You own a vacant house, but moving isn’t happening yet. What to do next?

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Published Date 9/30/2022

There are few sweeter words to hear when you’re buying a home than “You’re on record.” That’s what the title/escrow company or your Realtor will tell you after funds are confirmed and the county has transferred and recorded the title of the new owner (you) of your home.

First off, congratulations on making it through the closing process, which can often be a roller coaster all the way from your bid or offer being accepted through inspections, further negotiations, and loan funding, if you didn’t pay cash. Many buyers delay moving into their new home for reasons ranging from the timing of the move to a job to getting bids for repairs or renovations that might precede occupancy. Now that it’s yours, however, it’s time to prepare your new home to be vacant.

While you may have done a final walk-through before closing, it’s time to do one again, according to Realtor.com’s Lisa Marie Conklin. “Look at all the essential home components—like the appliances and the systems—especially the parts of the house that were flagged as issues during the inspection,” she says. You’ll want to ensure that all appliances are in good working order, including testing the HVAC system and seeing that the hot water works.

Was waiving the home inspection part of the terms of your escrow? If so, it’s a good idea to have an official inspection done before you leave the house vacant so you can repair any critical issues now so they don’t turn into bigger headaches.

Now that it’s yours, change the locks. You have no idea how many other keys are floating out there, and it is especially important to take care of this step for your personal safety. Conklin advises that in addition to changing the locks (or getting new codes) to go through the entire home and lock all the windows and exterior doors, including all the interior as well as exterior doors in the garage. If you don’t need to use those garage doors for a while, a padlock is a great idea as well.

While it might sound hokey, consider letting your new neighbors know that you won’t be moving in for a while, and ask them to keep an eye out for activity at the home. They may even be willing to collect your mail and newspapers and store packages that are left for you before you officially move in. To thank them, consider buying them a gift card for a local restaurant or movie theater.

You’re going to need light even in a vacant house, and you don’t want your house to LOOK empty, so grab a few lamps from your old house (and maybe even a sofa or bookshelf) and place them in a room that’s visible from the street. Consider installing smart lighting and programming the lights to turn on at certain times of the day. If the curtains and blinds weren’t included in the sale, hang curtains in the house, especially if you’re storing items. Holiday time? Hang a seasonal wreath on the front door, or put out a welcome mat to make it look like someone’s home.

Speaking of smart devices, beef up the security of your home with motion sensors and other types of security tech. If you’re not living nearby you can even install a smart HVAC system so you can control the temperature of your home from afar to avoid any freezing pipes. Conklin says to set the air conditioning to 78 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer and at 65 in the winter. “If you live in an area that reaches below-freezing temperatures, open the cabinet doors below the sinks to keep warm air circulating to help keep pipes from freezing and bursting.

A way to protect your empty house against plumbing disasters would be to turn off the main water valve. “You can also install a water leak detection device,” says Conklin. “Choose a smart model that senses water leaks, sends an alert to your phone, and automatically shuts off the water.”

As for the exterior of your vacant home, get help. “An overgrown lawn is unsightly and essentially announces to the neighborhood that no one is home,” says Conklin. “If you’re not moving in for a while, hire a landscaping company to keep your home’s exterior looking polished.” It’s a good idea to consider having a pest control service come by to keep bugs and rodents out of the home as well. Oh. And hire someone to remove snow from the driveway and walkways so it looks like someone is home.

“The advantage of not moving in right away is that you can take care of some home maintenance without having to live amid the chaos,” says Conklin. “If you’re planning on painting the walls or replacing the flooring, do so now before you move all your stuff in.” She goes on to say that working with a blank canvas is a luxury most homeowners don’t get, so take advantage of it. After the improvements are made, hire a professional cleaning service to do a deep cleaning.

Realtor, TBWS

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