I Watched a Show About Squatters... And It Made Me Think About Every Empty Home
Bored one night and looking for something mindless to watch, I stumbled upon this Hulu series called Squatters: Get the F** Out of My House*. Once I started watching, I couldn’t stop.
If you haven’t seen the series, here’s the premise: real homeowners fighting to get strangers out of their homes.
One woman gets arrested simply for trying to enter her own house. A fraudster takes over an estate owned by a missing millionaire. Another family discovers a stranger living in their late mother’s home, sleeping in her bed, using her furniture, and selling off everything she owned piece by piece.
Her children are left with nothing.
I just couldn’t stop thinking about the homeowners.
Imagine walking up to a home you own and realizing you can’t simply walk through the front door, remove someone who doesn’t belong there, or stop them from damaging everything you have worked for.
Before watching this series, I was aware of squatters’ rights. I had seen stories about it on TV and knew it was an issue. But watching real families go through it made me stop and think about it differently.
I’ve been in and around the locksmith and security industry for a long time, and I’ve seen a pattern over and over again.
People often make decisions based on what they can save today without thinking about what that decision could cost them tomorrow.
We’ve been called many times to clean up situations where someone chose the cheapest option, only to discover later that those savings came with a much bigger price tag.
Sometimes it was poor workmanship. Sometimes it was a security issue. Sometimes it was realizing that the person they trusted was not the professional they thought they were hiring.
The lesson is always the same: saving money upfront does not always mean saving money in the long run.
And that is what kept coming back to me while watching this series.
The biggest obstacle we all face is that little voice in our head saying, “It won’t happen to me.”
I think about my sister when I hear that.
For years, she rode her bike without a helmet. She knew helmets were safer, but like many people, she probably thought, “I’ve been doing this for years. Nothing has happened.”
Then she learned about a local cyclist who suffered a serious head injury while riding without a helmet.
That was the moment it became real.
It wasn’t just a statistic or a warning anymore. It was someone in her own community. Someone whose story made her stop and think, “This could happen.”
And that is often what it takes for something to finally feel real.
Unfortunately, sometimes we wait until something happens close to home before we take a risk seriously.
Don’t wait until that happens.
A vacant property, an inherited home, a rental between tenants, or a house waiting to be sold can all become vulnerable when nobody is paying attention.
Watching this series, I kept thinking about how many of these situations might have been prevented if the homeowners had consulted a trusted security professional before there was a problem.
I’m not saying homeowners should walk around worried that someone is going to take over their house. That’s not the point.
The point is to understand where your vulnerabilities are and take steps before you have a problem.
Because once you are dealing with a squatter, the situation has already become much harder, more expensive, and more stressful to fix.
The Reality of Removing Squatters
Every state has laws that address people occupying property without permission. The details vary from state to state, but homeowners need to understand this: once someone establishes occupancy, removing them is not always as simple as calling the police.
You can’t usually just change the locks, put someone’s belongings outside, and move on. In many situations, that can create legal problems for the homeowner.
Instead, you may find yourself dealing with notices, court dates, legal fees, and the frustration of trying to regain control of your own property.
Meanwhile, the property could be damaged, bills could pile up, and belongings could disappear.
It is a situation nobody expects...until it happens to someone they know.
Prevention Is an Investment
Let’s be honest. Nobody wants to spend money securing an empty property.
There are always other expenses that feel more urgent.
But after watching this series, I kept coming back to one thought:
Is saving money today worth the risk of a much bigger problem tomorrow?
Security costs money. Quality locks cost money. Cameras, lighting, and maintenance cost money.
But after years in this industry, I’ve learned that the better question isn’t only, “What will this cost me?”
It is also, “What could it cost me if I ignore it?”
The money you spend protecting your property is usually a lot less painful than the money you spend fixing a problem that could have been prevented.
You can’t avoid every risk, but you can significantly minimize your risk by taking proactive steps before there is a problem.
Don’t Go It Alone
If you have a vacant property, the first call I would make is to a trusted locksmith or security professional.
A good locksmith isn’t just someone you call when a lock breaks. They can walk through the property, assess your vulnerabilities, and make recommendations based on your specific situation.
Every property is different. The weak point may not be the lock itself. It could be the door frame, a side entrance, an accessible window, or something else you may not have considered.
And this is not the time to try to save a few dollars by guessing.
I completely understand wanting to save money. We all do.
But security is one of those areas where a mistake can end up costing much more than doing it correctly the first time.
The tricky thing about security is that something can look secure without actually being secure.
A vacant property is not the place to take chances.
This is not about spending money unnecessarily. It is about making sure the money you spend actually protects what you are trying to protect.
Steps That Can Help Protect a Vacant Property
Most squatting situations start with an easy way in and a property that appears forgotten.
Here are some things that can help:
Upgrade the locks. Smart locks and basic doorknob locks are not the same as quality security hardware. And remember, the door frame is often the weak point, not just the lock.
Make it look occupied. Timed lights, closed blinds, mail collection, and a car in the driveway can make a difference. Empty houses advertise themselves.
Add motion-detection lights outside. Nobody wants to get lit up like a stage while checking out a door or window at 2 AM.
Keep landscaping trimmed. Overgrown shrubs near doors and windows provide cover and can send the message that nobody is paying attention.
Check on the property yourself. Cameras are helpful, but they don’t replace walking through the house. You may notice things a camera never will.
Disconnect unnecessary utilities, if practical. Just make sure anything that needs power, like an alarm system or sump pump, is protected.
See if your community has a vacant property registration program.
Install a doorbell camera or security cameras. Knowing someone is checking out your property is much better than discovering someone has moved in.
Nothing guarantees protection.
But almost every squatting story starts the same way: someone found an easy way in, and the homeowner was left with a very difficult way out.
Watching this series reminded me that security isn’t just about locks.
It’s about protecting what you have worked for.
Maybe it’s a house tied up in probate. Maybe it’s a rental between tenants. Maybe it’s the home of a parent who has moved into assisted living.
Whatever the reason, an empty home is still your home.
Yes, protecting it costs money.
But sometimes spending a little upfront can save you from a much bigger problem later. And maybe most importantly, it keeps you in control of what happens inside those walls.
If you have a vacant home, rental property, or estate in the DMV, Mike’s Locksmith can help you assess your security and identify vulnerabilities before they become problems.
We're Here When You're Ready
If you're in the DMV area and thinking about upgrading your home or business security - cameras, locks, smart access, or all of the above - we're always happy to talk it through.
Mike's Locksmith proudly serves homeowners and small businesses across Maryland, Virginia, and DC.
Also published on The Locksmith's Wife - read it on Substack
