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Started By
Message
Acquiring Unclaimed Property
Posted on 6/7/21 at 9:50 am
Posted on 6/7/21 at 9:50 am
I know this is a very odd situation and I am not sure if I’m in the right board. But curious if anyone has any experience on this or could point me in the right direction. I own 19 acres in a rural part of Louisiana. My property backs up to swamp and the other side of the swamp another guy owns 30 acres. I’ve looked as far back as you can through court docs and deeds and it appears the property’s have always stopped at each swamp line. All surrounding property is clearly identified and surveyed, but this situation leaves approximately 8 acres of swamp between us that has no records of ownership. Being this land backs up to mine I would love to have it to hunt on. Anybody have a clue how to go about trying to do so?
8
Posted on 6/7/21 at 9:56 am to lsualum2432
My initial reaction is that someone owns it. Could be considered an old dry lakebed and claimed by the state. There are small little landlocked parcels like this all over rural LA. I would look into the state lands GIS database to rule that out first. If the state does own it, you can talk to them about putting it up for auction. Since you and your neighbor would be the only interested parties, you could probably get it for next to nothing.
ETA: if you can confirm that it is state owned land, you can hunt it just as you would private land regardless. You just couldn't enforce keeping other people out.
ETA: if you can confirm that it is state owned land, you can hunt it just as you would private land regardless. You just couldn't enforce keeping other people out.
This post was edited on 6/7/21 at 9:58 am
Posted on 6/7/21 at 10:02 am to lsualum2432
So you really are looking to acquire it, just to use it, correct?
Posted on 6/7/21 at 10:02 am to lsualum2432
What area of the state are you in?
How far back have the records gone for you? Chances are it’s owned by someone or by the state. Depending how far back the deeds aren’t always the easiest to trace back.
How far back have the records gone for you? Chances are it’s owned by someone or by the state. Depending how far back the deeds aren’t always the easiest to trace back.
Posted on 6/7/21 at 10:12 am to lsualum2432
I am not your lawyer, and I am not giving anyone legal advice, but post it, take pics and put up the signs with someone you trust and will live at least 30 more years.
Posted on 6/7/21 at 10:12 am to Splackavellie
Livingston Parish. I’ve tracked records back as far as they go on these properties. Early 1900s. They have some older like 1880 but it’s illegible. I am pretty experienced with looking through court docs, assessors maps, etc. I’ve done a lot of land surveying so I’ve got experience searching way back for deeds and survey maps.
Yes I am just wanting it to hunt on (kind of already am)
Yes I am just wanting it to hunt on (kind of already am)
Posted on 6/7/21 at 10:19 am to lsualum2432
You and the neighbor get along?
If so, go to him, say you aren’t sure where your common border is, agree on one, post it, and enjoy.
(Check with a lawyer to see if that will fly down there)
If so, go to him, say you aren’t sure where your common border is, agree on one, post it, and enjoy.
(Check with a lawyer to see if that will fly down there)
This post was edited on 6/7/21 at 10:21 am
Posted on 6/7/21 at 11:08 am to Sus-Scrofa
Posted on 6/7/21 at 11:12 am to lsualum2432
If you don't want to own it, but just to hunt on it, as you already are, then I would say let sleeping dogs lay and keep doing exactly what you have been doing. If you really want to determine ownership, you can hire an abstractor to run title, but that will cost you probably $500 - $1000. Otherwise, by default, ownership would be the sovereign (i.e., the State). Or as others have said, post, maintain it and wait 30 years and acquire it by adverse possession.
ETA: if it is owned by the State, you cannot adversely possess against the State.
ETA: if it is owned by the State, you cannot adversely possess against the State.
This post was edited on 6/7/21 at 12:47 pm
Posted on 6/7/21 at 11:29 am to AlxTgr
quote:
I am not your lawyer, and I am not giving anyone legal advice, but post it, take pics and put up the signs with someone you trust and will live at least 30 more years.
That's great.......unless the state claims it.
You could probably get an abstractor to run title out on the property for relatively cheap. Would at least give you an idea of what you're looking at.
Posted on 6/7/21 at 12:58 pm to lsualum2432
fence it off and wait 30 years 
Posted on 6/7/21 at 1:12 pm to UpToPar
quote:It would be interesting to see wha ttheir claim is.
unless the state claims it
There's a bayou behind my house. No question about navigability in 1812. No longer though, and the property lines according to the assessor do not go all the way to the bank. Makes me wonder about the status of the land from my fence to the center.
Posted on 6/7/21 at 1:18 pm to AlxTgr
quote:
It would be interesting to see wha ttheir claim is.
Bc it all started out as being owned by the soverign (state), so if they never conveyed it to anyone, then title still rests with the state. But I'd bet it was conveyed to somebody at some point in time. It would be weird to have a gap like that that never got conveyed to anyone. The problem gets to be that with older title documents, it can be difficult to determine property boundaries as the legal descriptions are not very good.
Posted on 6/7/21 at 1:55 pm to lsualum2432
If you are serious, you should get a lawyer. There may be some unclear title claims gong back that aren't in the public records, either way they can point you in the direction of getting a clean title on it, or whether its even susceptible of ownership. How long have you owned your property? You made use of the swamp before or put any sort of stands/blinds/woodduck boxes/whatever out in it? worst case, might could get going on a acquisitive prescription plan lol.
Posted on 6/7/21 at 2:00 pm to jfw3535
quote:
maintain it and wait 30 years and acquire it by adverse possession.
Adverse possession only takes 10 years in Louisiana. Not 30
Posted on 6/7/21 at 2:35 pm to stout
quote:10 year is good faith. Bad faith is 30. We would not be talking good faith here.
Adverse possession only takes 10 years in Louisiana. Not 30
Posted on 6/7/21 at 7:58 pm to stout
quote:
Adverse possession only takes 10 years in Louisiana. Not 30
GF = 10 uninterrupted
BF = 30 uninterrupted IIRC.
*Not legal advice. lol But its definitely 10 and 30 respectively, not sure in this situation which category OP would fit in.
Posted on 6/7/21 at 9:05 pm to BorrisMart
Post a map pic or the address. I have a database
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