for hunting, foraging, four wheeling, firewood cutting, whatever.

Not saying it's "right". Just saying that this is the way it is.

I'd not invest too much in the property till you move on it.

If you do decide to fence it, you might consider investing in a little 'insurance' by cementing a dozen or t-posts deep along the corners, and where there are roads nearby... to prevent the new fence from getting 'borrowed'.

Whatever you decide, remember, You are the Outsider... and whoever is getting intimate with your land/property is probably an Insider. I'd 'live with it' till I moved there. Go and getting on the wrong side with a prominent clan (by getting one of their chilluns tires ruined, or nails in the feet, etc.) could ensure you a long and horrible future... literal wars have started over smaller things.

Talking to the sheriff about your concerns is ok... but, I'd avoid 'burning' a local. There's just no upside, and plenty of downside to worry about. When you get on the land, ingratiate yourself in the community... help out with the church, volunteer to help anyone and everyone, make yourself out to be indispensable. Achieve this, and then the community will protect your place when your off to work or on vacation. Don't do this, and you'll be holding occupied ground in a hostile country.

Good luck!!!

For this very reason, I would sell it.
There is NO WAY I would buy a foreclosed home, that butted up too the previous owners relatives.
My fear would be the never, never ending battle......and in my opinion there is not a spot of land in the US worth the stress, hassle and aggravation.

grandmajo · #35 01/15/11, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by haypoint

Tire tracks in the snow is a bit vague. Is he driving across a corner of it or driving up to the back door of the house?

The tracks came from the road, thru the field, then turned and came onto our property right up by the house. It looked like they then used the driveway to exit the property. DH didn't see footprints in the snow, so we're trying not getting too stressed over it. But we also don't want to be to naive at the same time.

DH and I appreciate everyone's advice! We are planning to make daily trips up there at varying times of the day throughout the week, we have been spending our weekends up there working. I think when I go up alone thru the week, I'll take my doberman with me and have a walk about. I've asked the sheriff if they can do an occasional drive-by as well. I'll take my camera up and take pictures too.

We're also going to go and introduce ourselves to the father this weekend. His father's place is up the road from ours. It does look nice, a very well kept older farmhouse.

Funny thing that I forgot to mention, we took our grown kids up a couple of weeks ago to show them the place after we closed. My oldest son said he'd been there before, the previous owner had some tires for sale and he'd went up there to buy them. My son said he probably lost the house because of drugs. I asked him what he meant and he said that when he got there the guy was smoking pot. I said, in front of you?! He said yep. I couldn't believe it, this guy didn't know my son from Adam, heck he could have been an off duty cop for all this guy knew. It appears that the previous owner made some really bad life choices.

geo in mi · #36 01/15/11, 09:44 AM

I think I agree with Texican mostly. Once you are there every day, things may settle down a bit if you play it right--that is, by not overreacting to every little thing that happens, and by not starting out by putting up signs or cameras, or coming out screaming to get off my property, etc. The fact that it is a foreclosure does add a new dimension to it, though. The property wasn't turned over voluntarily--so you can't forsee how the previous owner felt about it--and about your owning it now. The sheriff is your best friend, he has already dealt with the owner--and may have been called out to evict him once or twice, if he resumed living there after the auction(again by the sheriff)--so I would make an appointment with him and see what's up. I would also be careful about the vacant house turning into a meth lab or hangout. So, I would make an extra effort to be there--leave different lights burning, tracks in the driveway, and foot tracks around the property. Some spent shotgun shells in certain places would also be a sign you have been there. Even a car left overnight, or parked in different spots. These things break what the criminal mind looks for: regularity. By keeping him off balance, you will keep him away.

And, I have always advocated one important thing in new property ownership. A survey--immediately--with all the found irons(so you can put schedule 40 plastic marker rings around them), and then plenty of bright orange flags to mark the perimeters. This breaks the "regularity" with all the people in the neighborhood and lets them know you won't be a patsy as you gradually take your place in the community. The good ones will appreciate that, and the bad guys will back off.

geo

fantasymaker · #37 01/15/11, 04:42 PM

I like the idea of meeting these people...leting them know you are a nice real life person struggling o make it in a new place(even if you are not) but survey and a good fence too.

ronbre · #38 01/15/11, 04:49 PM

I would go over to the father's house and tell the father that you wondered if he saw activity on your property and let him know that you have talked to the police and they will be driving by and checking it from time to time to arrest any tresspassers that they see..make sure you have no trespassing signs that state that too..tresspassers will be prosecuted and have them every so many feet that is required by law

Dave in Ohio · #39 01/15/11, 06:27 PM

Sounds like time to have a party of Bikers and other survivalist type with target practice, that is if you have room for a rifle range....

therunbunch · #40 01/15/11, 07:09 PM

I didn't read all the responses.. but I would have an alarm system placed on the property with visible signs and window decals. We've had APX for 3 years (and love them) in TX and just had another one of their systems installed here in MA. They'll quit coming around and if they enter the property you'll know.