UPDATE: Home for sale after squatters move out

A Colorado Springs home that was at the center of a dispute between a homeowner and a group of squatters is now back on the market.

Pauline Hawkins moved out of her home on Crystal Mountain Road and now lives in New Hampshire. Buyers were getting ready to close on the house when she got an unsettling call from her real estate agent, Linda Schauer. Schauer said there were squatters living in her home.

Schauer said the squatters told her they had been told the home was for rent. They had allegedly paid the landlord $2,700 and moved in. Schauer said the people told her they had been scammed and lost all their money to this fake landlord.

“My heart just ached for them. I thought, oh my gosh, what a horrible situation for them, those poor people,” said Hawkins. “[I decided] they could stay until Christmas but they would have to leave after that.”

However, the people refused to leave. Hawkins had to take the the squatters to court and evict them as if they were tenants because she gave them permission to stay until Christmas.

“It’s completely shocking that there are laws that are protecting these people to stay in my house. That’s the other thing that is completely shocking, there are no laws to protect me,” said Hawkins.

Hawkins’ son had a rare form of brain cancer. Hawkins, a single mother, is trying to short sell the home to avoid foreclosure. A potential buyer backed out and Schauer was not able to show the house until the squatters are removed.

“They put the utilities in their name. They do not own the house. I am appalled they are allowed to stay in this house. The police now won’t deal with it, they say it’s a civil matter,” said Schauer.

One squatter spoke with KRDO NewsChannel 13. She said when they decide to leave “is not any of your concern.”

Atlas Real Estate Group covered the costs of the eviction process for Hawkins and represented her in court so she didn’t have to fly back and forth from New Hampshire.

“We just wanted to help in any fashion we could,” said property manager Rebecca Slaughter.

On Tuesday, El Paso County sheriff’s deputies entered the home to evict the squatters in the final stage of the process. The home was empty except for a few belongings from the group.

“This is now March 17 and this started at the end of November and here we are finally getting them out. It’s just been a long process. She has lost sales on the property. So first we need to re-market it and get the whole house cleaned,” said Schauer.

Schauer toured the home Tuesday while an eviction teamed cleared the home of anything that didn’t belong to Hawkins.

“I was pleasantly surprised that there weren’t holes in the walls like we had originally seen, they had been repaired, and the doors that were broken, punched holes in it, they were replaced. I think the most disturbing thing is the carpet is pretty bad, stains everywhere,” said Schauer.

Hawkins is relieved and said she can start moving forward.

“I am so thrilled that they are out. And I had a feeling that some of my things would be missing, which it seems like they did take some things but I am glad, just glad that’s it’s over and they are out,” said Hawkins.

She hopes her story brings change to Colorado laws that she said protects tenants’ rights instead of her rights.

“The law has to change and I hope if anything, my situation has brought it to the forefront and that it makes it an important thing that lawmakers discuss,” said Hawkins.

Hawkins hopes the home sells quickly and she can put this turmoil behind her. Two different people have expressed interest in purchasing the home.