AN incredibly low-cost brownstone is up for sale in a major US city but there is a major problem for the future owner.
A spacious townhouse in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has gone up for sale for just $50,000 but possible buyers will not be able to view this home in-person due to a squatter.
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Extraordinary images of the home on Realtor.com showed police present inside the property.
The unusual pictures seemed to be taken during a cop raid of the home.
This property is located in the city’s northwest area.
The seemingly normal house has three bedrooms, one bathroom, and a basement.
This property’s unusual addition is an active squatter who is currently inside the space.
The unwanted guest has caused a major issue for potential buyers
“Property is being sold sight unseen, no showings can be arranged under any circumstances,” according to the listing.
“Drive by only.”
“Approach the home and squatter at your own risk – seller assumes no liability.”
The unusual listing added that a future buyer would be responsible for the home’s current squatter.
Despite its uncommon circumstances, this home has been saved five times on the website this week.
This issue could potentially explain the property’s low price.
Average house prices in Philadelphia are currently $225,952, according to Zillow.
The low cost could also be attributed to the crumbling interior of the home.
Expert Advice – Actions to take if you have a squatter
The U.S. Sun’s Emma Crabtree spoke to real estate attorney Paul Golden about what property owners can do when dealing with squatters. Here is what he advised:
Police
- Call the police and hope that they are successful in turning up and removing the unwanted individual(s).
‘Self-Help Method’
- This is a risky but effective method of evicting squatters and is accepted by at least one New York court “in certain circumstances,” Golden said.
- Using this method, property owners “just physically remove the squatter(s)”
- However, if the person is deemed to have been ejected “forcefully or unlawfully” then property owners may face paying damages and even be “subject to a civil penalty and be guilty of a misdemeanor.”
Court Filing
- The third option is to go the legal route and file a summary proceeding after issuing a 10-day notice to those occupying the property.
- The downside to this option, Golden warned, is that “in New York City, it could take months before the court would finally issue a warrant.”
- It may take even longer for a date to be set for a city marshal to remove the squatter.
Damaged ceiling, poor paint jobs, and an outdated interior would all add extra renovation costs to a future buyer.
These images went viral on Reddit where social media users ripped into the odd listing.
“What’s up with these pics? Did the police make this listing?” someone wrote in the r/zillowgonewild sub-reddit.
“Well this is a first. Never saw a listing with police in the pics,” another person wrote in the comments.
“Makes me wonder what the neighborhood may be like.”
“I’m confused. Is this a joke? Who would actually buy this?” another commenter said.
