Man Takes Adverse Possession Of Boca Raton Mansion

BOCA RATON (CBSMiami) – Imagine moving into a palatial $2.5 million mansion in a great neighborhood and doing it all without paying a dime and it's legal.

A 23-year-old Brazilian national is doing just that, call it squatting in style, according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. The newspaper reported the police can't move Andre Barbosa and that it's a civil matter that the owner of the home, Bank of America must deal with.

According to the Sun-Sentinel, Barbosa is using what's known as the "adverse possession" law to live in the house essentially rent free. Under the adverse possession law, a person can move into an empty home and claim the title.

A person claiming adverse possession would have to stay in the home for seven years, pay the property taxes, and then hope the owner forgets about it.

Neighbors said the lights went on right after Christmas and Barbosa had been living there ever since.

According to the Sun-Sentinel, the home had been empty for roughly 18 months and the property is appraised at roughly $2.1 million.

The Sun-Sentinel reported that a real owner will typically file a lawsuit and eviction action in the case of an adverse possession.