US VID: Mansion Squatting Is A Growing National Problem For The Rich

[Zardoz]

Mansion Squatting Is A Growing National Problem For The Rich, Thanks To Ballsy House Crashers (VIDEO) 

 Posted: 03/19/2013 6:06 pm EDT  |  Updated: 03/21/2013 12:34 pm EDT 
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/19/mansion-squatting_n_2909614.html

The latest trend in real estate is one that's giving us serious pause. 

"Mansion squatting," as it's being coined on the internet, is a peculiar growing problem all over the country. Just this week, UPI reported that a woman had conned her way into living in seven different Seattle mansions, months at a time, for absolutely free. She got her foot in the door by proposing a rent-to-buy agreement, but apparently never made good on either end of that bargain.

Meanwhile, it was discovered that a Brazilian man had taken up residence in a Florida mansion, hoping to be protected under the state's "adverse possession" rule. The 19th-century law allows for someone to occupy an abandoned home if they've paid taxes on the property for seven years. 

And yet another case of mansion squatting has surfaced in Bethesda, Maryland. A 28-year-old Moorish American National cited a 1787 peace treaty in an effort to prove he owned the estate. He was, incidentally, removed by authorities hours later on a breaking and entering charge.

Three's a trend, folks.

So what to make of all this blatant house crashing? Many of the homes are either foreclosed or were simply unoccupied at the time. Though we've always wanted to live in grandeur, we're not that desperate to do so.

The Washington Post takes a deeper look into this developing issue in the video below, then head over to their site for the full report.


If talks of living in a mansion have you dreaming of one of your own, you might want to check out a castle in Amsterdam, NY that's up for grabs at only $1 million. Click through our slideshow below for photos of the extravagant estate.