PLANTATION, Fla. – The Hyatts brought Christmas joy to South Florida with over-the-top holiday light displays at their Plantation home.
Except the home that played host to the “Hyatt Family Christmas,” located at 11201 NW 14th St., wasn’t actually theirs, Broward County officials are now saying. They said Mark and Kathy Hyatt squatted on the property for 15 years.
“It’s our position that they never owned the property, that they were squatting on the property,” Broward County Property Appraiser Marty Kiar said. “As a result they were never entitled to a homestead exemption and they owe the people of Broward County thousands of dollars in back taxes.”
Kiar’s office conducted a seven-month investigation, dubbed the “Nightmare Before Christmas,” into the Hyatts.
Kathy Hyatt said that her husband, who died in 2020, sat down at their kitchen table made a fake deed to the property, then went to the property and broke in.
The investigation began after a Plantation city councilmember —and Kathy Hyatt herself — contacted Kiar’s office.
Detectives gathered evidence revealing that Mark Hyatt first tried to buy the home the right way, but ultimately couldn’t get a clean title because of problems with the property.
Kathy Hyatt said they kicked out an investor with a fake deed and later purchased the mortgage notes for $900,000, but still didn’t have a legitimate title.
Investigators say they pushed their way in and profited.
“Everybody in Broward County should only pay their fair share and you can’t cheat the system,” Kiar said.
Officials said there’s currently a lien on the property for a total of $109,000 in back taxes, but it’s unclear who actually owns it.
Related documents: