I’m a 32-year-old American but I also have citizenship in another country through ancestral heritage. Recently I purchased a house there from a company that specializes in properties with complicated legal histories. This company handles the court processes to clear up ownership issues before legally reselling these homes.
The house is in a quiet neighborhood just outside a major city. At first I planned to demolish it and build something new but when I saw the place I realized it was in excellent condition. The previous occupants clearly took good care of it. It’s just not the style I prefer since the decor and architecture is from their culture so I decided to renovate it while keeping most of the original structure intact.
When I bought it the house was still occupied by an older woman and her adult daughter. They have lived there for nearly 50 years. The woman told me her father built the house and purchased the land decades ago. However court documents show that the entity who sold the land to her father did not have legal jurisdiction to register or transfer ownership. Their claim was never legally recognized.
They have lived there rent and mortgage free all these years. I even offered to sell the house to them at market price before starting renovations but they said they did not have the money. That surprised me given the decades of free housing.
They come from a community in that country known for not integrating well resisting legal norms and occupying homes without proper documentation. It is common in such areas for homes like this to be occupied for generations without clear legal ownership until someone buys them through the proper legal channels just like I did. Most buyers demolish and rebuild but I chose to preserve the structure.
Now they are accusing me of stealing their home and telling neighbors I’m the bad guy. But if I hadn’t purchased it someone else would have and probably would have torn it down. I followed the law gave them proper notice and even tried to help them stay.
AITA here considering it is my house fair and square.
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I’m a 32-year-old American but I also have citizenship in another country through ancestral heritage. Recently I purchased a house there from a company that specializes in properties with complicated legal histories. This company handles the court processes to clear up ownership issues before legally reselling these homes.
The house is in a quiet neighborhood just outside a major city. At first I planned to demolish it and build something new but when I saw the place I realized it was in excellent condition. The previous occupants clearly took good care of it. It’s just not the style I prefer since the decor and architecture is from their culture so I decided to renovate it while keeping most of the original structure intact.
When I bought it the house was still occupied by an older woman and her adult daughter. They have lived there for nearly 50 years. The woman told me her father built the house and purchased the land decades ago. However court documents show that the entity who sold the land to her father did not have legal jurisdiction to register or transfer ownership. Their claim was never legally recognized.
They have lived there rent and mortgage free all these years. I even offered to sell the house to them at market price before starting renovations but they said they did not have the money. That surprised me given the decades of free housing.
They come from a community in that country known for not integrating well resisting legal norms and occupying homes without proper documentation. It is common in such areas for homes like this to be occupied for generations without clear legal ownership until someone buys them through the proper legal channels just like I did. Most buyers demolish and rebuild but I chose to preserve the structure.
Now they are accusing me of stealing their home and telling neighbors I’m the bad guy. But if I hadn’t purchased it someone else would have and probably would have torn it down. I followed the law gave them proper notice and even tried to help them stay.
AITA here considering it is my house fair and square.
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OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:
> I am evicting a family from a house I own, this might make me an asshole since they thought they legitimately owned it and lived there for years.
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Contest mode is 1.5 hours long on this post.
Info: Is this near Barcelona by any chance?
What do you think? If I’m understanding correctly you’re buying a house they built? They’re victims here, even if we admit you’re one too.
YTA.
Just because something is “legal” doesn’t mean it’s ethically or morally defensible.
This is just colonizing with extra steps and more excuses.
YTA
That’s their home, and you’re trying to kick them out of it…not because you need a home of your own, but just to try to realize gains on an investment? Seems scummy to me, especially when you consider that they are the reasons why the home is worth anything in the first place. Maybe you can work out some other arrangement with them if you really feel like you need to be compensated, like maybe just charge them a rent they can afford.
NTA. You purchased the house, and the people in there never owned it. You were following the law, and you should not be called selfish and greedy for that. You had every right to take the house.
No you are not! I know what “community” you’re referencing. They choose to not follow the law, they act out when issues are addressed with them, and play the victim when held accountable. Handle your business boss, they don’t care about you, so reciprocate.
“a company that specializes in properties with complicated legal histories” <– Sounds like this company is specifically targeting ancient homes where proprietaries have owned long enough to not even bother having proof or documentation, YTA for going to that kind of company in the first place. They could very much be stripping people from properties that were inherited to them and it is not of your business why they don’t have money to pay the current price in this economy.
Just because you plan to “preserve it and not tear it down” doesn’t make you less of an asshole for finding a legal way to displace locals from their ancient homes.
Yta
You say they’ve built the house and lived there for 50 years and have kept up the structure in excellent condition. Otherwise it wouldn’t be worth you buying. Even if they don’t own the house on paper, they built it and clearly have both financial and sweat equity in that home.
Whether you’re legally clear is a separate question to whether or not you’re TA. Even if you’re legally clear to evict them (that wouldn’t be the case in the US btw, bc I think this would be a case of adverse possession) I think to be a decent person here you ought to at the very least offer them something in the way of compensation or accommodation. Otherwise YTA, big time.
They bought the land and built a house.
What do you mean they have been living there rent and mortgage free all these years??
YTA.
They got scammed, and you’re taking advantage of their situation.
Soft YTA. Seems as though you can afford to leave the house alone for a bit. Perhaps there is an agreement that they are allowed to stay, up until when the older woman passes, at which point the daughter will need to find new lodgings. Lets the elderly woman die in the home her father built and gives the daughter time to deal with the ramifications of the law.
Soooooo… you, with full knowledge, had a company who specializes in “properties with complicated legal histories” help you buy a house occupied for 5 decades by the people who built the house and then proceeded to kick them out. And you think that’s okay because if not you, someone else would do it? The phrase “You’re not wrong, you’re just an asshole” comes to mind. Sure you legally own it, but what you did was super slimy. Your neighborhood reputation is deserved. Reap what you sow my guy. YTA
look if you weren’t willing to be TA, buying (and flipping?) houses with a complicated legal history probably isn’t the right field for you.
Legalities aside, it does kinda sound like YTA.
They’ve lived there for 50 years. They thought they legally owned the place. Kinda sucks for you too, but it does sound like you knew about this situation going in.
NTA. They had plenty of time to sort out the legalities.
Your neighbors will always hate you regardless of what Reddit says.
Well you knew you were buying a home with a complicated legal history. No reason to expect it to be smooth sailing. Seems like the company you bought it from might be TAH for not doing their due diligence.
Nta. They had 50 years to clear up the legalities. They chose not to do anything about it for half a century & I can hardly imagine this sale was any sort of surprise. It sucks. It really does. But that’s not your fault. They’re own inaction was their downfall.
YTA. Big time.
You went to a company who, as you said, “handles court processes to clear up ownership issues”
They bury these people in litigation that they can’t afford, and take their homes out from under them.
They only do it because assholes like you will buy and evict them, guilt free, because it’s “perfectly legal”
Legal doesn’t mean right.
NTA. You bought it legally and offered to sell it back to them, they refused.
I’m leaning towards YTA. Are you sure you now own the land? Sounds like you bought into some legalized thievery by the rich on the poor. This sounds like a country that intentionally keeps convoluted ownership records so that those in power can seize things whenever they want. Maybe one day you’ll find someone richer now owns your land.
YTA and you better hope that country doesn’t have a legal claim similar to adverse possession. If so, you’re screwed.
NTA, they could get a mortgage to make sure that they could keep the house, it’s sad that the grandfather did not go through the proper legal channels, but that is on him, not on you.
You need to check the local laws regarding the situation because it might not be so easy to evict them.
In my European country, for example, if someone has lived for 10 years in a home and paid property taxes for it, they can sue you even if you are the legal owner. They will get back the money they paid and even the cost of improvements they did over the time they lived there if they have the paperwork. Also, the eviction process can take up to 5 years, depending on how fast the lawsuit moves. During that time, you cannot force them to leave.
Your situation is even more complicated because they believed themselves to be the legal owners of the house. Contact a lawyer and see what your options are. Lawsuits in these situations can take decades (I know of properties that are still under litigation after 20 years).
P.S. Don’t count on them not having money to sue. If the property is valuable enough, there are a lot of lawyers that will take the case just so they can get a portion of the settlement once the court case is won.
Shouldn’t this have been ironed out by the company you bought the house through? YTA
Yo is this in Israel? Did you buy a Palestinians home and evict them??
YTA. You chose to buy a home from a company that “specializes” in finding these problems to capitalize on human misery. This was your choice. YTA
YTA- you specifically went with a company that “specializes in properties with complicated legal histories”. You had to have known you could be dealing with this type of situation. What you did may have been legal, but that doesn’t make it right. If you want to salvage this situation, maybe offer the family a rent to own option or something. And make sure in the future that you deal with companies that aren’t morally gray.
YTA
If they are the group of people I think they might be I hope they curse the land before you throw them out on the street.
When you buy land from a company that specializes in selling contested land…. It’s contested. It was right on the tin, dude.