Georgia squatter claims ‘peaceful hostile takeover’ of home as US states move to strengthen owner protections

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Adriana Ward assumed the most nerve-wracking part of selling her Marietta, GA, home would be waiting for the right offer. Instead, she discovered someone else had already claimed it as their own.

When her realtor arrived at the house on Twin Brooks Court in December for a scheduled showing, the warning signs were immediate (1). The lockbox was missing. The For Sale sign was gone. And when Ward arrived, she noticed the windows she typically leaves open were shut, and the deadbolt had been changed.

When police officers on the scene knocked on the door, the man who answered said he lived there. Court records show Timothy Pyron told officers he had settled in the vacant home and was “nesting.” Investigators say he claimed Georgia’s squatter laws protected him from removal, describing the situation as a “peaceful hostile takeover.”

Cases like Ward’s are drawing increased attention as homes sit empty for extended periods of time. An estimated 5.6 million properties across the 50 largest U.S. 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 jarring, but Georgia has already taken steps to give homeowners more legal backing, with House Bill 1017 making unauthorized occupancy a criminal offense since 2024 (3). Law enforcement can now also issue a notice requiring occupants to leave, with removal permitted within three days if they fail to comply.

“This is insanity that people think they can come in and take over someone’s home,” Kemp told Fox News (4). “Illegal squatters are criminals, not residents.”

In many states, removing someone from a vacant property still requires a formal legal process, however. Homeowners typically must first confirm the individual is unlawfully occupying the property, then serve written notice requesting that they leave voluntarily. If that fails, the next step is often filing an unlawful detainer or eviction lawsuit and appearing in court, where occupants may attempt to claim legal rights to remain. The financial toll can escalate quickly, with legal fees, court filings, 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 exposed gaps that still exist in how squatting is handled, even in states that have moved to strengthen owner protections. In her case, the man who entered her home was not charged with trespassing. Instead, the only charge filed was for criminal damage, stemming from the damage caused when the deadbolt was replaced. When she finally regained access to her home, the conditions were so severe, with trash left behind and lingering pet and marijuana odors, that her eyes burned.

“I wish this didn’t happen to anyone else because it is really traumatic,” she said.

She told Fox 5 News that she has since installed cameras on the property to keep a closer watch (6).

For homeowners like her with vacant properties, prevention measures like these can be the best line of defense. Other measures can include checking in on the home regularly or asking a trusted neighbor, installing alarm systems, removing lockboxes between showings, and documenting the property’s condition with time-stamped photos.

Across the U.S., 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 submit a sworn form and have sheriffs remove squatters immediately, without a court process (7). In New York, property laws were updated in April 2024 to clarify that squatters are not considered tenants under any timeframe (8).

Read More: Approaching retirement with no savings? Don’t panic, you’re not alone. Here are 6 easy ways you can catch up (and fast)

Warning stories like Ward’s can give some real estate investors cold feet, but there are ways to benefit from the hot real estate markets across the country without buying a property that could sit empty while it accrues in value.

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What’s more, the American Housing Survey and the U.S. Census Bureau reported in 2019 that 31.4% of housing in the U.S. consisted of multifamily units, and the National Association of Homebuilders reports that these units are only rising in popularity (9).

If diversifying into multifamily rentals appeals to you, you could consider investing with Lightstone DIRECT, a new investing platform from the Lightstone Group, one of the largest private real estate companies in the country with over 25,000 multifamily units in its portfolio.

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Lending Tree (10) reported in 2025 that U.S. homeowners were sitting on $34.5 trillion in home equity — $600 billion more than just one year previous. Now, with home values surging and homeowners shying away from new debt, investors have a new way in.

Homeshares gives accredited investors access to this overlooked segment: the billions in locked-in equity sitting in owner-occupied homes.

Instead of purchasing properties, investors participate through a portfolio of Home Equity Agreements (HEAs) — allowing homeowners to unlock cash with no monthly payments, while investors share in future appreciation.

The result is exposure to a large, under-tapped market across top U.S. cities, without the headaches of being a landlord or the risk of being overleveraged.

HEAs come with built-in protection: they usually cover 25 to 35% of a home’s value in a lien secured position, which helps shield your investment if the market dips. And unlike traditional real estate, HEAs are also typically resilient to interest rate shifts, 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.

We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.

MSN (1); Lending Tree (2), (10); LegiScan (3); @GovKemp (4), Leaserunner (5), Fox 5 Atlanta (6); Office of Ron DeSantis (7); New York Senate (8); National Association of Homebuilders (9)

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.