Inherit a Home? Here’s What No One Told You

You’ve just lost someone you love and suddenly you're on the hook for their home. Maybe it’s sitting empty while you figure things out. Maybe you're thinking of selling, or relatives want to move in someday. But let me tell you: an empty house isn’t harmless, it often demands more care than an occupied one.

Taking responsibility for an inherited, vacant home brings unexpected risks, security threats, surprise insurance issues, upkeep costs, and legal responsibilities most people don’t see coming. Let’s unpack what’s ahead and how smart planning can protect both the property and your family’s peace of mind.

The Urgent Security Steps You Shouldn’t Skip

The first 48 hours after someone passes are prime time not just for grief, but unfortunately, for opportunists. There are people who literally troll obituaries looking for their next break-in. Yep, it’s gross, but it happens. An empty house during a funeral? That’s basically an open invitation to the wrong kind of guest.

Your top priority? Lock it down. And I mean literally, change the locks and secure all entry points ASAP. You probably have no idea who has a key or knows the alarm code. That sweet neighbor who helped out? Lovely. But do you know who they’ve given access to? The aide who was caring for your loved one? Wonderful until you realize she made a copy “just in case.” That “just in case” is now your problem.

Next step: basic home security. Loop in the neighbors, let them know who should and shouldn’t be hanging around. If there’s an alarm system, update codes and contact info pronto. And if you can swing it, have someone stay at the house during the service. It’s not paranoid, it’s smart.

Then, get the valuables out. Think small and stealable: jewelry, cash, electronics, meds, guns, anything that’s both tempting and easy to swipe. Don’t forget tools, power equipment, and even collectibles. Just because it doesn’t scream “valuable” to you doesn’t mean it won’t to someone else.

You're not trying to empty the house overnight, but you are trying to make it a whole lot less appealing to anyone with bad intentions. The goal: remove what’s easy to grab and hard to replace.

And just so we’re clear, this is just the security stuff. There's a long to-do list ahead when you're handling a loved one's estate. But this? This is step one, and it matters.

The Never-Ending Game of Whack-a-Mole (Home Edition) 

Once you’ve locked down the immediate security stuff, surprise! The house doesn’t magically stop needing attention just because no one’s living in it. In fact, vacant homes are needy. When no one’s around to catch the little things, they have a nasty habit of turning into big, expensive things.

Your heating and cooling systems still need love. In winter, turning off the heat is basically asking for a burst pipe and a five-figure repair bill. In the summer or anywhere with humidity, stagnant air leads to mold. And mold? It’s not just gross; it can tank the value of the entire property.

And just because no one’s home doesn’t mean you get to skip regular check-ins. A tiny roof leak? A clogged gutter? A missing shingle? If no one’s there to spot them, they’ll wreak havoc before anyone notices. Foundation cracks won’t introduce themselves, and squirrels don’t RSVP before moving into the attic.

The outside of the house matters too. Overgrown grass, piles of newspapers, or a snow-covered walkway? That’s a flashing neon sign saying “Nobody’s Home!” which is both a security risk and a violation waiting to happen. You’ll want to set up regular landscaping, snow removal, and a general look-alive plan.

Oh and pests. Empty homes are basically the VIP section for rodents and insects. One forgotten cracker in a cabinet or an unsealed gap under the door, and boom infestation. And trust me, mice don't come alone.

And here’s the kicker that catches too many families off guard: insurance. Just because you had coverage doesn’t mean it still applies the moment the house is empty. Vacant home coverage is a whole different animal and it’s one you want to tame before it bites.

When Your Insurance Isn’t Actually Insuring Anything

Here’s the curveball that catches way too many families off guard: your loved one’s homeowner’s insurance might not cover anything once the house is vacant. Yep, even if the policy is paid up. Why? Because insurance companies don’t like empty houses, they see them as high-risk, and most standard policies quietly exclude or limit coverage if no one’s lived there for 30 days.

So what do you do? You call the insurance company immediately and let them know the property’s now vacant. Some will keep the coverage going (with extra hoops, higher premiums, and less generous terms), while others will straight-up cancel the policy, leaving you scrambling for specialized vacant property insurance.

And don’t think, “We’re selling it soon, it’ll be fine.” That’s how people end up on the hook for six-figure losses when the basement floods or the place catches fire. Real estate timelines stretch, and insurance gaps don’t care how soon you thought you'd be done.

The stakes? Huge. If something major happens and the insurance company finds out the house was vacant and not properly covered? You could be personally responsible for every penny of damage.

The fix is simple: be upfront, get the right policy in place, and don’t let insurance be the thing that breaks the estate. You’ve got enough going on, let’s not add “massive uninsured disaster” to the list.

And while all of this may sound like a lot, the good news? Most of it is avoidable if you know what to do upfront and now you do.

Why Smart Estate Planning Means Fewer Headaches Later

All of this? Way easier to deal with if your loved one had a solid Estate Plan in place. Not your grandma’s estate planning—this isn’t just a dusty stack of legal documents that no one can find when it matters. Estate Planning is about thinking ahead, anticipating the real-life stuff your family’s going to face, and putting systems in place to handle it all without the chaos.

When you plan with me, we don’t just check the “will and trust” boxes. We create a full-blown asset inventory, yes, an organized, easy-to-follow list of what you own, where it is, and what your family needs to know about it. Deed? Check. Insurance info? Covered. Utility details, maintenance records, that weird warranty you forgot about? It’s all in there. No one’s rummaging through file boxes during a meltdown trying to find out who insures the roof.

We also look at how to make sure cash is actually available when your family needs it because let’s be real, repairs and bills don’t wait. Without the right planning, your people might have to front the cost of a new boiler, mold remediation, or even just a winter heating bill out of their own pocket while the estate sits in probate limbo. Most folks aren’t in a position to float major expenses for months or years.

But maybe the most important piece? When you work with me, your family won’t be left flying solo. I’ll be there to guide them through the hard stuff so they’re not Googling at 2 a.m. or panicking over what to do with the house. They’ll have a trusted advisor (hi, that’s me) who already knows the plan and is ready to step in with clear next steps and real answers.

That’s the magic of planning with purpose not just for documents, but for life.

Don’t Leave Your Family Guessing (or Fighting)

If you want your loved ones to know exactly what to do with your house and everything else after you're gone (without panic, guilt, or 47 group texts trying to guess what you “would’ve wanted”), then it’s time to stop waiting and start planning.

As a Personal Family Lawyer® Firm, I help people like you create an Estate Plan that actually works. No confusing paperwork stuffed in a drawer. No guessing games. Just real clarity and real support so your people aren’t left sorting through a mess while also managing their grief.

It all starts with an Initial Planning Session, where we’ll get you more financially organized than you’ve ever been (yes, really), and you’ll finally know what would happen to your home, your loved ones, and everything you’ve worked so hard for—whether life throws a curveball or you’re no longer here.

From there, we’ll build a plan together, one that fits your life, your wishes, and your values. And yes, it’ll be done at a price that makes sense. Because peace of mind? Shouldn’t come with sticker shock.

When you work with me, you make life so much easier for your family. You’ll give them the ultimate gift: the comfort of knowing it’s all taken care of and they don’t have to figure it out alone.

👉 Click here to schedule a complimentary 15-minute discovery call and let’s chat about how to protect the people (and things) you love most. https://go.20westlegal.com/meeting-scheduler 

This article is a service of 20WestLegal LLC. We don't just draft documents; we ensure you make informed and empowered decisions about life and death for yourself and the people you love. That's why we offer a Planning Session, during which you will get more financially organized than you've ever been before and make all the best choices for the people you love. You can begin by calling our office in Sudbury, Massachusetts today to schedule an Estate Planning Session and mention this article to find out how to get this $750 session at no charge.

The content is sourced from Personal Family Lawyer® for use by Personal Family Lawyer® firms, a source believed to be providing accurate information. This material was created for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as ERISA, tax, legal, or investment advice. If you are seeking legal advice specific to your needs, such advice services must be obtained on your own separate from this educational material.