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Adriana Ward assumed the most frustrating part of selling her Marietta, GA home would be waiting for the right offer. Instead, she discovered that someone else had already claimed her as their own.
When her realtor arrived at the home on Twin Brooks Court in December for a scheduled showing, the warning signs were immediate (1). The lock box was missing. The for sale sign is gone. And when Ward arrived, he noticed that the windows he usually leaves open were closed and the latch had been changed.
When officers at the scene knocked on the door, the man who answered said he lived there. Court records show Timothy Pyron told officers he had settled into the vacant home and was “nesting.” Investigators say he claimed Georgia’s illegal occupation laws protected him from removal, describing the situation as a “peaceful hostile takeover.”
Cases like Ward’s attract increased attention because homes sit empty for long periods of time. An estimated 5.6 million properties in the 50 largest US metro areas are currently vacant, widening the window for unauthorized occupants to test the limits of homeowner protections (2).
As these disputes become more visible, are legal protections for homeowners finally starting to catch up?
Ward’s experience was harrowing, but Georgia has already taken steps to give homeowners more legal support, with House Bill 1017 making trespassing a felony in 2024 (3). Law enforcement can also issue a notice requiring occupants to leave, with removal allowed within three days if they don’t comply.
“It’s crazy that people think they can come in and take over somebody’s house,” Kemp said on Fox News (4). “Squatters are criminals, not residents.”
In many states, removing someone from a vacant property still requires a formal legal process. Homeowners usually have to first confirm that the person is occupying the property illegally, then serve a written notice asking them to leave voluntarily. If this fails, the next step is often to bring an unlawful detainer or eviction suit and appear in court, where the occupiers can try to assert legal rights to remain. The financial toll can add up quickly, with legal fees, court cases, property damage, lost rental income and cleanup costs. That alone can push the total to anywhere from $740 to more than $8,000 (5).
Ward says her experience revealed gaps that still exist in how squatting is managed, even in states that have moved to strengthen owner protections. In her case, the man who broke into her home was not charged with trespassing. Instead, the only charge filed was for criminal damage resulting from the damage caused when the screw was replaced. When she finally regained access to her home, the conditions were so severe, with trash left behind and lingering odors of pets and marijuana, that her eyes burned.
“I wish this didn’t happen to anyone because it’s really traumatic,” she said.
She told Fox 5 News that she has since installed cameras on the property to keep a closer eye (6).
For landlords like her with vacant properties, preventative measures like these can be the best line of defense. Other measures may include checking the home regularly or asking a trusted neighbor, installing alarm systems, removing lock boxes between showings, and documenting the condition of the property with time-stamped photos.
In the US, lawmakers have moved to tighten squatter laws as these cases draw attention to how vulnerable vacant properties can be. In March 2024, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 621, allowing property owners to file an affidavit and request that sheriffs immediately remove squatters without a court process (7). In New York, property laws were updated in April 2024 to clarify that squatters are not considered tenants for any length of time (8).
Read more: Approaching retirement with no savings? Don’t panic, you are not alone. Here are 6 easy ways to catch up (and fast)
Cautionary tales like Ward’s may give some real estate investors the chills, but there are ways to take advantage of hot real estate markets across the country without buying a property that could sit empty while it accumulates in value.
In fact, investors can enter the market with as little as $100. The Arrived real estate platform gives you access to SEC-qualified investment shares in rental homes and vacation rentals, curated and screened for their appreciation and income potential.
Backed by world-class investors like Jeff Bezos, Arrived makes it easy to fit these properties into your investment portfolio, regardless of income level. Their flexible investment amounts and streamlined process can help accredited and non-accredited investors take advantage of this inflation-hedging asset class without any extra work on your part.
Additionally, the American Housing Survey and US Census Bureau reported in 2019 that 31.4% of US housing consists of multifamily units, and the National Association of Home Builders reports that these units are only growing in popularity (9).
If diversifying into multifamily rentals appeals to you, you may want to consider investing with Lightstone DIRECT, a new investment platform from the Lightstone Group, one of the nation’s largest privately held real estate companies with more than 25,000 multifamily units in its portfolio.
Because it cuts out the middlemen — brokers and crowdfunding intermediaries — accredited investors with a minimum investment of $100,000 can gain direct access to institutional-quality multifamily opportunities. This simplified model can help reduce fees while increasing transparency and control.
And with Lightstone DIRECT, you invest in single-asset multifamily deals with Lightstone – a true partner – because Lightstone puts at least 20% of its own capital into every deal. All Lightstone investment opportunities undergo a rigorous, multi-stage review before being approved by Lightstone executives, including founder David Lichtenstein.
How it works is simple: just sign up with your email and you can schedule a call with a capital formation expert to evaluate your investment opportunities. From here, all you have to do is verify your details to start investing.
Founded in 1986, Lightstone has a proven track record of delivering strong risk-adjusted returns across market cycles, with a historical net IRR of 27.5% and a historical net equity multiple of 2.49x on investments made since 2004. In total, Lightstone has $12 billion in assets under management – including industrial and commercial real estate.
As such, even if multifamily rentals don’t appeal to you, Lightstone can still serve you well as an investment vehicle for other real estate verticals.
Get started with Lightstone DIRECT today and invest alongside seasoned professionals with in-game skin.
Lending Tree (10) reported that in 2025, US homeowners had $34.5 trillion in equity—$600 billion more than a year earlier. Now, with home values rising and homeowners shying away from new debt, investors have a new avenue of access.
Homeshares gives accredited investors access to this overlooked segment: the billions in equity locked up in owner-occupied homes.
Instead of buying properties, investors participate through a portfolio of Home Equity Agreements (HEA) – allowing homeowners to unlock cash with no monthly payments, while investors share in future appreciation.
The result is exposure to a large, underserved market in top U.S. cities without the hassle of ownership or the risk of overhead.
HEAs come with built-in protection: They typically cover 25 to 35 percent of a home’s value in a lien-backed position, which helps protect your investment if the market drops. And unlike traditional real estate, HEAs are also resistant to interest rate changes, offering attractive risk-adjusted returns even during economic uncertainty.
With diversified portfolios of high-quality homes and target returns of 14% to 17%, Homeshares offers a practical way to gain exposure to a growing corner of the real estate market.
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MSN (1); Borrow tree (2), (10); LegiScan (3); @GovKemp (4), Leaserunner (5), Fox 5 Atlanta (6); Ron DeSantis’ Office (7); New York Senate (8); National Association of Home Builders (9)
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. Offered without warranty of any kind.
