03/09/2026
Empty homes can look like a problem, but for the right investor, they can also present an opportunity.
A property that has been vacant for years may have a motivated owner, refurbishment potential and, in some areas, access to council schemes designed to bring empty homes back into use.
But buying cheap isn’t enough.
You need to understand why the property is empty, what the refurbishment will actually cost, whether the local rental demand is there, what VAT treatment applies, and what your exit strategy looks like.
The biggest mistake is focusing only on the discount.
A £70K property isn’t a great deal if it needs £40K of work and there’s no viable rental or resale demand.
Look at the numbers from the purchase price all the way through to the exit.
Would you take on an empty property if the numbers stacked up?