Definition of "Squatter's right"

Jonathan Slater, MBA (HBS) real estate agent

Written by

Jonathan Slater, MBA (HBS)elite badge icon

President, Sequel Residential

Right to use property in the absence of forcible eviction by another. Some state laws allow squatter's rights to convert to bona-fide title over time. For example, if it cannot be ascertained who owns a parcel of property then a squatter may acquire title to the real estate because he has been an occupant of the property continually for some minimum period required by law.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Terms

Document issued by a governmental agency permitting the recipient to do something. An example is a building permit to construct a structure. ...

Shingles having uniform length, but random width. Random shingles give a creative appearance to a roof. ...

Buyer who is acting in good faith, is not aware of any outstanding claims or rights of others to the property, and has given valuable consideration as part of the business transaction. ...

An agreement by which the owner of property (the lender) and a borrower agree to let the borrower use the property for a particular time period and in return the borrower will pay the ...

A lender can be a private individual, a private or public group, or an institution that loans funds to a person or business that the lendee would later repay with interest in most cases. In ...

Generally speaking, indemnity defines a legal principle and an ensuing agreement to calculate the amount of compensation a party is entitled to resulting from a specific financial loss they ...

Total expenditure to modernize a building to meet the owner's or tenant's needs. ...

The right to deviate from the use of land prescribed by an existing zoning ordinance. ...

The definition of the term right of way is an easement or the right of another person to pass over land owned by someone else to reach a particular destination. An individual is typically ...

Popular Real Estate Questions