Real Estate Rookie

360: Trespassers Took Over My Property! (How to Get Rid of Squatters ASAP) w/Leka Devatha

Jan 25, 2024

Experienced investor Leka Devatha shares her story of dealing with squatters in her property, including legal battles, media attention, and secret agent work. She offers tips on avoiding the same fate, dealing with squatters without evictions, and preventing theft. The podcast covers handling trespassers, legal challenges, removing squatters, involving the media, and taking action against squatters.

52:03

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Episode guests

Leka Devatha

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Quick takeaways

Knowing how to navigate evictions and leverage the right channels is crucial when dealing with illegal squatters and trespassers.

Understanding the financial impact and potential risks associated with squatters and trespassers can help investors take proactive measures to protect their properties.

Deep dives

The Importance of Knowing How to Navigate Evictions

This podcast episode discusses the importance of knowing how to navigate evictions, especially in challenging economic times. It highlights the need to be aware of how not to be taken advantage of and emphasizes the necessity of leveraging the right channels to regain control and address issues when faced with illegal squatters and trespassers. The episode shares the story of a seasoned investor who encountered a significant problem at one of her properties, involving illegal occupants and the importance of having the right insurance coverage. It acknowledges the financial impact and stresses the fear of nightmare situations for rookie investors, offering insights and lessons on how to handle similar challenges in the future.

Introduction

2min

Dealing with Trespassers and Squatters

5min

Facing Reality and Unexpected Steps

7min

Dealing with Squatters and Legal Challenges

14min

Getting Rid of Squatters

4min

Taking Action Against Squatters

19min

Dealing with Squatters and a Sponsor Ad

3min

If there’s anyone who knows how to get rid of squatters, it’s Leka Devatha. Right before MCing the biggest real estate event of the year, BPCon 2023, Leka got a phone call from her property manager with the words no investor EVER wants to hear, “there are trespassers in the property.” What followed was months of legal back and forth, media attention, and some secret agent work from Leka to get these so-called “tenants” OUT of her property. In the end, Leka lost tens of thousands of dollars, but today, she’s going to share how to avoid the same fate.

Squatters know their rights and how long it takes landlords to kick them out of a property, so they come prepared. With everything from fake leases to moving over utilities, claiming the legitimate owners are liars, and doing ANYTHING they can to prove they belong in the house, modern-day squatters could live in your home for years unless you follow the same steps as Leka.

In today’s episode, Leka shares how she got two trespassers out of her house without going through the long, costly, and often unsuccessful eviction process, how she beat the squatters at their own game, and what YOU should do to stop ANY squatter from even THINKING about stealing from you.

In This Episode We Cover:

How to get squatters out of your house ASAP without waiting on the eviction process

The one type of rental property owner squatters LOVE to target

Hiring attorneys and why your legal team MUST be ready to make moves quickly

Canceling utilities and how to get this done as soon as a squatter takes over your property

“Squatters' rights” and how to beat squatters at their own game

Leka’s BIGGEST pieces of advice to avoid squatters and trespassers in the future

And So Much More!

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