"HeyBub" wrote in message
...
wrote:

After seven years (or some interval of time), adverse possession kicks in
and the land is yours.

WRONG!!
1) The possession has to be truly adverse. That is, both parties must know
about it, disagree about it, and disagree over a seven year period (or
whatever the statute of limitations in that state).
2) The adverse possessor also has to pay the taxes for the same duration
(seven years).
This provision is not impossible to meet if the properties were mis-measured
to begin with (e.g., very common. Somebody buys the west 50 feet of the
Jones property. Later somebody buys the east 50 feet of the Jones property.
One day they discover that there is only 98 feet total. They argue over the
2 feet. The tax assessor thought there were two 50 foot parcels and taxes
accordingly. Both parties are paying taxes on the same 2 feet).
3) After meeting the above, you still have to go to court through a "Quiet
Title" procedure. Expensive.

Of course if instead of "Adverse Possession", you simply meant
"Acquiescence" those standards are easier to meet.

Ivan Vegvary