I Bought a Property With Someone Already Living There
Closing and occupancy can be separate facts. Someone already living there may have had a relationship with the prior owner — a tenancy, a guest stay, a family arrangement, or an entry during vacancy. Title transfer does not automatically answer who may occupy the property.
The important question
What was the occupant's relationship with the prior owner, and what was transferred at closing?
Facts that may matter
Pre-closing occupancy disclosures; inspection access; any lease that may have been disclosed; the recorded deed; how and when you first observed occupancy; communications with the occupant and the prior owner; and a timeline.
What not to assume
Buying the property does not automatically answer who may occupy it. A person already inside is not automatically a squatter. Changing locks on an occupied property can create separate legal exposure. The occupant's absence from the closing documents does not automatically complete the analysis.
What to document
Closing papers, the recorded deed, pre-purchase inspection notes, photographs, communications, any lease provided before closing, and a timeline of when occupancy was first observed.
What not to do
Do not change locks, shut off utilities, or remove belongings from an occupied purchase without first understanding the applicable legal process. Do not treat closing as a substitute for that process.
Where to go next
Georgia sources (Georgia-specific; other states vary) · All states · Related real case · Protect my property
When professional help may be appropriate
Occupied purchases often require a real-estate or landlord-tenant attorney in the relevant jurisdiction. The occupant's relationship with the prior owner is usually the starting fact pattern. This site does not determine it.
Related: Someone says they have permission to occupy the property · The property is involved in an estate or inheritance · Someone entered my property without my permission