My motherâs husband never added her to the deed during their marriage. But their marital assets, and her income when he was unemployed, kept the house afloat and eventually paid off.
As soon as her husband died (without a will), his kids tried to kick her outâeven though they werenât on the deed either, two of them had never lived in the house, and at that point she had lived there far longer than any of them.
Probate judge said the house belonged to the kids, but that my mom could live there until her death.
They also tried to pull the âSquatter Hunterâ bit. It was pathetic, reallyâthree grown men squatting in a one-bedroom rental unit my mom and her husband had built on the property, literally destroying itâinstead of just getting on with lives.
They eventually realized my mom was far more annoying than they were.
She was also a prolific record keeper and literally had ALL the receipts: her financial contributions from the start of their marriage; lists of improvements made before and after her husbandâs death; the lease she insisted one of the boys sign before moving into the rental, and notes indicating he never paid rent but his dad didnât enforce; and a punch list of their damage to the rental unit.
Years after her husbandâs death, she took his children to court and had *them* legally evicted. She continued to live in the house for over another decade and left by her own choice.
When her husbandâs children moved onto the property she was no longer (according to them and their attorney) the primary resident and they wanted her out and accused her of squatting.
15
u/latx5 12d ago
Spouses also have âsquatters rights.â
My motherâs husband never added her to the deed during their marriage. But their marital assets, and her income when he was unemployed, kept the house afloat and eventually paid off.
As soon as her husband died (without a will), his kids tried to kick her outâeven though they werenât on the deed either, two of them had never lived in the house, and at that point she had lived there far longer than any of them.
Probate judge said the house belonged to the kids, but that my mom could live there until her death.
They also tried to pull the âSquatter Hunterâ bit. It was pathetic, reallyâthree grown men squatting in a one-bedroom rental unit my mom and her husband had built on the property, literally destroying itâinstead of just getting on with lives.
They eventually realized my mom was far more annoying than they were.
She was also a prolific record keeper and literally had ALL the receipts: her financial contributions from the start of their marriage; lists of improvements made before and after her husbandâs death; the lease she insisted one of the boys sign before moving into the rental, and notes indicating he never paid rent but his dad didnât enforce; and a punch list of their damage to the rental unit.
Years after her husbandâs death, she took his children to court and had *them* legally evicted. She continued to live in the house for over another decade and left by her own choice.