Sell a vacant house in Tonawanda & Kenmore, NY — before winter and vandalism do their work
Kenmore's village streets and the City and Town of Tonawanda share some of the oldest, tightest housing in Erie County. Pre-war wiring, steam heat, galvanized plumbing and basements that have seen a few floods are the norm, not the exception. Those systems are expensive surprises for a buyer's lender. A cash sale skips the repair list entirely — the condition is priced in, and nothing has to be fixed, inspected or negotiated before the house can close.

The person on this page is the person who answers the phone — no call center, no lead reselling.
Get your fair cash offer
Tell us about the property. We reply with next steps and a written cash offer, free, with no obligation.
How we help with vacant and abandoned houses.
- 01No utilities needed — we assess the house as it stands.
- 02Belongings and debris can stay; our crews handle the cleanout.
- 03Close in days once title is clear, before another Buffalo winter lands on the roof.
- 04No more insurance and upkeep juggling for a house nobody lives in.
Selling a house in Tonawanda or Kenmore: what's different locally
Whether the house is in Kenmore, the City of Tonawanda or the Town of Tonawanda, you are dealing with some of the oldest housing stock in the county: knob-and-tube wiring, galvanized plumbing, original boilers and single-lane driveways. None of that has to be fixed to sell to us. We price the condition in, buy as-is, and handle the Erie County title work so the age of the house never becomes a blocker.
What an empty house costs you every month it sits
A vacant house in Buffalo isn’t neutral, it’s actively costing you. Insurance carriers often reclassify a property as vacant after 30-60 days, which usually means higher premiums or a separate vacant-property policy. On top of that, you’re still paying property taxes, utilities to keep pipes from freezing in winter, and you’re carrying the risk of break-ins, vandalism, or a burst pipe going unnoticed for weeks. Every month it sits empty is a month of costs with nothing coming back. We can close in as little as 7-14 days, which stops that monthly bleed immediately instead of waiting for a buyer to work through financing.

What an empty house costs you every month
A vacant house does not sit quietly. It keeps charging you, and the costs add up faster than most owners expect:
- Property taxes: due whether or not anyone lives there.
- Insurance: many standard policies limit coverage after 30 to 60 days of vacancy, so you may need a more expensive vacant-property policy.
- Utilities: heat to keep pipes from freezing, plus water and electric.
- Upkeep: grass in summer, snow in winter, and small repairs.
- Risk: break-ins, vandalism, and slow leaks that go unnoticed.
Add it up: taxes + insurance + utilities + upkeep = your cost per month. Multiply by the months you expect to wait, then compare that with a fast sale.
Protecting a vacant house through a Buffalo winter
- Keep the heat at a safe minimum, or have the water system professionally drained so pipes do not freeze and burst.
- Check the property regularly, inside and out.
- Keep sidewalks and driveways clear of snow, as city rules require.
- Secure doors and windows, and keep a light on a timer.
- Forward the mail so notices do not pile up.
- Tell your insurer the house is vacant and ask exactly what is covered.
A burst pipe in an empty house can go unnoticed for weeks, which is why many owners choose to sell before winter. If the house came through an estate, see selling an inherited house.
Vacant house: your options
Do Nothing
- Monthly holding costsTaxes, insurance, utilities continue
- Vandalism/break-in riskOngoing while unoccupied
- InsuranceVacant property policy, higher premium
- Time to closeOpen-ended
List with an Agent
- Monthly holding costsSame, plus prep and staging
- Vandalism/break-in riskOngoing during listing period
- InsuranceSame
- Time to close60-90+ days
Sell to Irish Jones Home Buyers
- Monthly holding costsStop at closing
- Vandalism/break-in riskEliminated quickly
- InsuranceNo longer your concern after closing
- Time to close7-14 days
Estimate
Estimate your cash-sale savings.
Move the sliders. We’ll roughly total what a traditional listing would cost you that a cash sale to Irish Jones Home Buyers skips.
Potential savings with a cash sale
$41,750
- Agent commission
- $21,000
- Closing costs (seller)
- $8,750
- Repairs avoided
- $12,000
For illustration only. Your actual offer depends on local Buffalo comparable sales and the condition of the house.
Own it from out of state? You can sell remotely
- 01
Send us the details
The address and anything you know about the house and its condition.
- 02
We handle the walkthrough
We handle it locally.
- 03
You get a written offer
A written cash offer.
- 04
You sign remotely
By mail or with a remote notary, or through a power of attorney if the title company accepts it.
- 05
The title company closes
It handles the closing and sends your proceeds.
Moving away for work? See relocating and selling on a deadline.
Why vacant and abandoned houses are hard to sell the usual way
- No one is there to show it
- Overgrown yard and a neglected look that turns buyers away
- Unpaid property taxes or other liens
- City notices and open violations
- Unclear ownership after a death or a family dispute
- Condition problems from sitting empty, such as leaks and mold
We review each of these, tell you what is realistic, and plan the closing around the title work. Erie County tax records are at Erie County Real Property Tax Services. If the city has already cited the house, see selling with code violations.
Why sell to Irish Jones Home Buyers.
We buy as-is
Condition is our starting point, not your problem to fix first — repairs, belongings and all.
No fees or commissions
No listing agreement and no agent commission. The written offer is the number.
Close on your timeline
Cash means no bank approvals in the way — you pick the closing date that fits.
Local & licensed
A Buffalo office, a 716 phone number and NY real estate license #10491209386 you can look up.

Meet the team handling your sale

Matt Irish-Jones
Co-founder & CEO, Irish Jones
NY real estate license #10491209386 · 716-768-4915
The person on this page is the person who answers the phone.

Earl Altheide
Partner, Irish Jones · Division lead, Irish Jones Home Buyers
NY real estate license #10491209386 · 716-768-4915
The person on this page is the person who answers the phone.
Quick answers.
See all questionsYes. Knob-and-tube wiring, galvanized plumbing and original boilers are normal here. We price them in as-is and never ask you to fix anything before closing.
Yes — we buy in Kenmore and across both the City of Tonawanda and the Town of Tonawanda. Every address in the township is inside our service area.
Costs add up quickly: property taxes, insurance, utilities to keep the pipes from freezing, snow and lawn care, and small repairs. Many owners spend several hundred dollars a month, and more if the house is large or needs work. Add your own numbers to see what waiting costs, then compare it with a faster sale.
Often only limited coverage. Many standard policies restrict or exclude claims such as vandalism or water damage once a home has been vacant for 30 to 60 days. Some owners buy a separate vacant property policy, which usually costs more. Call your insurer and ask exactly how vacancy affects your policy, and get the answer in writing. New York's [Department of Financial Services](https://www.dfs.ny.gov/) has consumer insurance information.
Keep the heat on at a safe minimum, or have the water system professionally drained so pipes do not freeze and burst. Check the property regularly, keep driveways and sidewalks clear of snow as city rules require, and secure doors and windows. A burst pipe in a vacant house can go unnoticed for weeks, which is why many owners sell before winter.
Yes. Once the estate has legal authority to sell, an inherited vacant house can be sold as-is. We help with the practical issues, such as old furniture, repairs and unpaid taxes. If probate is still open, we can plan the closing around the date the court gives the executor authority to sign.
Long-abandoned houses often have overgrown yards, open code violations, back taxes or unclear ownership. These can be sorted out, but each takes time. Share what you know about the property and we will review title, taxes and condition to tell you what is realistic. Do not ignore city notices, because they can lead to fines and liens.
Yes. Unpaid property taxes are typically paid from the sale proceeds at closing, as long as the sale price covers them. The longer taxes go unpaid, the bigger the balance gets and the closer the property moves toward tax foreclosure, so move early. Ask for a payoff from the county or city to know exactly what is owed.
You can sell remotely. Send us the address and details, and we handle the walkthrough locally. New York allows mail-away and remote closings, and a power of attorney can sign for you if the title company accepts it. Your attorney and the title company will confirm the signing method that fits your situation.
Closing in about 7 to 14 days is possible when the title is clear and the paperwork is ready. Probate, liens, missing signatures or unpaid taxes can add time. Because every month an empty house sits costs you money, we focus on getting the title work started right away so you have a realistic closing date.
Resources
Before you decide how to sell.
SellingBenefits of Selling Your House to a Cash Buyer in Buffalo, NY
What a cash sale skips — repairs, commissions and a lender's timeline — and which Buffalo sellers it suits.
Read more
RepairsSelling a House With Water Damage in Buffalo: Repair or Sell As-Is?
Mold, a failed ceiling and a lender who will not close. An as-is cash sale prices the damage in.
Read more
RentalsShort Term Rental Ban in Buffalo, NY: What Homeowners and Investors Need to Know
When a short-term rental can no longer operate, a cash sale is one way out without a listing.
Read more
We buy houses across Tonawanda & Kenmore, NY.
Tonawanda & Kenmore, NY is in Erie County. If your ZIP code is below, the answer to whether we buy in your area is yes — and if it is not, call 716-768-4915 and we will tell you right away.
ZIP codes
14150, 14217, 14223
Neighborhoods & towns
Kenmore, City of Tonawanda, Town of Tonawanda, Riverside, the Niagara Street corridor
Nearby service areas: Buffalo · Cheektowaga · Amherst · West Seneca · Lackawanna & Blasdell · Hamburg & Orchard Park · Niagara Falls · All service areas
Other situations we help with.
- Stopping foreclosure: sell before the auction date.
- Inherited property: estates, heirs and probate.
- Divorce or separation: sell the shared home on a plan that works for both.
- Code violations: open city notices and fines.
- Repairs it needs: sell as-is without fixing a thing.
- Problem tenants: sell a rental with tenants in place.
- Relocating: moving soon? Close on your schedule.
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