Squatters

[MossRoad]

The open sewer lagoons I’m talking about are engineered systems with sewer pipes going to them.

Yes, I understand that. In this case, all of these open ditches flowed to a lagoon that was managed by the town.

 

[sequoyah101]

Got a text from a neighbor I only met once or twice that lives near my rural property.

Neighbor said not to pry but asked if I was on property or had people there working and I said no.

Got in the car and drove 15 hours through the night and arrived to find 2 people at the place… not knowing if they were alone and knowing no cell service and sheriff 90 minutes away best case gave me pause for a moment.

I got out and said sorry I’m late… which got me a dumbfounded look from one guy.

I followed saying are you the contractor or the realtor I’m supposed to meet with while looking at my watch.

The guy said he was sent by the property manager to look after the place because the owner is out of state…

I responded I’m the owner and didn’t know the “Property Manager”sent anyone out… (there is no property manager)

The two apologized for the mixup, quickly gathered their things and got in their SUV and made a Beeline getaway… the padlock for my gate is missing and the shop lock and door frame all bent to hell… but still holding.

All in all I think the situation turned out the best under the circumstances and maybe saying I’m expecting more people to show up helped?

The neighbor now has a key to the place and thanked me for coming up because they don’t want a squatters camp next to them… I thanked them profusely…

Probably not related but someone went onsite and harvested a massive old growth cedar leaving just the stump…neighbor said they heard chainsaws a few months back but said there was also logging going on in the area for a new home build… and didn’t think anymore about it… the cedar would have been floated out… so no logging truck… I miss that tree!

Just one more thing to be on top of… my great old time neighbors have all passed and it was just by chance I exchanged numbers with the family that shares my back property line.

Can’t be too careful these days…

I have had rentals and second homes. I have one house now and am happy to not have the others anymore. The squatter and other problems are just too much for me and too much risk.

We have a saying in the oilfield: "If it floats, flies or flucks; rent it. I am the same way about alternate property / dwellings. I have never known anyone with a lake house that didn't utter the famous words, "We have to go up and check the lake house this weekend. We have not been up there in months."

 

[mark in portugal]

The handyman who looks after my rental properties for me is an ex-squatter. He once squatted a large empty barge and didn't know who owned it; a neighbor then told me his big empty barge was squatted and he didn't know who was there.

I asked my friend if that barge had thick new blue polypropylene mooring lines.
"Yeah, how did you know that?"
I said nothing.

 

[tradosaurus]

In much of Texas, it is. Our county is open range. Critters run free. If someone's dog was harassing livestock, there would be a legal issue. 99% of the neighbors would handle a stray 1 of 2 ways. They either adopt them or finish them. There are simply too many to take in. Every neighbor already has 2+ dogs.

This guy just wants the county to handle the tough work. To be fair, he has 5 dogs at least 2 were strays dumped around here.

@jyoutz we do have septic requirements. That's it though.

As for property values...it's a tradeoff. The people who are interested in living out here would put less value on a place with restrictions than a place that might have poor neighbors. I can see 1 neighbor from my house.

Like with equipment, at my age, I don't care about resale value. Kids will be fine. I'd prefer they keep the place, even if only for vacations. If they sell it, they get what they get.

Fortunately, for people who like different options, Texas is big and they are free to live in a city or a more restrictive county, should they choose.

What county do you live in? I live in Bowie county and a search provided:

Bowie County, Texas, is a closed range county, meaning livestock owners must fence in their animals, a status established by a local stock law election in 1905, overriding the state's general "open range" default for the area. While Texas is generally open range (livestock can roam), counties can hold elections to adopt "stock laws," making them closed range where livestock must be contained, especially along highways.

Texas Stock laws

 

[Eagle1]

From your link.....

There are two kinds of counties in Texas when it comes to auto/livestock cases. Those counties who have adopted “Stock Laws” and those who have not. The default rule in Texas is that the State is open range, meaning that absent an exception discussed below, land in Texas is considered open range

No different than any number of things are different in parts of every state. You may have animal control officers, here best you get is a deputy with a shotgun if needed.

 

[Quaffer]

They also only answer to the voters.

Not sure what you mean by including the word: "only?"

The final sentence in the linked document says this:

"Furthermore, a sheriff should always perform his or her duties in accordance with the Constitution of the United States as interpreted by the United States Supreme Court."

https://www.sheriffs.org/sites/default/files/uploads/Legal%20Meaning%20of%20Oath%20of%20Office.pdf

 

[Suburban Plowboy]

When I lived in the Sandhills the guy that pumped my septic (and built our septic) asked if I was OK with him dumping the tank on the way out through the field. He was a neighbor. I said Yes.

In the year that followed the spring grasses came up gloriously exactly where that tank drained. Literally in a trail. It's fertilizer. But don't do this in your HOA.

"In" or "on"?

 

[mapper]

Easy to access windows all had screens out but no evidence of home entry.

The detached garage man door was open but no sign forced and the only thing inside an otherwise totally empty garage is broom and dustpan.

Only the shop man door has signs of attempted entry…

I think I dodged a bullet on this with no shortage of stories of home/property squatting.

Kind of at a crossroads on the place… owned 20 years with retirement being the plan but with property taxes having tripled with no end in sight it’s looking to be less of a reality.

Property taxes are high, but there is no income tax, so it balances out a bit.

 

[ultrarunner]

Taxes have jumped to over 20k…

I’m doing some deck work right now…

The idea was to retire there but the smart thing would be to sell as not a lot of differences between WA California as there once was…

Kind of hard to give up on the dream with over 20 years in the making.

Having my closest neighbor keep an eye on the place has been a godsend…

 

[BnRidge]

We have a house that has no permanent resident. I can't get passed the thought that if I ever caught someone that supposedly "moved in", that they would recieve such a barrage of sh** that there's a chance they wished they weren't alive. What the heck. Sic the dogs on them. The place isn't for rent and it's not for sale. And I've got a farm to run, where is that line drawn, small yard, bigger yard, farm yard, farm fields, back the spreader up to the door, call the sheriff? Are smaller places more vulnerable?

 

[ultrarunner]

I not off the beaten path but on 17 acres it is secluded…

My neighbors boys said to their mom I must be at the house because they could see light through the forest at night…

I got the text in California and within an hour I was driving 12 hours plus stops to get there…

With no cell service there and not knowing what or who I would find my only smart option was to get them to leave without making my self a target…

 

[jyoutz]

Not sure what you mean by including the word: "only?"

The final sentence in the linked document says this:

"Furthermore, a sheriff should always perform his or her duties in accordance with the Constitution of the United States as interpreted by the United States Supreme Court."

https://www.sheriffs.org/sites/default/files/uploads/Legal%20Meaning%20of%20Oath%20of%20Office.pdf

Meaning that they don’t higher up supervisors.

 

[Torvy]

Meaning that they don’t higher up supervisors.

Exactly. It is in stark contrast to the vast majority of city "police chiefs" and the like who typically are below the mayor and/or council.

Also true, however, that in most states, the state government has the ultimate legal jurisdiction. Ie, a sheriff turns a blind eye to crime, or is in cahoots with criminals, the state police can intervene.

In Texas, for example, the Rangers can arrest a sheriff.

There's a lot of misunderstanding about sheriff's power in both directions.