Former Homeowner Kept Coming Back After Foreclosure, Buyer Says — Then Neighbors Suggested Trail Cameras

A Connecticut homeowner said buying a foreclosed house came with an unexpected problem: the former owner allegedly kept returning to the property long after the sale was over.

The homeowner shared the situation in a post on r/legaladvice, explaining that the first encounter happened the day they moved in. According to the post, they were carrying boxes into the house when an older woman came up the back steps and introduced herself as the former homeowner.

At first, the new owner tried to be polite. Moving day is already busy, and an awkward visit from the person who used to own the house may not seem like a major issue in the moment. They chatted briefly, then the homeowner sent her on her way.

But the visits did not stop.

After that, the homeowner said they started seeing her car drive slowly past the house several times a week, often around 9 p.m. The slow drive-bys became part of the household’s routine in the worst way. Even when she was not on the property, the new owners were aware she might pass by, watch the home, or show up again.

Then, according to the post, she called police on them because their trash bins were out too late after pickup. The homeowners had just returned from vacation, and instead of simply putting the bins away, they had to deal with local police over a complaint from the former owner.

A few months later, the situation escalated again. The homeowner said they came home and found a handwritten note and business card slipped under the back porch door. That detail stood out because the house had two front doors and a mailbox. The former owner had no reason to go around to the back of the property.

In the note, she allegedly asked for the realtor’s information and documents from the sale of the house. She claimed she needed them or would be kicked out of her rent-controlled apartment. The homeowner did not believe that explanation and said neighbors had told them she had abandoned the property before the foreclosure anyway.

Then, while the homeowner and fiancé were standing in the driveway discussing how to respond, the former owner allegedly pulled into the driveway again and began asking questions about the sale. The couple told her to leave them alone, and the homeowner reported the incident to police the next day.

A year later, the behavior was still happening, though less often. The homeowner said they would still see her doing slow drive-bys on weekends, and sometimes she would sit in her car across the street. Then one evening, while the homeowner was in the yard, she allegedly pulled into the driveway again. When she saw the homeowner outside, she backed out.

That moment made the homeowner wonder whether she thought the family would be gone for the holiday. It also renewed the concern that she might try to access the property when no one was home.

The homeowner said they planned to report the latest incident to police but wanted to know what else they could do. They were especially worried about their cats being home alone during the day. The former owner had not caused obvious physical harm yet, but the repeated visits, driveway entries, notes, and slow drive-bys had become enough to make the new owner feel unsafe.

Commenters urged the homeowner to stop treating the former owner’s visits as occasional odd behavior and start building a clear record.

Several people told the homeowner to install cameras around the property, especially at doors and driveways. Trail cameras came up because the home was in a rural, wooded area without neighbors who had a clear view. If the former owner returned while the family was away, cameras could show whether she entered the driveway, approached the house, or went to the back door again.

Others suggested keeping a detailed log with dates, times, descriptions, and any photos or videos. The homeowner admitted they wished they had started logging everything earlier, because the pattern had lasted much longer than they expected.

Commenters also told the homeowner to call police immediately when the woman came onto the property, not the next day. That advice came up repeatedly. A delayed report might still matter, but a call while she was actively trespassing would give police more to work with.

Some commenters suggested a cease-and-desist letter from a lawyer, followed by trespassing reports if she returned. Others said a restraining order or stalking protection order might be possible if the homeowner could show a pattern of repeated unwanted contact and property entries.

There was also practical advice: keep the locks changed, make sure insurance is current, photograph the home and belongings in case of damage, and put up no-trespassing signs. The homeowner said they had changed the locks on moving day and even replaced one door because the property had not been well maintained.

The homeowner later updated that they had spoken with local police and filed a report. According to the update, officers planned to speak with the woman, and if she returned to the property again, the homeowners could have her trespassed. The homeowner also planned to contact a lawyer about a cease-and-desist letter and install cameras.

That update changed the tone of the situation. The homeowner had gone from wondering whether the former owner’s behavior was serious enough to report to having a police record, a plan for trespassing enforcement, and a next step with a lawyer.

For a new homeowner, the house is supposed to become theirs the day the sale closes. But in this case, the former owner seemed unwilling to fully let go. The drive-bys, back-door note, driveway visits, and police complaint turned the foreclosure purchase into something the new owners had to keep managing long after move-in day.

Commenters did not tell them to wait it out anymore. They told them to document everything, call police each time, use cameras, and make the boundary official.

Because when a former owner keeps coming back after foreclosure, the issue is not only awkward history. It is whether the new owner can safely live on the property they legally bought.