The hidden costs of a vacant house
- Insurance. Many homeowners policies limit or exclude coverage once a home has been vacant for a set period. Check your policy — you may need vacant-dwelling coverage.
- Maintenance. Frozen pipes, roof leaks, and break-ins can go unnoticed. Winterizing helps but isn’t a substitute for regular checks.
- Municipal rules. Some New Jersey towns require vacant or abandoned properties to be registered and maintained to a set standard, sometimes with fees.
If the house is fire, water, or storm damaged
- If there’s an open insurance claim, let us know. Claim payments may be made jointly to you and your mortgage lender, and that affects how a sale is structured.
- For flood-zone properties, if the local floodplain administrator determines a house was substantially damaged (generally, repair costs of 50% or more of the structure’s market value), rebuilding may require bringing it up to current flood standards, such as elevation.
- We buy in that state, so you don’t have to fund repairs, elevation, or demolition.
Frequently asked questions
Will you buy a house that isn’t livable?
Yes. We buy uninhabitable houses as-is.
What about my insurance claim?
Tell us where it stands. Depending on timing, the claim and the sale can be handled together — the title company and your insurer will confirm.
Where we buy
Cliffwood Beach · Old Bridge · Aberdeen · Lakewood · Toms River · Jackson · Howell · Brick · Freehold · Middletown · Keyport · Long Branch · Asbury Park · Neptune · Manchester
This page is general information about New Jersey processes, not legal or tax advice. Rules change and every situation is different — consult a New Jersey attorney, accountant, or HUD-approved housing counselor about your specific circumstances.