How Often Should Someone Check on a Vacant House?

A few weeks ago, I was showing a vacant home to buyers.

The seller had moved out months earlier, and the disclosures were already uploaded into the MLS. I had read through them before the showing, and one item caught my attention.

The seller disclosed that the pool liner had separated from the side of the pool by about a foot.

Not ideal, but at least we knew about it.

Then I arrived at the house.

The pool was nearly empty.

And that liner that had supposedly pulled away by about a foot?

It was now pulled away from roughly a third of the pool.

That was a very different situation than the one described in the disclosures.

And my first thought was:

When was the last time someone actually checked on this house?

That is one of the problems with vacant homes. A seller can leave a property in one condition, move hundreds of miles away, and reasonably assume it is still basically the same house they left.

But homes do not freeze in time just because nobody is living there.

Things happen.

Slow leaks become bigger leaks.

Landscaping dies.

Sprinklers break.

Toilets run.

Refrigerators stop working.

Pests move in.

Windstorms knock things loose.

And apparently, pools can go from “the liner has pulled away a little” to “well...we have a situation.”

A Vacant Home Still Needs Someone Watching It

One of the biggest misconceptions about a vacant property is that once everybody moves out, there is not much left to do.

Lock the door.

Keep the lawn mowed.

Put it on the market.

Done.

Unfortunately, houses do not always cooperate with that plan.

If nobody is regularly checking the property, a relatively minor problem can become an expensive one before anyone realizes what happened.

And when the owner lives out of the area, they may have absolutely no idea.

So How Often Should Someone Check a Vacant House?

There is not one schedule that is right for every property.

But if I were responsible for a vacant home, I would want someone physically checking it regularly, not simply driving past it.

How often depends on things like:

• the condition and age of the home

• how long it will be vacant

• weather

• landscaping and irrigation

• whether there is a pool

• whether utilities are on

• whether repairs are underway

• whether the home is currently listed for sale

• the requirements of the property’s insurance policy

And that last one is important.

If a home is vacant or unoccupied, talk with the insurance company and make sure you understand what the policy requires. Do not assume the same coverage automatically applies once nobody is living there.

A Drive-By Is Not Really a Property Check

Driving past the house is better than nothing.

But you cannot see a running toilet from the street.

You probably will not notice water underneath a sink.

You will not hear the smoke detector that has been chirping for three days.

You will not know the refrigerator stopped working.

And you definitely are not going to know what is happening with the pool in the backyard.

A real check means walking the property.

What Should Someone Check Inside?

You do not need to conduct a home inspection every time.

You are looking for change.

Pay attention to things like:

Water

Look under sinks, around toilets, near the water heater, around appliances, and anywhere there has been a previous leak.

Temperature

Does the house feel unusually hot or cold? Is the HVAC operating as expected?

Odors

A strange smell can sometimes be the first sign of moisture, sewer issues, a dead refrigerator, or another problem.

Windows and Doors

Make sure everything still appears secure.

Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

A chirping detector in an empty house can apparently chirp forever.

Or at least it feels that way.

Appliances

If appliances are staying with the property and remain connected, make sure nothing is leaking or malfunctioning.

And yes, turn on a few lights.

As I mentioned in my article about leaving utilities on in a vacant home, buyers are much more comfortable walking into a property where the lights actually work.

And Do Not Forget the Outside

Walk around the entire property.

Check:

• landscaping

• irrigation

• fences and gates

• gutters and drainage

• exterior faucets

• roof areas visible from the ground

• fallen branches

• mail and packages

• signs of trespassing

• exterior lighting

• pools and spas

And if there is a pool?

Please actually look at the pool.

I can now say that from experience.

And Then It Became More Than a Maintenance Problem

The condition of the pool was concerning enough on its own.

But because I was there with buyers who would be purchasing the home with financing, I immediately had another question:

What is the appraiser going to say about this?

I called my lender.

His concern was that an appraiser would likely view the condition of the pool as a safety issue.

And that is where a vacant-home maintenance problem can suddenly become a real estate transaction problem.

If the appraiser calls out a safety or property-condition issue and the buyer’s lender requires it to be corrected, the repair may need to be completed, and sometimes reinspected, before the lender will fund the loan.

Now think about what happened here.

When the seller completed the disclosure, the pool liner had reportedly separated by about a foot.

Months later, when I showed the property, the pool was nearly empty and the liner had pulled away from roughly a third of the pool.

That is no longer just:

“We disclosed the pool liner.”

The condition had changed significantly.

And now the seller could be facing a repair that may affect which buyers can purchase the property and whether a financed transaction can close on schedule.

This Is Why Checking a Vacant Home Matters Before You Get an Offer

A seller may think:

“The buyer can deal with it after closing.”

Sometimes that may be possible.

But sometimes the buyer’s lender has something to say about it.

Certain conditions can become appraisal or financing issues, particularly when they involve health, safety, structural concerns, or whether parts of the property are functioning appropriately.

And if the lender requires the condition to be corrected before funding, suddenly there is a deadline attached to a problem that may have been developing for months.

That is not when you want to start figuring out:

Who repairs pool liners?

How much is this going to cost?

Can somebody get out here this week?

Does the pool need to be refilled before the repair?

Does the appraiser have to come back?

Meanwhile, everyone is watching the closing date on the calendar.

It is much better to discover the problem before a buyer and an appraiser do.

A Vacant House Does Not Stay Frozen in Time

This is the part I really want vacant-home owners to understand.

The disclosure may have been completely accurate when it was completed.

But disclosures do not maintain the house.

A home can continue changing after the owner moves away.

And that can affect more than the cost of repairs.

It can affect:

• how buyers perceive the property

• what buyers are willing to pay

• what loan programs may work for the property

• what an appraiser identifies

• whether repairs are required before closing

• how smoothly the transaction moves toward funding

That is a very different consequence than simply discovering that something needs maintenance.

This Is Especially Important for Out-of-Area Owners

Maybe you have already relocated.

Maybe this was your parent’s home and you live in another state.

Maybe a tenant moved out and you are finished being a landlord.

Or perhaps you bought your next house before selling this one.

Whatever the reason, you are now responsible for a property you do not regularly see.

That is when having someone local becomes incredibly valuable.

You should not have to wonder:

Did the landscaper actually show up?

Is there water in the pool?

Did that repair get completed?

Is the house secure?

Did something happen during last week’s storm?

Someone needs to be the eyes on the property.

The House May Be Empty. The Responsibility Is Not.

Vacant homes are not necessarily problem homes.

But they can become problem homes when nobody is paying attention.

A quick, regular visit can catch something while it is still small.

And sometimes that visit reveals that the situation has changed quite a bit since the last time anyone looked.

Like a pool liner that went from pulling away by a foot...

...to pulling away from a third of the pool.

That one definitely got my attention.

And it reinforced something I believe even more strongly now:

The best time to discover that a vacant home has developed a problem is before the buyer, the inspector, or the appraiser discovers it for you.

Do You Own a Vacant Home in Greater Sacramento?

I’m Lisa Quaschnick, REALTOR® with eXp Realty of California, and I help owners throughout Sacramento, Placer, El Dorado, and Yolo counties prepare, manage, and sell vacant properties.

If you have already moved, live out of the area, inherited a property, or simply have a home sitting empty, I can help you figure out what needs attention before and during the sale.

For a broader overview, read my guide: How to Sell a Vacant Home in Sacramento: A Step-by-Step Guide.

And if you are wondering what utilities should stay on while a home is vacant, you can also read: Should You Leave Utilities On in a Vacant House?

You’re not here. I am.