An empty house has a way of turning into a problem. Maybe it belonged to a parent who moved into care, maybe the tenants left, or maybe you moved and it has not sold. Whatever the reason, a vacant house in Saint John keeps costing you money and carries risks that an occupied home does not. Here is what to watch for and how to move it on.
Why vacancy is different in Saint John
Saint John is Canada’s oldest incorporated city, chartered in 1785, and with about 70,000 people it is New Brunswick’s second-largest city. It sits where the Saint John River meets the Bay of Fundy, home to the Reversing Falls and one of Canada’s busiest ports by tonnage, along with the Irving Oil refinery.
The city’s age shows in its housing. The Great Fire of 1877 destroyed about 40% of the city, and today the city’s heritage rules protect many buildings built before 1915. Uptown, which holds the central business district and the Trinity Royal Heritage Conservation Area, is the most densely populated part of the city. The city’s 33 neighbourhoods are grouped into North, East, South and West, from the South End around Broad Street to Millidgeville in the north. Older wood and brick buildings exposed to Fundy weather need regular attention, and an empty one gets none.
The risks of leaving a house empty
Insurance
This is the big one. Many home insurance policies reduce or restrict coverage once a house has been unoccupied for a set number of days, and some require regular inspections or that the heat be kept on. Call your insurer, tell them the house is vacant, and ask exactly what is required. You may need a vacancy permit or a separate vacant property policy.
Winter damage
A furnace that quits in January can lead to frozen and burst pipes within days. If nobody is checking the house, water can run for a long time before anyone notices. Either keep the heat on and have someone check regularly, or have a plumber properly drain and winterize the system.
Break-ins and squatters
An obviously empty house, with snow unshovelled and mail piling up, can attract unwanted attention. Theft of copper and appliances, vandalism and people sheltering inside are all risks.
City by-laws
Saint John has by-laws dealing with vacant and dangerous buildings, unsightly premises and minimum property standards, and residents can report vacant buildings to the City. The City says it starts by working with owners to fix problems and turns to fines if that fails. Long grass, accumulated garbage, broken windows or an unsafe structure can all put an empty house on the City’s radar.
Heritage rules
If the property is in the Trinity Royal area, which protects buildings built before 1915, changes to the exterior may need heritage approval. Check with the City before boarding up, replacing windows or altering the facade.
A checklist for protecting an empty house
- Tell your insurer the house is vacant and meet every condition they set
- Keep the heat on at a safe level, or have the plumbing professionally winterized
- Arrange regular visits, inside and out, and keep a log
- Forward the mail and cancel flyer delivery
- Keep the walks shovelled and the lawn cut so the house looks lived in
- Remove valuables and anything that could be a fire risk
- Use timers on a couple of lights
- Make sure doors, windows and basement access are secure
Who is allowed to sell it?
Many vacant houses belong to someone who can no longer manage them, such as a parent in long-term care, or to an estate after a death. In those cases the person handling the sale needs proper legal authority, usually a power of attorney or a grant of probate or administration. Sort that out with a lawyer early, because no buyer can close until the right person can sign.
The cost of waiting
Add up a vacant house’s monthly bills: property tax, insurance, heat and power, snow clearing and lawn care, the mortgage if there is one, plus your time driving over to check on it. Insurance in particular can cost more once a house is vacant. Over a season or two, that adds up to real money for a house nobody is using.
Vacant houses can also be harder to list. They tend to feel cold in photos and showings, small maintenance issues have time to become big ones, and buyers sometimes assume an empty seller will accept less.
Selling options for a vacant house
Clean up, stage and list
If the house is in decent shape, clearing it out, doing small repairs and staging it can help it show well. Budget for the cost of that work and the months of carrying costs while you wait for a buyer.
Sell as-is for cash
If the house is full of belongings, needs work, or you simply want it off your plate, a direct cash sale avoids the clean-out, repairs and showings. You agree on a price, pick the closing date, and stop paying to keep an empty building safe.
Sell your vacant Saint John house to East Coast Home Buyers
We buy vacant houses across Saint John, from Uptown and the South End to the West Side and the north end, in whatever condition they are in, including houses that still have furniture inside or have been sitting for a long time. You can learn more on our Saint John cash home buyer page.
If you are tired of paying for an empty house, request your cash offer here. There is no cost and no obligation.
Frequently asked questions
Is my vacant house still covered by insurance?
Possibly not fully. Many policies restrict coverage after a house has been unoccupied for a set period. Call your insurer, tell them it is vacant and ask exactly what they require.
What happens if the City of Saint John gets a complaint about my empty house?
Saint John has by-laws on vacant and dangerous buildings, unsightly premises and minimum property standards. The City says it works with owners first and uses fines if problems are not fixed.
Do I have to clean out the house before selling?
Not if you sell to us. You can take what you want and leave the rest, and we agree in writing on what stays.
Will you buy a house in the Trinity Royal heritage area?
Yes. We look at older and heritage homes across Saint John and factor heritage rules into our plans for the property.