What a Vacant House Really Costs You Each Month

Why an empty house still costs money every month

Nobody is running the dishwasher, but the bills keep arriving. A house costs money simply by existing, and an empty one adds risks that a lived-in home does not have.

Owners end up here in a few common ways: an inherited home, a job move that happened before the old house sold, a rental between tenants, or a parent who has moved into care. In every case the question is the same. What is this house costing each month, and how many more months will it sit?

We are not going to quote a national average. Empty house expenses swing too widely by home, loan, and location for an average to help you. Your own bills will give you a better number in about fifteen minutes.

The monthly holding costs on an empty house

• Mortgage. Principal and interest are due whether or not anyone lives there. So is a home equity loan payment
• Property taxes. Divide the annual bill by 12. Check whether a homestead or senior exemption ends once the home is no longer an owner's primary residence, because the rules vary by state and county
• Insurance. Often the cost that changes most. See the next section
• Utilities. Most owners keep the power, water, and heat or air on at a low setting to protect the house and keep it showable
• Lawn and exterior upkeep. Mowing, leaves, gutters, and snow where it applies. An overgrown yard signals that nobody is home, and it can break city or HOA rules
• Security and check-ins. A monitored alarm, cameras, or a paid property check
• HOA or condo dues and any special assessments
• Routine maintenance. Pest control, HVAC filters and service, and the small repairs that keep coming
• Travel. If you live far away, every trip to check on the house belongs on the list

Vacant home insurance: the cost most owners miss

A regular homeowners policy is written for a house someone lives in. Standard policies often include a vacancy provision that can limit or exclude some coverage once the home has been unoccupied for a set period, often 30 to 60 days in a row, according to consumer guidance published by the insurer GEICO. Vandalism, glass breakage, and some kinds of water damage are the coverages it lists as commonly affected.

Insurers also draw a line between unoccupied, meaning furnished but nobody home, and vacant, meaning emptied out.

The fix is a phone call. Tell your insurance agent the date the house became empty and ask what your policy says. You may need a vacancy endorsement or a separate vacant home insurance policy, and ask whether your policy sets any conditions, such as keeping the heat on in cold weather. Time frames and requirements differ from policy to policy, so get the answer in writing.

Vacant house cost worksheet

Pull out the last few statements and fill in each line. Turn annual bills into monthly ones by dividing by 12.

Now multiply the monthly total by the number of months you expect to own the house: the time to prepare it, the time on the market, and the weeks between contract and closing. That figure is the real carrying cost of a vacant property, and it comes straight out of your sale proceeds.

The risks that never show up on a bill

The worksheet covers what you can see. The bigger danger in an empty house is what nobody is there to notice.

• A slow leak or a failed water heater that runs for days
• A furnace or air conditioner that quits, followed by frozen pipes or mold
• Pests settling into a quiet house
• Break-ins, vandalism, and stripped copper or appliances
• Storm damage that sits until your next visit

Have someone walk through the house on a regular schedule, inside and out, and keep a simple log. Ask your insurer whether your policy requires regular checks.

How to lower the carrying costs of a vacant property

• Call your insurance agent first so a claim is not denied later
• Set the thermostat to a protective setting instead of a comfortable one
• Ask a plumber whether shutting off the water or winterizing makes sense for your climate
• Put lamps on timers, forward the mail, and keep the yard trimmed so the house looks lived in
• Cancel what an empty house does not need: cable, internet, and subscriptions
• Clear the house out early. Valuables and furniture in an empty home are a theft risk and slow down a sale

If the contents are coming to you, our crews can pack, load, and deliver them with our packing services and long-distance moving. If they are not, see what to do with a houseful of furniture when you sell.

When it makes sense to sell a vacant house fast

Once you know your monthly number, the choice gets clearer. Listing with an agent can bring a higher price, and a clean, empty house in good repair often shows well. Against that, count the months of holding costs while it is prepared, shown, and waiting on a buyer's financing, plus any repairs and the agent commission.

The other route is to sell a vacant house fast to a direct cash buyer. A cash offer may come in below a potential retail sale price. The trade-off is no repair bill, no agent commission, no financing delay, and a closing date you control, which stops the monthly bills on a day you pick. Compare what each route leaves in your pocket after costs, not just the headline price. Our guide to a cash offer vs. listing with an agent goes deeper.

Sell the house, stop the bills, and get a complimentary move

Allpoints Moving Services partners with Riv Buys Properties, a family-owned cash property buyer that evaluates properties anywhere in the country.

• A written cash offer within 24 hours, with no obligation
• Close in as little as 7 days, or on the date you choose
• No fees, no agent commissions, and no repairs. They buy as-is
• Sell your property to Riv Buys Properties and your move with Allpoints is complimentary, packing aids included

Ask either team for details on the free move offer, or request a free moving quote if you only need the house emptied.