Adverse Possession ("legal" squatting)

[Psychonaut]

I've been doing quite a bit of research into Adverse Possession. My goal is to use whatever knowledge I acquire to work toward obtaining enough property and resources to sustain about 100-300 people independently of any standard sources of food/water/power/drugs etc.
I think that I'm pretty set on West Virginia as the state of my choice for this venture. I love the state simply because it has so much seemingly unexplored territory that seems ripe for the picking. However, I'm open to any suggestions as to other areas that are equally beautiful and have a less rednecky law enforcement that would hinder such an undertaking.
I'd like to gain and share knowledge on adverse possession. Anyone with experiences with attempts and successes in similar areas, please share. Anyone who would like to know more about what I've learned on the subject should also reply, as I think this is something that we all should know. I'll do my best to convey what I know.

 

[drybonezz]

You have to be REALLY careful about the people you chose to squat with/start a commune with. Me and my boyfriend were trying to start a homestead with 7 other people and every single one of them ended up bitching out in the end besides 2 of them. Then, we were left with this huge house that needed all this work and not enough people to do it all.
You have to make SURE it's people who are going to be good for it before you get yourself into it.

 

[mksnowboarder]

sustain about 100-300 people independently of any standard sources of food/water/power/drugs etc.

That's gonna be a massive amount of work and planning. I wish you well.

mike

 

[Psychonaut]

That's gonna be a massive amount of work and planning.

Trust me Mike, I know. I've already put several years into researching and learning first hand how to set up an intentional community and I know how much work it will take. I've done a bit of traveling around between successful communes and have learned quite a bit. I think I've got a pretty good grasp of what needs to be done to get the shit running. I also have about 20 people that are really dedicated to starting an independent society as well, several of whom actually have some cash to throw in on the venture (or will when the time comes). The only thing that remains is to somehow come up with the land. Spending all the money we have on land just seems a little janky when I know it's legally possible to get it for free.

 

[Pheonix]

if your gonna call it "legal" squatting then you need to do more research adverse possession is very much illegal by definition. adverse possession is the act of legally gaining title of land after illegally possessing the land for a certain amount of time. the time table varies from state to state but most are 5-7 years so in that time of illegally squatting the sheriff can come and kick you off the land and the whole time clock starts over again when you go back to squatting the land. my suggestion would be to pick a spot were the owner won't notice your presence for a long time however I think (not sure and maybe varies from state to state) you have to let your presence be known to the courts in order to start the clock. and if the owner gives you permission to use the land than you can't claim it through adverse possession cause your not "adversely" possessing the land. one of my neighbors is using some of my land and when I found out I confronted him and showed him my deed stating that it was my land then told him he has my permission to use the land that way he can't claim the land and since I'm not using that part of the land anyways I don't mind if he uses it

 

[Mr. Expendable]

sounds like a nice concept but people are the real variably of whether it succeeds or not... that and law.... plus after years communes can get very strange.... a few of my friends where traveling and the stayed at a commune that thy wher brought to by a guy in the city and they said it was like the twilight zone..... they kept trying to make them stay and they wanted the girls to have there babys( cuz of lck of genes... the whole insest ordeal.... you get the point).... and they said the people where too nice and didn't seem real..... they ended up not being able to get out for 3 weeks.... fucking crazy.... my freind sempt like she was in sock when i talked o her about it and said that a commune sounded cool.... because she was like nonononono it was cool!..... anyways pm me if you need help on leaglitys my old mans girl is a lawyer and i could ask her legal advice

 

[wartomods]

as i usually say, fuck communes, seriously, worst fucking thing to do ever, never gonna catch me in a fucking commune.

 

[lykantropp]

In ohio its 21 years till the land becomes yours

 

[threeoten]

In ohio its 21 years till the land becomes yours

If it takes THAT long in some places... does this "adverse possession" thing ever happen??

 

[Pheonix]

probably not in new jersey, where it takes 50 years. but yea, all the time it's used to settle land disputes among farmers and ranchers.

 

[outskirts]

probably not in new jersey, where it takes 50 years.

In New Jersey it takes 25 years.

 

[dprogram]

Come to TN it's 7 years. Do you know how many abandoned buildings are in Memphis alone? I used to be a real estate agent and I sold only foreclosed homes. I' have tons of legal ways to beat the system and know how to make money at it as well...if you're interested. I've got tons of advice but personally thinking that selling the car and getting a van is the best option for me at the moment. =)

 

[Mayor Cantrell]

I grew up in a cult commune called JPUSA in Chicago till I was five, and while I don't have many memories that stick out to me as particularly creepy, I'm a bit skeptical towards most communes. Most of that is informed through my mom and dad, who have told me some fucking crazy stories about adults being "punished for their sins" with beatings by dowel rods, compulsory mass exorcisms, regulations against dating anyone "outlanders" or anyone without a pastor's permission, and a handful of other absurdities. Their language tends toward attributing all material and psychological phenomena to a spiritual realm whose meaning is decided by the spiritual authorities in that cult. Anything you feel, say, or do is a direct reflection of either divine inspiration or demonic influence. This perhaps may have been a significant factor in my mom's subsequent development of schizophrenia after ten years of living there.

I think that there's potential for communes, but I think overall, that people's social conditioning makes such a severe challenge for any organization that wants to rework social relations on an intentional, communal level, that most communes usually fail. But good luck, hopefully the right dynamics work out. Sorry about this being somewhat off-topic.

 

[barefootinbabylon]

There ARE places in the country where land is cheap, believe it or not. Now, when I say that, I mean somewhere in the realm of $400-$500/acre; perhaps less if you buy 20+ at a time. However, during this time of economic upheaval, were you to have SOME sort of funds, it would do a hellll of a lot towards buying a piece of property. i generally share your same sentiments, however, and, after having traipsed all across this god-blessed land of ours, cannot wrap my mind around the fact that all the barren wilderness land (which still has GREAT potential, given the right people, vision, and... water. water's important) - isn't just FREE for the taking, like it was back in the 1800's - the federal government GAVE 100's, if not 1000's, of acres of land to people, primarily west of the Mississippi, if they were willing to homestead it.... We were born in the wrong time, my friend...

 

[Earth]

death valley,
hell you could hide the empire state building out there
- and the pigs would never discover it!!

 

[littlejasonsandiego]

i know a family handed house in east san diego by the owners was taken away after 20..

 

[redstateradical]

There is un-deeded land in Colorado. See thread on squatting the island.
http://squattheplanet.com/threads/l...estead-an-island-in-the-colorado-river.11794/