{"id":169836,"date":"2024-03-27T14:59:52","date_gmt":"2024-03-27T20:59:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/?p=169836"},"modified":"2024-04-08T16:14:09","modified_gmt":"2024-04-08T22:14:09","slug":"landlord-rights-are-being-stripped-away-and-given-to-squatters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/landlord-rights-are-being-stripped-away-and-given-to-squatters","title":{"rendered":"Landlord Rights Are Being Stripped Away\u2014Why the Latest Examples of Squatting Should Concern You"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n      <iframe loading=\"lazy\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"200\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/playlist.megaphone.fm\/?e=BIGPOC2557298961\" width=\"100%\"><\/iframe>\r\n  \n\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The media tends to side with tenants and take a negative view of landlords overall. One notable exception was an episode of HBO\u2019s&nbsp;<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hbo.com\/silicon-valley\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Silicon Valley<\/span><\/em><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">, where the hapless Jared has tried for over a year to evict a nonpaying \u201cprofessional tenant\u201d who is currently subleasing Jared\u2019s unit through Airbnb because California\u2019s landlord\/tenant laws are so biased in favor of the tenant that an eviction can take close to an eternity.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">At the same time, Erlich (who rents the rooms in his home to Jared and the other characters trying to build the fictional tech company Pied Piper) is demanding one of his tenants and soon-to-be-supervillain Jian Yang&nbsp;<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=AhZACkzuZeE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">leave his house<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">&nbsp;(video contains NSFW language) and unfortunately lets Jared\u2019s situation slip. This inspires Jian Yang to decide that instead of leaving, as Erlich requested, he would instead stay and simply stop paying rent.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">While that episode was quite amusing, some municipalities seem to be trying to transcend parody into something beyond satire. New York, for example,&nbsp;<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2024\/03\/19\/us-news\/moment-nyc-homeowner-is-arrested-after-tense-standoff-with-squatters\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">just arrested a woman<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">&nbsp;for changing the locks on a squatter in the $1 million home she inherited.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">According to a&nbsp;<\/span><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">New York Post<\/span><\/em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">&nbsp;story about the incident:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u201c[Adele] Andaloro claims the ordeal erupted when she started the process of trying to sell the home last month but realized squatters had moved in\u2014and brazenly replaced the entire front door and locks.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u201cShe said she got fed up and went to her family\u2019s home on 160th Street\u2014with the local TV outlet in tow\u2014on Feb. 29 and called a locksmith to change the locks for her.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Understandable, but not a wise course of action. The two got into a heated argument, and the police were eventually called. As<\/span><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">the<\/span><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> New York Post&nbsp;<\/span><\/em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">article<\/span><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">notes, \u201cUnder the law, it is illegal for the homeowner to change the locks, turn off the utilities, or remove the belongings of the \u2018tenants\u2019 from the property.\u201d The word \u201ctenant\u201d is an extraordinarily generous euphemism in this case.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">What complicates matters more is that in New York City, someone can claim \u201c<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/squatters-landlords-legal-removal\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">squatters rights<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u201d after being in a home for just 30 days. But \u201c\u2019[b]y the time someone does their investigation, their work, and their job, it will be over 30 days and this man will still be in my home,\u2019 Andaloro said.\u201d So, that left Andaloro between a rock and a hard place:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u201cAndaloro was ultimately given an unlawful eviction charge because she had changed the locks and hadn\u2019t provided a new key to the person staying there, the NYPD confirmed to&nbsp;<\/span><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The Post<\/span><\/em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">. She was slapped with a criminal court summons, cops added.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">This case may be exceptional, but it is by no means unique. Also, in New York, a couple bought a $2 million \u201cdream home\u201d to care for their son with disabilities but couldn\u2019t move in because&nbsp;<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2024\/02\/29\/us-news\/queens-2m-home-taken-over-by-squatter-from-retired-couple\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">a squatter had beat them to it<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">. In another home, a squatter completely destroyed&nbsp;<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2024\/03\/07\/us-news\/inside-the-filthy-nyc-squatter-home-where-cats-dogs-starved-in-stomach-turning-conditions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">a property in the Rockaways<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">, where dozens of emaciated dogs and cats were trapped inside on the verge of death.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The<\/span><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> New York Post<\/span><\/em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">&nbsp;quotes one attorney saying such cases have increased \u201c40% to 50% in similar cases in the wake of COVID.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">This is made all the more frustrating by New York\u2019s apparent lack of interest in prosecuting normal crimes. In 2022 and 2023, over half of felonies&nbsp;<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/buffalonews.com\/news\/local\/politifact-are-more-than-half-of-felony-charges-in-manhattan-downgraded-yes-but-its-common\/article_2887523a-d7a2-11ed-8ef1-7b18434bfe91.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">were downgraded<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">&nbsp;to misdemeanors and misdemeanor cases resulting in a conviction&nbsp;<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2022\/11\/26\/convictions-plummet-downgraded-charges-surge-under-manhattan-da-bragg\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">plummeted<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">&nbsp;from 53% in 2019 to 29% in 2022.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Meanwhile, New York\u2019s crime rate&nbsp;<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2022\/04\/06\/midtown-merchants-plead-with-hochul-to-clamp-down-on-skyrocketing-nyc-crime\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">skyrocketed in 2022<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"681\" src=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image1-5.jpeg\" alt=\"Crime in New York City by type (2022) - New York Post\" class=\"wp-image-169839\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image1-5.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image1-5-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image1-5-768x511.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image1-5-340x225.jpeg 340w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Crime in New York City by type (2022) &#8211;<a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2022\/04\/06\/midtown-merchants-plead-with-hochul-to-clamp-down-on-skyrocketing-nyc-crime\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em> New York Post<\/em><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Fortunately, crime&nbsp;<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fox5ny.com\/news\/nyc-crime-rate-2023-statistics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">has ebbed a bit<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">&nbsp;in New York City (and the rest of the country in 2023 and so far into 2024). But I feel pretty confident in saying it\u2019s not because people like Adele Andaloro are being arrested.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">I should also note that this isn\u2019t just a problem in New York. On the other side of the country, in Oregon, an investor posting as a squatter&nbsp;<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/how-a-squatter-in-oregon-was-paid-to-leave-home-he-was-not-renting\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">explained on X (formerly Twitter) how he could &#8220;steal a property&#8221; due to Portland&#8217;s laws on the subject<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Indeed, I would have thought such problems would be more acute in California, which has&nbsp;<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wweek.com\/news\/2018\/12\/17\/oregon-has-nations-second-highest-rate-of-unsheltered-homeless-people-according-to-new-federal-report\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">the second-highest homeless rate<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">&nbsp;in the country. Unfortunately, California&nbsp;<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/public.substack.com\/p\/three-times-more-homeless-die-under\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">chose a \u201chousing first\u201d policy instead of a \u201cshelter first\u201d<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">&nbsp;policy to help homeless people get off the street. Providing housing for each homeless person is, not surprisingly, extremely expensive, especially in high-priced places such as Los Angeles and San Francisco.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Getting back to New York: Despite this absurd story, the city has done a mostly good job with its homeless population and has been able to shelter 96% of its homeless population, whereas California shelters a paltry 38%. While some of this may be due to the more temperate weather in most of California as compared to New York, the fact that three times as many homeless people died in Los Angeles as in New York City in 2020-2021 (1,988 to 640) shows that it\u2019s not all that.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The Erosion of Property Rights<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The story of Adele Andaloro really shows less about how municipalities choose to help their homeless population and more about the erosion of property rights in many places throughout the United States. We\u2019ve seen this in the deluge of&nbsp;<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/should-real-estate-investors-leave-california\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">passed<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">&nbsp;and&nbsp;<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/how-the-affordable-housing-and-homeownership-protection-act-will-impact-investors\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">proposed legislation<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">&nbsp;targeting property owners throughout the country.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Now, I should note that Andaloro made a huge mistake. As indefensible as her situation was, she should not have taken the law into her own hands, especially in a state as unfriendly to landlords as New York.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">I should also note that landlords have more leverage in economic transactions than tenants do, and so the law does need to protect tenants. Landlords, after all, are the ones who write the leases. So, it\u2019s incumbent upon the government to make sure the landlord cannot put any overly arduous or unfair clauses in that lease.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Laws that require properties to be maintained or 24-hour notice to be given to a resident before entry or mandating evictions go through the court system and not be done with hired muscle are all legitimate and necessary in any functional and just society. But these \u201crights\u201d have clearly gone way too far in many municipalities. For example, Denver just passed a law preventing landlords from demanding a tenant leave for any reason other than \u201c<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.payrent.com\/articles\/colorado-eviction-laws-2023-update\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">just cause<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">,\u201d i.e., \u201cnonpayment of rent, violation of lease terms, nuisance, and engaging in illegal activities.\u201d&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">This means if a property owner ever intends to sell their house, move into it, or give it to their kids, they are simply out of luck. (Other states and cities have passed laws requiring landlords to offer extended notice and pay moving costs in such cases, which I actually think is reasonable.)<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Regarding so-called&nbsp;<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/learn.eforms.com\/real-estate\/squatters-rights\/#how-to-claim-squatters-rights\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">squatters rights<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">, legally speaking, they are supposed to simply be that \u201c[a]n individual may claim rights as a squatter if they are roommates, tenants, or occupying property that is abandoned or not used.\u201d This is just&nbsp;<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.investopedia.com\/terms\/a\/adverse-possession.asp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">adverse possession<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">, a somewhat odd law that transfers property from the owner to its occupant if the occupant has continuously occupied the property for a certain length of time without refraining from the owner. States vary from three years (Arizona) to 30 (New Jersey) on&nbsp;<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/worldpopulationreview.com\/state-rankings\/squatters-rights-by-state\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">just how long that needs to be<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">But in many cases, squatting has become synonymous with trespassing. And instead of punishing the perpetrator, the victim is the one who must stomach the cost.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/proxproperty.com\/missouri-squatters-rights#:~:text=Alternatively%2C%20you%20can%20serve%20the,in%20court%20during%20the%20hearing.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">In Missouri<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">, where we do most of our investing, \u201cjust like most other states, [Missouri] doesn\u2019t have special laws regarding squatters\u2019 removal. Therefore, to evict a squatter, you\u2019ll need to go through the state\u2019s eviction process.\u201d This means for the offense of having someone break into our property, we have to pay to evict them and lose out on the opportunity cost of any rental income that could come in during that time.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">This is the case in most states, so the big question to investors is, how friendly are the landlord\/tenant laws where you invest? Because if you do get a squatter, the question becomes how hard it will be to evict them. Indeed, I had gotten several, and while the courts here are rather slow, they are thankfully much faster than in New York.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">(In some areas, it is also sometimes worth boarding the windows and doors, at least during renovation, to prevent a squatter from getting in.)<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">SparkRental.com&nbsp;<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/sparkrental.com\/anti-landlord-laws-worst-cities-states-for-investors\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">did a study<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">&nbsp;and came up with a list of the most renter-friendly and landlord-friendly states. It looked like this:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"726\" height=\"593\" src=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image2-4.jpeg\" alt=\"Landlord-friendliness of state laws - SparkRental\" class=\"wp-image-169840\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image2-4.jpeg 726w, https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image2-4-300x245.jpeg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 726px) 100vw, 726px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Landlord-friendliness of state laws &#8211; <a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/sparkrental.com\/anti-landlord-laws-worst-cities-states-for-investors\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">SparkRental<\/span><\/em><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Back in 2020, BiggerPockets also&nbsp;<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/tenant-landlord-friendly-states-difference\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">did an analysis<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">&nbsp;with similar results. It found the five most landlord-friendly states to be:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">West Virginia<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Arkansas<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Louisiana<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">North Carolina<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Alabama<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">And the five most tenant-friendly (or perhaps most antagonistic to landlords) were:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Vermont<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Delaware<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Rhode Island<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Maine<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">South Dakota<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Moving Forward<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">While cases like Adele Andaloro make the headlines, overall, they are still rather rare. You don\u2019t want to become paranoid.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Still, in a time when such farcical cases are becoming more commonplace, and property owners are&nbsp;<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/the-silent-war-on-tenant-screening\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">under continued legislative attack<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">, it\u2019s important to know which places are the most amenable to property ownership. This is especially true for buy-and-hold investors.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Indeed, in the least landlord-friendly places (New York being one of them), I would probably lean away from investing in buy-and-hold residential real estate there. (<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/commercial-real-estate-fundamentals\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Commercial<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">, fortunately, doesn\u2019t have these problems.)&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">In other cities and states that are still tough on landlords but below the farce, I would still recommend caution. Budget for higher administrative and legal costs and a higher economic vacancy factor. And make sure any potential acquisition still works with such restraints.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Finally, make sure to understand your local laws, and no matter how ridiculous they may be, don\u2019t take the law into your own hands.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n    \n  <div id=\"visibility-group-block_c7630afe77658275a5b9d6695aadb321\" class=\"visibility-group  hidden\">\n        \n\n<div id=\"hero-block_ec725aff99b12930fa14714acd32fde9\" class=\"first:mt-0 hero-block py-4  alignwide   has-background has-theme-gold-light-background-color has-text-color has-theme-gold-color\">\n    <div\n        class=\" flex flex-wrap lg:flex-nowrap max-w-screen-xl mx-auto px-4 relative lg:items-center \">\n\n        <div class=\"relative z-30 w-full \">\n            <main class=\"py-4\">\n                \n\n<p class=\"has-theme-gold-color has-text-color has-large-font-size wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:800\">Get the Best Loan Today<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-3 md:my-5 lg:my-8 has-slate-900-color has-text-color wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:16px\">Find trusted, <em><strong>investor-friendly<\/strong><\/em> lenders who specialize in your strategy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=button-custom-event-block_4a899b2afeb522ccb3e855728b4a3ff6 class='button-custom-event'>\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/business\/finder\/lenders\" x-on:click=\"window.analytics.track(&#039;Blog Block | B2C Marketplace Lender Finder&#039;, {\n      referrer: &#039;https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/landlord-rights-are-being-stripped-away-and-given-to-squatters&#039;,\n    });\" class=\" btn-shape inline-block no-underline has-background has-theme-gold-background-color has-text-color has-white-color\" target=\"_blank\">Find a Lender<\/a>\n  <\/div>\n\n            <\/main>\n        <\/div>\n\n                <div class=\" first:mt-0 relative h-full lg:flex lg:items-center\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"object-cover w-full relative z-20 my-0  rounded-md hidden lg:block\" src=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Marketplace-Blog-Blocks-Lender-v3.png\" alt=\"investor friendly lender, investor friendly real estate loans\" title=\"\">\n        <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n  <\/div>\n  \n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n    \n  <div id=\"visibility-group-block_64dd31c79f00f\" class=\"visibility-group  \">\n        \n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"hero-block_64dd2875dba9d\" class=\"first:mt-0 hero-block py-4    has-background has-slate-100-background-color has-text-color has-theme-slate-color\">\n    <div\n        class=\" flex flex-wrap lg:flex-nowrap max-w-screen-xl mx-auto px-4 relative lg:items-center \">\n\n        <div class=\"relative z-30 w-full \">\n            <main class=\"py-4\">\n                \n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading my-0 tracking-tight font-extrabold has-theme-slate-dark-color has-text-color has-large-font-size\">Join the community<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-3 md:my-5 lg:my-8 has-theme-slate-color has-text-color wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:16px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400\">Ready to succeed in real estate investing? Create a free BiggerPockets account to learn about investment strategies; ask questions and get answers from our community of +2 million members; connect with investor-friendly agents; and so much more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=button-custom-event-block_64dd2888dba9e class='button-custom-event'>\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/signup\" x-on:click=\"window.analytics.track(&#039;Blog Block | Acquisition | Free Membership Signup&#039;, {\n      referrer: &#039;https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/landlord-rights-are-being-stripped-away-and-given-to-squatters&#039;,\n    });\" class=\" btn-shape inline-block no-underline has-background has-theme-blue-background-color has-text-color has-white-color\" target=\"_blank\">Sign Up<\/a>\n  <\/div>\n\n            <\/main>\n        <\/div>\n\n            <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div>\n  <\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The media tends to side with tenants and take a negative view of landlords overall. One notable exception was an episode of HBO\u2019s&nbsp;Silicon Valley, where the hapless Jared has tried [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1689,"featured_media":169841,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7384,7119,4433],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-169836","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politics-policy","category-biggerpockets-daily","category-opinion"],"acf":[],"comment_count":0,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169836","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1689"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=169836"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169836\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/169841"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=169836"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=169836"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=169836"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}