Should You Buy a Long Vacant House as a First Time Homeowner?

Should You Buy a Long Vacant House as a First Time Homeowner? Short answer? Probably not, depending on your experience with houses, how much time you have, how much money, and how much patience you have. But, we all know there’s something weirdly romantic about a long vacant house, right? The old details, the quiet rooms, the “it just needs someone to love it” storyline. Yeah, movies sell it as a little paint, a few thrifted finds, maybe one emotional montage, and suddenly it’s perfect. TikTok sells it as a charming before-and-after with a vintage door handle close-up. 

It’d be great if real life worked that way, but it doesn’t always. Realistically speaking, in a house that’s been empty for years, there’s usually going to be lots of problems. It’s not going to be that easy to give it the modern revamp that it needs. So, can a first-time homeowner buy a long vacant house? Absolutely. But it helps to go into it with eyes open, because the work usually isn’t cosmetic first.

Vacant Houses Deteriorate

When a house is lived in, little issues get noticed pretty quickly. Like, a slow leak gets spotted, a weird smell gets investigated, a flickering outlet gets fixed. But in a vacant house, problems can sit there and build, and nobody’s around to catch them until they’re bigger issues. You can almost always count on moisture being the biggest culprit here. Basements can get damp, crawl spaces can turn into humidity traps, and small roof issues can lead to bigger water damage over time.

Even if there’s no major flooding, years of tiny moisture issues could lead to warped materials, musty smells, and mold growth that’s not obvious until walls are opened or flooring is ripped up. And don’t forget about temperature swings either; especially with insulation degrading over time.

The Real Budget isn’t the Purchase Price

A lot of people love vacant homes because they tend to be offered at really cheap prices. But the true cost is purchase price plus repairs plus the “stuff nobody planned for.” That includes permit issues, dumpster fees, materials, tool purchases, and the fact that renovations always take longer than expected. Rarely does anyone just get to immediately move into a vacant home, and the vacant home be totally livable and fine.

Usually, before the purchase, you can count on needing a home inspection to see what’s happening within the house (this isn’t for cosmetic reasons either). Sometimes a vacant house can’t even be lived in, as it's not legally permitted until the home's determined safe through inspections. Keep that in mind as you look at homes. Sometimes vacant homes can be a giant money pit to repair--and, if it's not livable, you still need to pay additional living expenses at a another place until you can move into your new home.

Mother Nature Loves Empty House

Be it pests or just mould, moss, or some sort of wildlife for that matter (plants included), Mother Nature has a way of moving into empty houses. Yep, mice, squirrels, raccoons, insects, birds, you name it. And they tend to get in through the small gaps, vents, chimneys, soffits, and broken screens, which become welcome signs in vacant homes. You can probably imagine the sheer amount of damage Mother Nature can cause!

What it Really Comes Down To

My honest opinion? A long-vacant house can absolutely turn into something special, but it’s rarely the dreamy, low-effort transformation we like to imagine. It takes patience, flexibility, a realistic budget, and a willingness to deal with the unglamorous stuff first. If you go in prepared—and a little thick-skinned—it can be worth it. But if you’re hoping for an easy win or a quick glow-up, that “romantic fixer-upper” might ask for a lot more than you’re ready to give.