Legal Question in Real Estate Law in Virginia

My parents gave us a house in VA, we never transferred the property into our names. We lived at the residence for over 10 years, then after my parents burned their house down, sold it and spent all of the money without having a place to stay we let them move in with us, and it did not work out. We told them they were no longer welcome in our house and the next day they showed up with a sheriff's deputy and a social services agent and we were shown a document signed by the county lawyer. The deputy stated we had to leave immediately and were not getting any notice. We had to leave immediately or be charged with trespassing. I have a signed, dated, notarized letter from my mom that states they gave us the house and some acreage in 2003. We also have another letter and several dozen text messages that state they gave us the home. We spent an estimated 50,000 over the course of 10 years plus all my hours working to take it from a one room schoolhouse into a 2 story 1300 square foot home. Is there anything we can do?


Asked on 1/22/13, 11:12 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
Michael Hendrickson Law Office Michael E. Hendrickson

Your written messages (notarized or not) are meaningless, legally speaking,

in regards to the issue of who actually owns this property which is indicated on the deed filed in the land records section of your local circuit court.

And, that would appear to be your parents as you never bothered to take

the time to have the title properly transferred into your name and that

of your sibling(s) and hence your current claim to ownership of this house

is without merit (in my opinion) and you will have to vacate as your parents apparently are now demanding.

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Answered on 1/24/13, 7:20 am


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