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Protect Your Property from Squatters
A New Jersey owner's guide to keeping vacant homes, rentals and Airbnbs safe — and what to do if someone moves in
- ✓ Why vacant and between-tenant homes are targets
- ✓ A 15-minute weekly vacant-home routine
- ✓ Screening, written leases and short-term-rental rules that keep squatters out
- ✓ Step by step: police, ejectment or eviction, and the writ of possession
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What's inside
- 1. What a squatter is — and why it matters in New Jersey
- 2. Why some homes become targets
- 3. Prevention: secure the home
- 4. Prevention: rentals and Airbnb
- 5. If someone has moved in
- 6. How a Realtor and a property manager help
Related articles
- How to Safeguard Your New Jersey Home When Renting or Listing on Airbnb
- Essential Safety Precautions for New Jersey Homeowners Before Renting Out Properties
- Case Study: What Landlords Can Learn from a Difficult Tenant Experience
- Legal ways for landlords to report bad tenants
Helpful tools & books
- Smart locks with activity log →
Change codes after every tenant or contractor
- Video doorbells & outdoor security cameras →
Phone alerts when someone is at the property
- No Trespassing signs →
Post on vacant homes and lots
- Light timers →
Make a vacant home look lived-in
- RentRedi — rent collection & tenant screening →
Screen every adult before handing over keys
Affiliate disclosure: some links are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, VDO Rental earns from qualifying purchases. It costs you nothing extra.
Sources & further reading
- NJ Courts: How to apply for a Writ of Possession (non-tenant occupant)
- NJ Legislature: Bill S725 (2024) – unlawful occupancy of dwellings
- N.J.S.A. 2A:39-1 – unlawful entry and self-help
- Anil's article: How to Safeguard Your NJ Home When Renting or Listing on Airbnb
- Anil's article: Why Selling Your Equity-Rich Property Beats the Hassles of Renting