Squatter’s Rights in PA

[Megan Hirlehey]

Has anyone evicted a “squatter” in PA? And what defines a squatter? I have a client who wants to buy a house thats up for sheriff sale that has a squatter, whom the neighbor says has been there for about 2-3 weeks, saId he broke in through the back window and changed the locks. Does said squatter have rights yet (or would they have them by the time the property closes) and therefore would need to be evicted if my client took possession of the house? The only thing I could find running an online search said “Adverse Possesion” requires 21 years of occupancy, but I’ve heard horror stories of people having to evict squatters after only a few months.