It’s My Land, It’s Your Land … Or Is It?

I grew up fishing in Knox Lake or riding on Grandpa’s pontoon boat across the beautiful man-made lake.

Today’s Columbus Dispatch features a story “Hands off lake front land, state says” which outlines how the state is reclaiming its rights to the lake’s border.

As a fan of the lake, I’m glad to see them do this. It was always fun to walk along the border of the lake and enjoy the lake’s vegitation and fishing at some of my favorite spots.

However wearing my real estate hat, the article creates an interesting question?

Can the owner’s claim squatter’s rights?

The lake was built in 1954 which easily surpasses the time that is needed to establish the basic claim on the land. In addition, it has to be done in the open with the owner not granting permission for the squatter to use the land.

I don’t think the state can have squatter’s rights used against it. One idea is that the squatter is a part land-owner as an Ohio resident and would knowingly be using his own property.

But it does create an interesting discussion for the lake view owners in Knox County. 

 Photograph is by David Bryan and used via license of Stock.xchng.

Similar Posts:

    None Found

About Toby Boyce

Toby Boyce, MBA, is a licensed real estate agent in the state of Ohio under the Keller Williams Consultants Realty brokerage. Boyce, propietor of the Ohio Home Team, has been a full-time real estate agent in Central Ohio since 2006.