Charlotte Brown thought she was taking the first step toward financial stability when she listed her Florida home for sale. Instead, she says a stranger moved in and hasn’t paid a dime in more than a year.
Brown bought her Winter Haven residence in 2021. The quiet lot sat against a stretch of forest, and it felt like the perfect place for her family.
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But when her fiancé developed serious health issues, everything changed. She became his full-time caregiver, her bills piled up and by 2023 the couple decided selling the property was their best path forward.
“I just had the opportunity to sell,” she told WFTV 9 (1). “So that was definitely a plus, especially with the increase in the market.
Before the sale could go through, Brown says a man she’d never met moved into the house. She describes him as a squatter and says he has stayed rent-free ever since.
From interested buyer to uninvited guest
After Brown listed her home, she says she quickly found a buyer: a California real estate agent named Obed Torres. According to Brown, the company handling the sale asked her for the house keys so Torres could have the carpets cleaned before moving in. That’s when everything began to unfold.
Brown says Torres switched title companies multiple times and the sale never closed. Still, in spring 2024, he moved into the home.
“It’s terrible. It’s deceitful. It’s hurtful,” Brown said.
Florida tops the nation in reported fraud losses, with residents losing an estimated $866 million in 2024, according to the Federal Trade Commission (2). Real estate scams have been part of the increase. Brown filed a report with the sheriff’s office and submitted two complaints for unlawful detainer in an attempt to remove Torres. But she acknowledges she didn’t fully understand the legal process and missed some of the hearings, setbacks that stalled her case.
In a letter to the judge, Torres insisted he acted “in good faith” and was still trying to buy the property. In another, he argued Brown had abandoned the home and said the situation was causing him “duress and uncertainty.”
Florida tightened its eviction rules in 2023 by extending notice periods and clarifying when landlords can file formal evictions. But none of those protections apply here. Brown never rented the home to Torres. There was no lease, no agreement and no sale.
That’s why she couldn’t use the standard eviction process and instead had to pursue unlawful detainer actions, a separate legal tool for removing someone who occupies a home without permission.
At one point, Torres told the court he planned to move out. But by April 2025, he was asking for more time due to health issues.
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A new law gives Brown a glimmer of hope
Reporter Jeff Deal with WFTV 9 visited the property twice, first in September and then again this month, hoping to speak with Torres. Each time, he knocked, heard dogs barking inside and left messages on the Ring doorbell, but no one answered. Neighbors told the station they’ve seen Torres and his family around the home.
Meanwhile, Brown’s financial situation has only gotten worse. She says she couldn’t keep up with both her rent and her mortgage payments, and now her lender has moved to foreclose on the property.
Attorney Mark Lippman, who specializes in landlord-tenant law, HOA issues and real estate disputes, stepped in to help Brown at no charge.
“His answer was garbage. The fact that he said she had abandoned the property is incorrect,” he told WFTV 9.
One thing working in Brown’s favor is Florida’s newly strengthened anti-squatting law. Under the legislation (HB 621), law enforcement can intervene more quickly and treat an illegal occupant as a criminal trespasser, not a tenant. Lippman believes the tougher statute could help Brown finally argue that Torres is living in the home without permission and reclaim the property.
To avoid this kind of nightmare, experts stress a few key points: never hand over your keys before a sale officially closes and make sure you attend every required court hearing. Missing one can delay your case or even set it back entirely. Keep thorough documentation of every interaction during a home sale and verify all title transfers through reputable companies.
Brown’s foreclosure hearing is scheduled for January. She’s hoping to have Torres removed and the home sold before the clock runs out.
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Article sources
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.
WFTV (1); Axios (2); Belong Home (3); Florida Senate (4).
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.