Is it safe to let a house sit vacant? I can’t tell you how many times I get this question each week. If your house is vacant here are 2 very important things to consider:
First, the chances of vandalism increase dramatically when a house becomes vacant. In fact, many insurance companies will not insure a vacant house for this very reason. Call your insurance company right away and make sure you are covered. Make sure that a porch light hasn’t been left on. Keep the yard maintained and stop all mail and newspaper subscriptions. If possible, keep a car parked in the driveway. Another very inexpensive solution is to put lights and a radio on a timer. Do anything you can to make the house appear occupied.
Second, keep the utilities turned on and in use. Houses were made to be lived in. When a house sits vacant it is very hard on the house. Things start to go wrong. Sewer lines fill with grass and roots. The yard dries up and causes the foundation to settle and crack. During the winter plumbing can freeze and burst. Ask a friend or neighbor to stop by once every week and check on the property. Ask them to water the yard, to run the hot and cold water, and to flush the toilets. You can even put rock salt in the toilet tanks to help keep grass and roots from growing into the sewer line. By doing these things you are helping protect your property value.
If you are thinking of selling your vacant property to avoid these problems please let me know. We buy vandalized houses. You don’t have to make any repairs. We can close quickly and we pay all the closing costs. If you would like a cash offer–no strings attached– call us any time at (806) 359-7653 or visit us online at We Buy Vandalized Houses.