Florida Couple Famous for Over-the-Top Christmas Light Display Revealed to Be Squatters [View all]

Source: People

Florida Couple Famous for Over-the-Top Christmas Light Display Revealed to Be Squatters

An investigation by the Broward County Property Appraiser’s office concluded the pair has been living in the home illegally for 15 years

By Antonia DeBianchi Published on December 1, 2023 08:30AM EST

A South Florida home known for its over-the-top Christmas lights was revealed to have been illegally occupied for almost two decades, an investigation found.

Kathy Hyatt, a realtor, and her ex-husband Mark, who died in 2020, allegedly “squatted” in the Plantation, Florida, home for 15 years, according to legal documents obtained by PEOPLE from the Broward County Property Appraiser’s investigation. Per the report, there was never a title on the property and it had a “forged deed.”

The Appraiser’s office dubbed the investigation “The Nightmare Before Christmas” as the Hyatts were known for going all out with their holiday decorations, covering the house in thousands of colored string lights, festive figures and large glowing lawn ornaments, earning it the nickname the “Hyatt Extreme Christmas” house. Even that caused some conflicts with neighbors and the city of Plantation over the years.

"There were some legal issues and complaints between the city of plantation and the Hyatts that stemmed from the Christmas lights situation,” Vivian Gallinal, Crimes Against Property Investigator at the appraiser’s office, tells PEOPLE.

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Read more: https://people.com/christmas-house-squatters-florida-couple-hyatt-extreme-light-display-8409321