Abandoned Houses: What to Know About an Abandoned Home (2024)

When driving around neighborhoods, every so often, you might see what looks like an abandoned house. The signs of abandoned houses are blatantly obvious.

The windows being boarded up, the overgrown landscaping, the peeling paint, and the crumbling driveway are dead giveaways.

Sometimes when looking at abandoned houses, you are left speechless. How could someone let a lovely property go by the wayside? What would cause them to abandon their home?

Many people are interested in abandoned houses, including the cities and towns that deal with them, the neighbors, real estate investors, or other potential buyers.

We will take an in-depth look into everything you need to know about abandoned houses. Let’s dive in.

What is an Abandoned Property?

An abandoned house is one that an owner has voluntarily left behind. Usually, a home is considered abandoned when the owner has not occupied it for several years.

In order for abandonment to be considered, there must be clear evidence that the owner has given up their rights to the property. There also must be a demonstrable intention of the owner to relinquish their control.

When the state cannot reach the property owner after a certain period, they can seize the property through legal action.

A house that is abandoned usually is one that has been left unoccupied and vacant due to foreclosure, bankruptcy, or other financial or legal reasons. Local governments are usually not collecting property taxes anymore from the original owner.

Since most homes are abandoned for financial reasons, they typically need significant renovation and repair.

One specific type of abandoned property is a condemned house. Condemned properties are vacant homes that typically have structural damage and several necessary repairs.

Common Reasons People Abandon Houses

You may be wondering why some folks desert their homes. There are common denominators in what causes many abandoned properties. These are some of the most likely reasons.

• Financial distress culminates in an inability to pay the mortgage. Missed mortgage payments occur, which leads to the foreclosure process.
• Unpaid back taxes.
• The owner passes away.
• Unwilling or unable to make repairs to the property.
• An unsafe area.
• Not wanting to sell an inherited home.
• Natural disasters.
• An unexpected quick move out of the area.

Abandoned Properties Condition Continues to Get Worse

One of the most significant problems with vacant houses is the condition continuing to deteriorate over time. It typically will start with an old roof that starts to leak or a basem*nt that floods.

Without proper heating and cooling, pipes can burst to create a cascade of problems.

Water damage is one of the most significant detriments to any home. With nobody there to remedy these problems, mold will quickly settle into the home. Once floors and walls are soaked, mold will quickly spread like wildfire.

The other problem that is a constant threat to an abandoned home is vandalism and squatters. Theft becomes a huge issue. There will be people who will steal anything of value left in the home, including all of the copper piping, appliances, HVAC, etc.

Sometimes the homeless or squatters will take over a property.

Problems With Abandoned Housing

There are many problems associated with an abandoned home beyond it being tough to look at every day. Some of the issues that abandoned properties create are the following:

• Health Hazards – abandoned properties become a health hazard to the public. Someone can get seriously injured by being curious and entering the property.
• Public safety – it is not unusual for abandoned housing to pose a public safety threat due to crime, drugs, and homelessness. Criminal activity is expected, and the local police department may know the property well. Crime rates are these homes are almost always higher.
• Squatters take over – when a home becomes abandoned, they are a magnet for a squatter to occupy.
• Unpaid expenses – costs continue to accrue without payment, including utilities, taxes, and ongoing maintenance.
• Property values diminish – the surrounding properties and areas suffer from vacant property. Abandoned housing lowers the property values of other owners in the general area. Nobody wants their market value to decrease, so addressing these homes becomes paramount.

What Happens to an Abandoned Home?

When a house is abandoned, a process must occur before the home can be seized or liquidated. Usually, the first step when a property becomes abandoned is a neighbor making a complaint to local officials in the city or town hall.

A code violation complaint is usually filed in either the building department or zoning office. The code enforcement officer will then try to locate the property owner. At times locating the owner can be challenging.

If the homeowner is not paying taxes, eventually, the property will be taken via a tax sale.

Frequently abandoned houses find their way to foreclosure. The lender holding the mortgage will put it up for auction. The home will go to the REO division within the lending institution if it is not sold.

When the property is habitable, it will often be listed with a local Realtor who will try to sell it. If the home is not habitable, it will be demolished and sold as a building lot.

Given these homes are usually eye soars, other homeowners will want to protect the value of their own property. Empty homes can impact the entire neighborhood, especially with an unkempt yard.

How to Find Out if a House is Abandoned

The best way to find out if a property has been abandoned is to go directly to the local city hall. Ensure the address is handy, so the clerk can quickly look it up.

Unless the abandonment just happened, they will likely know if the owner has deserted the property. They will be able to tell you the owner of an abandoned house. Their public records may provide you with the owner’s phone numbers or other contact information.

In some financially stricken areas, you might find a list of homes that are vacant.

How to Buy Abandoned Houses?

Lots of folks ask if you can buy abandoned homes. The answer is yes.

They also want to know how to find abandoned houses. Locating an abandoned home isn’t always easy. Abandoned homes end up being cheap due to the nature of the property and the likely deplorable condition.

Many folks want to buy an abandoned house in order to get a good deal. Fixing up one of these abandoned properties could potentially provide a significant profit. They are often the ideal properties for investors and contractors to purchase.

Several ways exist for finding abandoned houses nearby your location. Abandoned houses for sale can be found on local government websites. Many areas have a list of abandoned properties. Usually, you can find them at the clerk’s office at the city or town hall.

You can also search for abandoned houses for sale by looking for them at auctions. Most abandoned homes are liquidated in this fashion.

Believe it or not, some abandoned houses have been sold for free or at massive discounts.

Abandoned Houses Near Me

While finding an abandoned house in a more affluent area is more challenging, you may get lucky. One of the better methods, when you live in a lower-income area, is to drive around looking for these types of properties.

Investors like to call this the “driving for dollars” approach. The tell-tale signs, as mentioned previously, are homes that have been boarded up, have tall grass, peeling paint, and rotted wood. They generally look like they are a disaster.

It is not unusual to see trash in the yard or mail overflowing out of the mailbox. Ask the mailman, and they will usually be able to tell you where to find a deserted home.

You might also want to try to locate the owner yourself. Having a look at our helpful guide on how to find property owners. You may be able to strike a deal with the owner of the home before ownership is taken away.

The last method is to use Google for an online search. The search term abandoned houses near me or abandoned houses near me for sale could lead to some potential results. You may pick up upon some of the government properties taken for taxes or potential auctions taking place.

There may even be a real estate agent advertising abandoned houses for sale if they have been chosen to market a foreclosure.

If that is the case, it will likely be posted on the many popular websites for home buyers. Ask your real estate agent to check current real estate listings. Local Realtors may know if there are any vacant properties.

Abandoned Haunted Houses

One of the eeriest forms of an abandoned home is a haunted house. There are homes across the country that their owners have deserted because of paranormal activity.

If you are into this kind of thing, you can see why someone would skip town and leave behind their home. Looking at popular TV shows like Paranormal Activity, Ghost Hunters, and others like them, you can see why property owners would want to pack their bags and not return.

Abandoned haunted houses have become more commonplace due to what took place on the property and the torturous activity of the remaining spirits.

Looking at these pictures of some of the more frightening haunted houses, it is not hard to understand why. If the thought of buying an abandoned haunted house is intriguing, you can probably find one.

Here are even more pictures of some downright spooky abandoned homes. Old abandoned houses tend to pique your curiosity about what took place to cause the owner to leave.

If you like looking at creepy abandoned houses, you’ll love some of the pictures of these properties.

You can search abandoned haunted houses for sale near me to see if you find any results.

Selling an Abandoned House

Sometimes a homeowner will run into a problem in their life and, at a moment’s notice, snap out of it. It is possible that they will come to the realization that deserting their home was not a good idea.

They will want to get their financial life back on track in times like these. If you are the owner of an abandoned home, you should first contact a real estate attorney and get professional advice.

One of the many things a real estate attorney does is provide sound guidance.

Has the government started the process of taking the home? Has the mortgage lender posted a foreclosure? It is possible you may be able to stop these proceedings.

You may still be able to sell your abandoned home. If things can be worked out, it will make sense to contact a local real estate professional and have them list the property for sale.

The real estate agent can guide you on what to do. Are you able to make any improvements, or do you need to sell as-is?

Listing the home in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) is the way you will sell for the most money. However, if time isn’t on your side and you need to sell quickly, contacting a company like We Buy Ugly Houses or other investor companies like them may be more prudent.

These companies will pay cash for your home and close very fast. With a cash offer, they can take immediate possession. The exact kind of situation a real estate investor looks for.

Final Thoughts on Abandoned Houses

According to the National Association of Realtors, as of March 2022, there are 16 Million vacant properties across the United States. Of course, not all of these homes will turn into abandoned housing, but some of them will.

This resource shows the vacancy rates in states across the country.

Whether you are buying or selling abandoned property, it is essential to do proper due diligence. Connecting with a qualified real estate attorney will likely be valuable in these situations.

Hopefully, you have enjoyed what you need to know about an abandoned house. If you have any questions or have an abandoned home you would like to sell, feel free to reach out.

About the Author: The above Real Estate information on abandoned houses is provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-625-0191. Bill has helped people move in and out of many Metrowest towns for 36+ Years.

Are you thinking of selling your home? I am passionate about real estate and love sharing my marketing expertise!

I service Real Estate Sales in the following Metrowest MA towns: Ashland, Bellingham, Douglas, Framingham, Franklin, Grafton, Holliston, Hopkinton, Hopedale, Medway, Mendon, Milford, Millbury, Millville, Northborough, Northbridge, Shrewsbury, Southborough, Sutton, Wayland, Westborough, Whitinsville, Worcester, Upton, and Uxbridge MA.