Selling a Vacant Property

A house nobody lives in still has bills: property taxes, insurance, and utilities continue, and nothing offsets them.

An empty property also needs different handling. A slow leak, a forced door, or a heating system that has stopped working can go unnoticed because no one is on site, so small problems can be found late, and insurers and some local governments can treat an empty house differently from an occupied one.

A short log keeps the facts straight: when the house was last occupied, who holds keys, when the utilities were last read, and the last time someone checked inside.

What this involves

• Property taxes, any homeowners association dues, and insurance premiums keep accruing on the owner's calendar whether or not anyone lives in the house.
• Which utilities to keep on is a real decision: in cold weather, heat protects the pipes unless the plumbing has been drained (winterized), and power runs sump pumps, alarms, and outdoor lights.
• Some states' disclosure forms ask how long a property has been unoccupied and whether water, pests, or mold developed in that time.
• A homeowners policy is written for a house someone lives in. Past a set point of vacancy, an insurer can limit or end the coverage, and vacant-property policies exist for that gap; the terms differ by insurer and by state.
• Some municipalities keep a registry of vacant buildings, and code enforcement can send notices about overgrown grass, broken windows, or debris at a property no one is watching.
• Mail pickup, mowing, snow clearing, and walk-throughs need someone assigned, whether a neighbor, a relative, or a service, because a house that looks unattended can draw attention.