A trio of men was caught on camera attempting to squat in a foreclosed home in southwest Houston for three consecutive days, with one individual even going so far as to file false claims of ownership. The suspicious activity began when a grey Volkswagen pulled into the driveway, and despite an initial investigation by police, the individuals left before being detected.
The following day, the trio returned, this time armed with blankets and backpacks, and made their way into the home by breaking into a back door. One individual, identified as Kafil Tunsill, allegedly believed he was entitled to ownership of the property due to his self-proclaimed status as a minister. Tunsill's plan was thwarted when police arrived on Tuesday afternoon, however.
Veteran real estate attorney Dennis McQueen explained that banks are often slow to process foreclosed properties, leaving them vulnerable to squatters like Tunsill. "Banks are notoriously slow after the foreclosure," he said. "It usually takes them 2, 3 months to find a real estate agent and put it up for sale, and how do you even contact the bank?"
McQueen noted that individuals like Tunsill often use complex paperwork and claims of divine ownership to confuse and slow down investigations. These tactics are not uncommon, according to McQueen, who has seen similar cases before. "I have seen some of this," he said. "They have a thing where you are supposed to get property because you are a living human being, and everyone deserves property, according to their theory."
As a result of his actions, Tunsill was arrested for trespassing on Wednesday, with police taking steps to prevent further occupation of the property. However, McQueen warned that the final sale of the house could be impacted by Tunsill's numerous claims of ownership.
The incident highlights the ongoing issue of squatting in foreclosed homes, particularly those who employ elaborate tactics to avoid detection. While some individuals may attempt to move into vacant properties without permission, others like Tunsill go to great lengths to create a false paper trail.
The following day, the trio returned, this time armed with blankets and backpacks, and made their way into the home by breaking into a back door. One individual, identified as Kafil Tunsill, allegedly believed he was entitled to ownership of the property due to his self-proclaimed status as a minister. Tunsill's plan was thwarted when police arrived on Tuesday afternoon, however.
Veteran real estate attorney Dennis McQueen explained that banks are often slow to process foreclosed properties, leaving them vulnerable to squatters like Tunsill. "Banks are notoriously slow after the foreclosure," he said. "It usually takes them 2, 3 months to find a real estate agent and put it up for sale, and how do you even contact the bank?"
McQueen noted that individuals like Tunsill often use complex paperwork and claims of divine ownership to confuse and slow down investigations. These tactics are not uncommon, according to McQueen, who has seen similar cases before. "I have seen some of this," he said. "They have a thing where you are supposed to get property because you are a living human being, and everyone deserves property, according to their theory."
As a result of his actions, Tunsill was arrested for trespassing on Wednesday, with police taking steps to prevent further occupation of the property. However, McQueen warned that the final sale of the house could be impacted by Tunsill's numerous claims of ownership.
The incident highlights the ongoing issue of squatting in foreclosed homes, particularly those who employ elaborate tactics to avoid detection. While some individuals may attempt to move into vacant properties without permission, others like Tunsill go to great lengths to create a false paper trail.
. It's like he thought he was above the law just because of some made-up title 
. Banks are already doing their best with the foreclosure process, it's not easy for them to get things done quickly enough. And yeah, people like him trying to create all this complicated paperwork is just laughable 
. I mean, who needs that kind of stress? It's just a foreclosed home, let's be real 
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. Like, what even is the point of that? And Dennis McQueen makes a good point about how banks are slow to process foreclosed properties, it's like they're just sitting ducks for people like Tunsill 
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, but at the same time, I feel bad for the homeowner who had to deal with all this drama 
. It's just a shame that people like Tunsill can cause so much trouble and stress for others 
.
, and yeah banks are indeed slow with the foreclosure process, that's no excuse though 
. i feel bad for the homeowners who had to deal with this drama 
, and kudos to the police for catching these guys red-handed 
. but seriously, Dennis McQueen is right on point about people using complex paperwork to confuse the system 
...it's just sad that we have to deal with this kind of thing in our society 
.
, i mean, come on, dude thought he was entitled to foreclosed home just 'cause he said he's a minister? 
Dennis McQueen seems like a real expert tho, i'd pay to see him take on some of these wannabe squatters 
. And the fact that some folks might get taken advantage of by these scammers is just awful 
. We gotta look out for each other and support our communities 
. Let's keep spreading awareness about squatting and its consequences, so we can all be more aware of what's going on around us 
.
that's not how it works! We need to get back to basic common sense here, not this made-up stuff about being a "minister" or whatever.
and what really gets me is that this guy thought he was entitled to the house because of some made-up "minister" status... like that's even a thing? 
. The police were way too lenient when they could've just arrested him from the start 
. And why are there so many random facts about banks and foreclosed properties scattered throughout the article? It feels like they're trying to distract from the main point 
.
it's like, come on people we gotta follow the rules! 
.