Sell a Vacant House in Carteret, NJ

An empty house still has needs. It needs heat in winter, a lawn that looks cared for, an insurer who knows it is empty and someone who will notice if something goes wrong.

People end up with a vacant house for plenty of ordinary reasons: a move for work, a death in the family, a rental that ended, a renovation that stopped. This page is about looking after the property while you decide, and about describing it clearly when you ask for an offer.

The empty-house check

Pick someone who can look at the house on a regular schedule, whether that is you, a relative or a neighbour you trust, and go through this list each time:

• Doors and windows locked and undamaged, no sign of forced entry.
• No water stains on ceilings, no puddles, no dripping sound.
• Mail and flyers collected so the house does not look empty.
• Lawn cut and walks clear of leaves, and of snow in winter.
• Smoke alarms working, and nothing stored near the furnace.

Winter is the expensive season

An unheated house in a New Jersey winter can freeze its pipes. If the house will be empty over winter, ask a plumber about draining the system or keeping the heat on low, and decide which is right for the building. Either choice has a cost, and either is cheaper than a burst pipe.

Tell your insurer

Many home insurance policies treat an empty house differently from an occupied one, and some limit what they cover after the house has been empty for a while. Read your policy or call the insurer and ask in plain words whether being vacant changes anything. Do not assume.

Ask the borough

Some municipalities have rules about registering or maintaining vacant properties. The borough office in Carteret can tell you whether any apply to your address and whether there are notices on file.

What helps when you ask for an offer