How to Sell a Vacant Home in Sacramento: A Step-by-Step Guide

Selling a vacant home can be different from selling a home you still live in.

When nobody is living at the property, there are additional things to think about: security, insurance, utilities, landscaping, repairs, access for contractors, and keeping an eye on the house while it is on the market.

And if you live outside the Sacramento area, managing all of those details from a distance can become a job of its own.

The good news is that you do not have to do everything at once.

Here is where I recommend starting.

What Should You Do First When Selling a Vacant Home?

Before spending money on repairs, cleanout, painting, landscaping, or remodeling, have the property evaluated.

One of the biggest mistakes homeowners make is assuming they need to fix everything before calling a REALTOR®.

You may not.

Depending on the condition of the home and the current Sacramento market, some improvements may help your sale while others may not return enough to justify the expense.

Before making decisions, look at:

• the home’s current condition

• its likely value as it sits today

• repairs that could affect financing or insurability

• improvements that may help marketability

• how much work you actually want to take on

• your preferred timeline for selling

Once you know those things, it becomes much easier to create a plan.

1. Make Sure the Vacant Home Is Properly Insured

A home that is vacant may be treated differently by an insurance company than an occupied home.

Policies and definitions vary, so contact the property's insurance carrier and tell them the home is no longer occupied.

Ask specifically whether the existing policy covers the home while it is vacant and whether any additional coverage is needed.

Don't assume the existing policy automatically provides the same coverage after the property becomes vacant.

2. Decide what to do with the utilities

In most cases, I recommend keeping essential utilities on while preparing and selling a vacant home.

Water, electricity, and gas may be needed for:

• inspections

• appraisals

• cleaning

• contractors

• landscaping

• showings

• heating and cooling

• buyer investigations

Turning everything off may save a little money, but it can also make preparing and selling the property more difficult.

There may be situations where shutting off the water at the property is appropriate to reduce the risk of an unnoticed leak. The right choice depends on the house, season, systems, and how frequently someone is checking the property.

3. Secure the property

A house can look vacant long before a "For Sale" sign appears.

Mail starts piling up. Landscaping becomes overgrown. Trash cans stay in the same place. Lights are always off. Nobody comes and goes.

Try to make the property look maintained rather than abandoned.

That may include:

• keeping landscaping maintained

• removing newspapers, packages, and flyers

• using exterior lighting appropriately

• making sure doors and windows lock properly

• changing locks when necessary

• checking fences and gates

• having someone visit the property regularly

I also recommend removing valuables, medications, important documents, firearms, jewelry, and anything else that should not remain in an unattended home.

4. Don't automatically renovate the house

This is a big one.

A vacant house does not necessarily need to be remodeled before it can be sold.

Sometimes paint, flooring, landscaping, cleaning, or a few repairs can dramatically improve presentation.

Sometimes selling the property mostly as-is makes more financial sense.

The question isn't:

"What could we improve?"

There is almost always something you could improve.

The better question is:

"Which improvements are likely to help us sell the home or improve the seller's net proceeds?"

Those are two very different questions.

Before investing thousands of dollars, look at comparable sales, competing listings, buyer expectations, financing concerns, and the home's current condition.

5. Remove what buyers don't need to see

A vacant home does not have to be completely empty before you start making a selling plan.

This is especially important with inherited homes.

Families sometimes feel pressure to immediately empty every cabinet, donate furniture, hire a dumpster, and clean out the entire house before contacting an agent.

I generally recommend talking with your REALTOR® first.

There may be things worth keeping temporarily for staging or presentation. There may be items that require special disposal. And there may be work that should happen before the cleanout rather than afterward.

Create the plan first.

Then start removing what needs to go.

6. Take care of the exterior

The outside of a vacant house can tell buyers a lot before they ever walk through the door.

Simple things can make a meaningful difference:

Mow or maintain the lawn.

Trim overgrown plants.

Remove leaves and debris.

Clear spider webs near doors and windows.

Make sure exterior lights work.

Clean the front entry.

Repair obvious trip hazards or damaged gates when appropriate.

You don't necessarily need elaborate landscaping.

You want the home to look cared for.

7. Decide whether the home should be staged

Vacant homes can sometimes feel smaller than furnished homes because buyers have difficulty understanding scale.

Staging can also help buyers picture how an awkward room might be used.

But staging isn't necessary for every property.

Sometimes professional photography and a clean, well-prepared vacant home are enough.

Whether staging makes sense depends on the home's price range, layout, condition, competition, and likely buyer.

8. Price the home based on its actual condition

A vacant home should not automatically be priced lower simply because it is empty.

Vacancy itself does not determine value.

Condition, location, lot, upgrades, comparable sales, competing inventory, and market demand are much more important.

However, a vacant property that has deferred maintenance may compete differently than a nearby move-in-ready home.

That's why pricing should reflect what buyers are actually getting, not what the home might be worth after hypothetical improvements.

9. Have a plan for access

Vacant properties often require more people to enter than sellers expect.

During the preparation and sale, access may be needed for:

• cleaners

• contractors

• inspectors

• photographers

• appraisers

• pest companies

• landscapers

• buyers and their agents

• repair professionals

If you live outside the area, having one local person coordinating access can make a tremendous difference.

I often describe this as being the seller's local point person.

The owner does not need to travel back every time someone needs to get into the house.

10. Keep checking the property while it is listed

Putting the home on the market doesn't mean the property no longer needs attention.

Vacant homes should still be monitored.

Things can happen between showings.

A toilet may begin running.

A sprinkler can break.

A storm can knock something down.

A refrigerator can leak.

A smoke detector can start chirping.

A package can be left on the porch.

The landscaping can become overgrown.

Regular attention helps catch small problems before they turn into expensive ones.

Can you sell a vacant Sacramento home if you live out of state?

Yes.

In many cases, sellers can complete most or all of the process without returning to Sacramento.

Documents can often be signed electronically, and many transaction details can be coordinated remotely.

The bigger challenge usually isn't the paperwork.

It's everything happening at the house.

That is why out-of-area sellers benefit from having someone local who can help coordinate the property, provide updates, arrange access, and keep the sale moving forward.

What if the vacant home was inherited?

Inherited homes are one of the most common vacant-property situations I work with.

Before selling, it is important to determine who has authority to sell the property and how title is currently held.

A property may be held in a trust, may require probate, or may transfer in another way depending on the circumstances.

Before making major decisions about the property, confirm who has legal authority to act and obtain legal advice when appropriate.

From the real estate side, the same basic questions still apply:

What condition is the home in?

What needs to be removed?

What should be repaired?

Should it be sold as-is?

Who will coordinate the property?

And what selling strategy makes the most sense?

Should you sell a vacant home as-is or fix it first?

There isn't one answer that works for every property.

Selling as-is may make sense when:

• the seller wants a faster or simpler sale

• the property needs significant updating

• the owner does not want to manage repairs

• the expected return from improvements is uncertain

Making selected improvements may make sense when:

• relatively inexpensive work will improve presentation

• a repair could affect financing

• competing homes are in significantly better condition

• the work is likely to increase buyer interest or net proceeds

The important part is making that decision before spending the money.

A simple rule before you start

If you are responsible for a vacant home in the Sacramento area, my advice is simple:

Call before you clean everything out, renovate the property, or start writing checks.

First, determine what the house needs and what it doesn't.

You may discover that the path to selling is much simpler than you expected.

Need help with a vacant home in Greater Sacramento?

I'm Lisa Quaschnick, REALTOR® with eXp Realty of California, and I help homeowners prepare, manage, and sell vacant properties throughout the Greater Sacramento area.

Whether you've inherited a home, moved away, ended a tenancy, or simply moved before selling, I can help you figure out what needs to happen next and coordinate the local details from preparation through closing.

Frequently Asked Questions About Selling a Vacant Home

Can you sell a house while it is vacant?
Yes. A home does not need to be occupied to be sold. Vacant homes may require additional attention to insurance, security, utilities, maintenance, and property access.

Should I leave utilities on in a vacant house while selling?
Often, yes. Utilities may be needed for inspections, appraisals, contractors, cleaning, showings, and buyer investigations. The best approach depends on the property and its systems.

Should I fix a vacant house before selling it?
Not necessarily. Evaluate the property before making repairs so you can determine which improvements may help the sale and which expenses may not be worthwhile.

Do I need to stage a vacant house?
No. Some homes benefit from staging, while others show well when they are simply clean, well-maintained, and professionally photographed.

Can I sell my Sacramento home if I live in another state?
Yes. Many parts of a California real estate transaction can be handled remotely. A local REALTOR® can also help coordinate property access, vendors, inspections, and other on-site details.