Vacant Home Management
Every day your rental sits empty costs you money. 1836 Property Management gets your vacant Austin home hotel-room ready, markets it across 120+ listing sites, and handles upkeep, showings, and screening until the right tenant moves in. Less vacancy. Better tenants. Faster leasing.
22
Average Days on Market
120+
Listing Sites
30
Day Leasing Promise
4.7/5
★★★★★ Rating
The Basics
What Is Vacant Home Management?
Vacant home management is the care and leasing of a rental property while no one lives in it. It covers getting the home rent-ready, keeping utilities and upkeep on track, and marketing it to the next qualified tenant, so the gap between residents stays short and the home stays in leasing shape.
The work has two halves. The first is preparing and caring for the home: make-ready work to our published Make Ready Standards, vacant property assessments and updates, and handling the HOA, landscaping, and calls from neighbors while the house is empty. The second is leasing it: professional photography, the Austin MLS and 120+ listing sites, verified self-showings, and the same written screening standard for every applicant.
At 1836, this isn’t an add-on service. Vacant home management is part of every management plan, from the day a resident gives notice to the day the next one gets the keys.
Talk To Us About Your Vacant Rental
What a Vacant Austin Rental Costs You Each Day
A vacant rental costs you its daily rent plus everything you keep paying while it sits empty. On a $2,300-a-month Austin home, that’s about $76 a day in lost rent. Add the mortgage, taxes, insurance, utilities, and HOA dues, and total holding costs can reach $100 a day or more.
Two extra weeks on the market is over $1,000 in rent you never get back, and no future rent increase recovers it. Holding out for $100 more a month means it takes almost two years of that higher rent just to make up one empty month.
That’s why we price to the market, not to the mortgage. Your carrying costs don’t change what renters will pay, and a long vacancy almost always costs more than aggressive pricing earns. We review pricing every Tuesday and recommend an adjustment when showings and feedback say it’s needed. For the full breakdown, see our look at the real cost of rental vacancy.
What’s Included While Your Home Sits Empty
Every 1836 management plan covers the vacant stretch between residents. Here’s what we handle while your Austin home is empty, from make-ready to the day the next tenant gets the keys.
Hotel-Room Ready Before It’s Listed
We complete make-ready work to our published standards before the home goes live, so it shows at its best from day one.
Vacant Property Assessments
We check on the home while it’s empty and keep you updated on its condition.
HOA, Landscaping, and Neighbors
We handle HOA notices, keep the yard in shape, and field calls from neighbors so nothing slips while no one’s living there.
Utilities and Services
Utilities stay on for showings and make-ready, and we arrange cleaning, yard, and pool service as needed.
120+ Listing Sites
Your home goes on the Austin MLS and 120+ rental sites with professional photography and a full-time leasing coordinator answering every inquiry.
Verified Self-Showings
ID-screened electronic lockboxes let qualified renters see the home quickly, without waiting on a scheduled appointment.
Weekly Owner Updates
You get a showing report every week, and we review pricing every Tuesday with a recommendation when an adjustment makes sense.
Same Screening for Every Applicant
Every applicant is measured against the same written criteria, so the right resident moves in, not just the first one.
Protecting an Empty House in Central Texas Weather
An empty home in Austin faces two very different risks: months of heat and humidity, and the occasional hard freeze. We keep every vacant home we manage ready for both, with utilities on, regular vacant property assessments, and a 24/7 emergency line backed by licensed, insured vendors.
When something can’t wait, we don’t wait either. If weather puts a vacant home at risk, we can act on emergency repairs right away instead of holding for normal approval, and we keep you updated throughout.
What we need from you:
- Utilities on through every vacancy (water, gas, and electricity)
- Landlord insurance that covers vacancy between leases
- A funded maintenance reserve, so urgent repairs can start immediately
- Your HOA’s contact info, with 1836 copied on notices
What temperature should you leave a vacant house in an Austin summer?
Around 80 to 85°F, and never off. Because utilities stay on through every vacancy we manage, the AC keeps running to hold back the humidity that causes mold and the heat that strains appliances, caulk, and finishes, so the home stays show-ready.
How do you protect a vacant home from a Texas freeze?
Steady heat at 55°F or higher, plus a main water shutoff that actually works. Our Make Ready Standards call for replacing a shutoff valve that can’t be found or used, so if a pipe does burst, the water can be stopped fast. Winter Storm Uri in 2021 showed why that matters.
What about storms and flash flooding?
Central Texas sits in Flash Flood Alley, so storms can bring roof leaks, fallen limbs, and water intrusion. Our 24/7 emergency line and vendor network mean storm damage gets addressed quickly, and our vacant property assessments keep you updated on the home’s condition.
From Move-Out to Move-In: How We Get It Leased
Most of the work that keeps a vacancy short happens before the home is listed. We plan the turnover about 90 days out, get the home hotel-room ready, and only then put it on the market. That’s how our homes typically rent after about 22 days on the market.
If a listing slows down, we’d rather adjust early than wait it out. A one-time concession, like a reduced first month, often beats a permanent rent cut, because future renewals are calculated from the full monthly rent. See our full leasing process or learn how to price your rental.
- Renewal planning, about 90 days out
We run a fresh rental analysis and offer the current resident a renewal. If you don’t want to renew, just tell us in writing. - Notice to vacate
If the resident decides to move, you get an email with turnover expectations right away. - Move-out walkthrough
We document the home’s condition against the move-in report, itemize repairs, and rekey the locks as Texas law requires. - Make-ready
Our vendor network completes the work to our published Make Ready Standards, about 40% faster than owner-managed turns. - Listing goes live
Professional photography, the Austin MLS, and 120+ rental sites put the home in front of renters fast. - Showings and weekly updates
Verified self-showings keep traffic moving. You get a showing report every week, and we review pricing every Tuesday. - Screening and lease signing
Every applicant is measured against the same written criteria. Funds and paperwork are collected before keys change hands. - Deposit accounting
The prior resident’s deposit is itemized and returned within the 30-day window Texas law requires.
What Does Vacant Home Management Cost?
Silver
$124
per property / month
$154 standard / month
Save $30/month • Suggested Rent below $1,749
100% of one month’s rent
$1,500 minimum • one-year lease
Gold
$154
per property / month
$184 standard / month
Save $30/month • Suggested Rent $1,750 to $3,000
75% of one month’s rent
$1,500 minimum • one-year lease
Platinum
$204
per property / month
$234 standard / month
Save $30/month • Suggested Rent $3,001 to $3,999
50% of one month’s rent
$1,250 minimum • one-year lease
Diamond
Custom quote
quoted for your property
Built around your property
We’ll confirm eligible savings • Suggested Rent $4,000 and up
75% of one month’s rent
$3,000 minimum • one-year lease
Discounted rates reflect our multi-property and maintenance-reserve discounts; military and veteran owners save an additional $10 a month. Your monthly fee continues while the home is vacant, and the leasing fee applies only when we place a new tenant. See full pricing and discount details.
Find Out What Your Austin Home Could Rent For
Every day your home sits empty is rent you don’t get back. Tell us about your property, and we’ll show you what it could lease for, how fast, and what it takes to get it ready.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I pay a management fee while my home is vacant?
Yes. Your flat monthly management fee continues while the home is empty, because vacancy management is included in every plan. The one-time leasing fee is charged only when we place a new tenant. While the home is vacant, you also cover its carrying costs, such as mortgage, utilities, insurance, HOA dues, and approved make-ready work. See our pricing for plan details.
How long do rentals sit vacant in Austin?
Our homes typically rent after about 22 days on the market. The biggest factors are price, condition, and season. Homes that are move-in ready and priced to the current market lease fastest, while homes listed above market or before make-ready is finished are what turn a few weeks into a few months.
What happens if my home doesn’t rent within 30 days?
Every plan includes our Rented in 30 Day Promise: if we don’t lease your home within the promise window, your next 30 days of management are free. The window is 30 days for most homes, and 45, 60, or 75 days for homes renting above $3,000, $4,000, and $5,000. The home needs to be move-in ready and listed at our recommended price.
Does insurance cover a vacant rental in Texas?
It depends on your policy. Many landlord and homeowner policies limit or drop coverage for vandalism, theft, glass breakage, and water damage once a home has been empty for 30 or 60 days in a row. Call your carrier before the home goes vacant. 1836 requires owners to carry coverage that allows vacancies between lease terms. Learn more about Texas landlord insurance. This isn’t insurance advice; confirm details with your agent.
Should I keep the utilities on while the home is empty?
Yes, and we require it. Power is needed for showings, water for make-ready work, and HVAC to protect the home from Austin’s summer heat and humidity and from winter freezes. Shutting utilities off saves a little each month but risks mold, burst pipes, and a home that can’t be shown.
How do you keep squatters out of an empty house?
The best protection is a home that looks cared for: a maintained yard, regular activity from showings and vendors, and quick leasing. Texas also strengthened owners’ rights. SB 1333, effective September 1, 2025, lets owners ask law enforcement to remove unauthorized occupants in qualifying cases. Read more about squatters’ rights in Texas.
Is vacant home management the same as home watch?
No. Home watch services check on owner-occupied second homes while the owner is away. Vacant home management is for rental properties. It covers caring for the home while it’s empty and leasing it to the next qualified tenant.
Should I stage or furnish a vacant rental?
Usually not. Most long-term rentals in Austin lease unfurnished, and renters want to picture their own furniture in the space. A clean, neutral, move-in-ready home with professional photos does more than staging, and it keeps make-ready costs down.
