Vacant houses — Alameda County
Sell your vacant house
and stop paying to keep it.
Taxes, insurance, utilities, break-ins and, in Oakland and Berkeley, a vacancy tax. We buy empty and overfilled houses as they sit, contents and all.
About a minute · No obligation · Or call (510) 706-7203
What to know
An empty house is never free. Selling it can be simple.
Houses end up empty for all kinds of reasons: a parent moved to assisted living, a tenant left, a renovation stalled, or an estate is taking longer than expected. Meanwhile the bills keep coming, and nobody is there to notice a leak, a break-in or a pile of dumped trash.
We buy vacant houses across Alameda County in whatever state they’re in, including houses full of belongings. You don’t have to clear them out, fix anything or keep paying to hold them.
What an empty house really costs
Property taxes, insurance, utilities and upkeep don’t stop when nobody lives there, and vacancy adds risks of its own: break-ins, squatters, stolen copper, illegal dumping and blight complaints. Leaks can run for weeks before anyone notices.
Vacancy taxes in Oakland and Berkeley
Oakland’s Vacant Property Tax (Measure W) applies to most parcels in use fewer than 50 days in a year: up to $6,000 a year for a vacant house, or $3,000 for a condo, duplex or townhouse unit. There are exemptions for situations like financial hardship, active construction and low-income seniors.
Berkeley’s Empty Homes Tax applies to homes left vacant more than 182 days in a year, single-family houses included. It’s about $3,000 the first year and $6,000 a year after that, adjusted for inflation, and some time doesn’t count, such as during major repairs or after an owner’s death. Check your city’s rules for your property.
Insurance on an empty house
Many homeowners policies limit coverage once a house has been vacant for a set period, commonly 60 days in a row, often for exactly the risks empty houses face, like vandalism. If your house is empty, ask your insurance agent whether you need a vacancy policy.
Hoarding and houses full of belongings
If the house is packed with belongings, from a lifetime of keeping things or a hoarding situation, you don’t need to empty it to sell. Take what matters, leave the rest, and we handle the cleanout after closing. There are no listing photos or open houses, so no one has to see it but us.
General information about California rules as of October 2026, not legal, tax or financial advice. Laws change and every situation is different, so check the details with an attorney, CPA or housing counselor.
How it works
Vacant house: how the sale works.
Tell us about the house
The address and roughly how long it’s been empty. You don’t need to visit or open it up first.
Get a written cash offer
Usually within 24 hours, for the house as it sits.
Sign from anywhere
If you live out of the area, you can sign the closing papers with a notary where you are.
Close and walk away
Take what you want, leave the rest, and stop paying to keep it.
Why sell to us
A direct cash sale vs. listing with an agent
| Feature | EZ Home Offer | Listing with an agent |
|---|---|---|
| Commissions & fees | None | Often around 5% of the price |
| Repairs & cleaning | None, sell as-is | Often required |
| Showings & open houses | None | Many |
| Time to close | As little as 3 days | Often 60–90+ days |
| Closing date | You choose | Buyer’s schedule |
| Financing fall-through | Low risk, cash offer | Common |
Common questions
Vacant house: your questions, answered.
Do I need to clean out the house before selling?
No. Take anything you want to keep and leave the rest, including furniture, boxes and trash. We handle the cleanout after closing.
I live out of state. Can I sell without coming back?
Usually, yes. Closing documents can be signed with a notary wherever you are, and access to the house can be arranged without you being there.
Do Oakland’s or Berkeley’s vacancy taxes apply to my house?
They may. Oakland’s applies to parcels in use fewer than 50 days in a year, and Berkeley’s to homes vacant more than 182 days in a year, unless an exemption applies. Each city’s tax page lists the rules and exemptions.
The utilities are shut off. Is that a problem?
No. We can see the house without power or water and buy it that way.
Is a hoarding situation too much?
No. Belongings, trash and the repairs that often come with them are all priced in. It stays private: no listing photos, no open houses.
How do you determine your offer?
We look at the property’s condition, the repairs it needs, and recent comparable sales nearby. We walk you through how we got to the number, with no pressure to accept.
Are there any fees or commissions?
No. You won’t pay agent commissions or pay us any fees. We cover typical closing costs, so the offer you accept is what you can expect to walk away with, minus any existing liens or mortgage payoff.
Are you real estate agents?
No. We’re real estate investors, not licensed agents or brokers, and we don’t list homes. We may buy your property directly or assign our purchase contract to another investor buyer. We’ll always tell you exactly how the deal is structured.
Other situations
Whatever’s going on, we can help.
- Inherited houseHow it works →
- Facing foreclosureHow it works →
- DivorceHow it works →
- Rental with tenantsHow it works →
- Fire damageHow it works →
- Major repairsHow it works →
- Code violationsHow it works →
- RelocatingHow it works →
- DownsizingHow it works →
- Assisted livingHow it works →
- Hoarder houseHow it works →
- Selling as-isHow it works →
The direct line