Selling a Vacant House

Why vacant houses are expensive to keep

Houses end up empty for many reasons: an inheritance, a move to assisted living, a relocation, a rental between tenants, or a project that never got finished. Whatever the reason, the costs don’t stop. Property taxes, insurance, utilities, lawn care, snow removal, and HOA dues keep coming, and if there’s a mortgage, so does the payment.

The risks that come with an empty house

• Insurance problems. Many standard homeowners policies limit or exclude coverage once a home has been vacant for a certain period, often 30 to 60 days. Vacant-property insurance usually costs more.
• Break-ins and vandalism. Empty homes attract theft of copper, appliances, and fixtures, and sometimes squatters.
• Hidden damage. A small leak, a frozen pipe, or a roof problem can go unnoticed for weeks and turn into major water and mold damage.
• City requirements. Some cities require vacant buildings to be registered, inspected, or maintained to certain standards, and they can issue fines for tall grass, debris, or open doors and windows.
• Tax issues. When the owner lives far away, tax bills can get missed, leading to penalties or a tax sale.

How we buy vacant houses

We buy vacant houses as-is, in any condition. It doesn’t matter if the house has been empty for two months or ten years, if the utilities are off, or if it’s still full of furniture. Share the address and what you know about the condition, and we’ll give you a written cash offer, usually within 24 hours. We can arrange access with a lockbox or a quick visit, so you don’t need to travel to the property.

Once you accept, the title company or closing attorney handles the title work, pays off any mortgage, back taxes, or liens from the proceeds, and sends the remaining funds to you. Documents can often be signed remotely.

Back taxes or liens?

If taxes are behind or there are utility or code liens, tell us. These typically show up in the title search and are paid at closing. If a tax sale date is approaching, let us know immediately so we can try to close before it.

Selling a vacant house versus renting it

Renting can make sense if the house is in good condition and you want to be a landlord, or you can hire a property manager. Getting a vacant house rent-ready often requires repairs, updates, and inspections, and you take on tenant risk. If you don’t want to put more money into the property, selling it as-is ends the costs and the worry.

Checklist before you sell

• Find the deed or confirm whose name is on title
• Check whether property taxes are current
• Note any notices from the city or county
• Decide whether you want anything left inside
• Gather the mortgage payoff information, if there is a loan

Vacant house costs add up

To see what an empty house is really costing you, add up the monthly total: mortgage payment (if any), property taxes divided by twelve, insurance (vacant-home policies are often more expensive), electricity and gas to keep the house from freezing or getting damp, water, lawn care or snow removal, HOA dues, and occasional repairs. Multiply by the months you expect it to take to rent or sell another way. That number is part of the price comparison, even though it never shows up on an offer.

A typical timeline

• Day 1: Tell us the address and anything you know about the condition.
• Day 1–3: We arrange access, often with a lockbox, and send a written cash offer.
• Next steps: You sign; the title company or closing attorney orders the title search and any payoffs.
• Closing: On your timeline, often in as little as a couple of weeks when title is clear, or on the date you pick. Documents can usually be signed remotely.

Vacant houses with other complications

Many vacant houses come with more than one issue: an inheritance that went through probate, a house that sat for years with deferred maintenance, a foreclosure notice, or a tenant who left the place in rough shape. We see these combinations often. Tell us everything you know, even if you’re not sure it matters, and we’ll factor it into a single offer. You won’t need to sort out each problem before you sell.

Protecting the house until closing

Until the sale closes, keep the doors and windows locked, keep the insurance active, ask a neighbor to keep an eye on things, and check that the heat is on in cold weather. If something happens before closing, such as a break-in or a leak, tell us right away so we can review it together.

Related seller guides

Local markets we buy in

We buy houses in all 50 states. These local pages include current market data and details about foreclosure, probate and property taxes in each area:

Other situations we help with