$16 House ‘Owner’ Leaving Without a Fight After Judge’s Ruling

Flower Mound, Texas- A man who gained notoriety for his $16 house has said he will leave the residence without a fight after a court ruling today.

Ken Robinson became somewhat of a celebrity after using adverse possession laws to (at least temporarily) score a $340,000 house in Flower Mound, Texas, even setting up a website and doing some publicity when the story got legs. Home vacancies and a floundering real estate market in the US have been a big point of economic contention for years, and the fact that Robinson seemed to be gaming the very banks that caused the meltdown and the resultant pain experienced by so many Americans made him a bit of a folk hero to some- but others didn’t admire his actions as much.

In a lengthy earlier article about the scheme, Robinson preached to $16 house hopefuls about the process of getting a McMansion nearly for free, explaining how he treated skeptical neighbors after he ‘moved in’ to the property:

“I told them I have as much right to this house as you have to yours. I said, ‘You know, you wouldn’t want me to come to your house and tell you you’ve got to get out,'” Robinson replied. “This is my domicile, this is where I live. … This is my intent, to be the owner of record. … If that’s not your intent — to go in and improve upon the property — leave it alone. Otherwise you’ll probably end up locked up.”

Ultimately, a judge ruled today that Robinson must appear in court or vacate the home by Monday, and he has chosen the latter. When asked if he plans to attempt the stunt again, this time with less publicity, he declined to say. Would you try to get a $16 house through adverse possession laws?