Flower Mound, Texas - A man who gained some face for getting a $340,000 house for $16 has been evicted, or more accurately willingly left his house.
Kenneth Robinson moved into the house, formerly owned by William Ferguson for $330,000 who abandoned three years later due to his inability to pay for the house. Now however, in a move that's all-too-familiar with people across the country, Robinson lost the house - which he acquired under Texas' adverse possession law - to Bank of America.
The finance giant is seeking possession of the house and asked a judge to give Robinson until February 13th to appeal or leave the house. Instead of appeal he took the option to unceremoniously leave.
Robinson, who states on his website he isn't a lawyer, gave Texas citizens tips on how to stay on adverse possession, some of which was used by people to keep their houses in the face of foreclosure. He says he started a paradigm shift by helping people keep their own or claim abandoned homes, which if they go into disrepair, can bring down the property value of surrounding homes. The website, he says, is to minimize the likely damage the media and others - such as some of his unsympathetic neighbors - would bring to him.
""They think some bum off the street came and paid $15 to get a $300,000 house by filing a piece of paperwork. That is not the case. That is the sum of what happened."
Adverse possession statutes can be found in most states, Brian C. Rider, a real estate lawyer and professor at the University of Texas. Someone who has openly taken charge of abandoned land for an extended period of time — using a driveway on a neighbor's property, for example — could try to claim that land later, he said.
Robinson hasn't been charged with a crime but police said they responded to several calls from his neighbors. One neighbor attended Monday's hearing and was smiling after the eviction was ordered.
"We're going to throw a party," he said.
Kenneth Robinson moved into the house, formerly owned by William Ferguson for $330,000 who abandoned three years later due to his inability to pay for the house. Now however, in a move that's all-too-familiar with people across the country, Robinson lost the house - which he acquired under Texas' adverse possession law - to Bank of America.
The finance giant is seeking possession of the house and asked a judge to give Robinson until February 13th to appeal or leave the house. Instead of appeal he took the option to unceremoniously leave.
Robinson, who states on his website he isn't a lawyer, gave Texas citizens tips on how to stay on adverse possession, some of which was used by people to keep their houses in the face of foreclosure. He says he started a paradigm shift by helping people keep their own or claim abandoned homes, which if they go into disrepair, can bring down the property value of surrounding homes. The website, he says, is to minimize the likely damage the media and others - such as some of his unsympathetic neighbors - would bring to him.
""They think some bum off the street came and paid $15 to get a $300,000 house by filing a piece of paperwork. That is not the case. That is the sum of what happened."
Adverse possession statutes can be found in most states, Brian C. Rider, a real estate lawyer and professor at the University of Texas. Someone who has openly taken charge of abandoned land for an extended period of time — using a driveway on a neighbor's property, for example — could try to claim that land later, he said.
Robinson hasn't been charged with a crime but police said they responded to several calls from his neighbors. One neighbor attended Monday's hearing and was smiling after the eviction was ordered.
"We're going to throw a party," he said.
No comments:
Post a Comment