In most states it’s the opposite, the owner has to attempt to stop you and you have to hold it hostility.
Nebraska for reference
The squatter’s presence and use of the property must be continuous, actual, visible, notorious, distinct, and hostile to the actual property owner’s rights.
Meaning you must openly try to prevent the owners use and they most attempt to prevent yours.
I don’t think that’s what that means. I believe “hostile” in this sense is closer in meaning to “contrary.” It’s hostile to the owner’s rights, not hostile to the owner.
You have to make it clear that you’re living there with regular upkeep. Mow the lawn, fix up the house, etc. You can’t hide the fact that you’re living there from the owner or neighbors.
If the owner shows up one day and discovers you’ve been living there, they can politely ask you to leave and now you’re officially trespassing and you lose your claim to adverse possession.
If you’ve made it clear that you live there, and your neighbors all know you, but the real owner has never showed up in 15 years, or just doesn’t care and never asked you for rent or asked you to leave, congrats on your new property.
Thats literally what I said… I quoted Nebraska directly.
They don’t mean you have to fight them it means you have to try to prevent their use and they must attempt to prevent yours.
But that’s not what we’re saying. It counts as adverse posession if you’re doing something contrary to the owner’s interests/rights and they don’t stop you.
Doesn’t that only mean that you have to be hostile to their rights, not the other way around?