What the house costs you monthly
Taxes, insurance, utilities, HOA dues and any loan payment.
Can’t afford to keep a house? Donate it and stop the carrying costs
Talk it through with a specialist: (888) 228-7320
Can’t Afford to Keep a House? Donating It Is One Way Out
Property taxes, insurance, utilities, repairs and HOA dues add up on a house whether anyone lives in it or not. When a house costs more than you can carry and a sale would take months you cannot afford, donating it to Real Estate with Causes can end those costs in weeks. We are straightforward about when a donation fits and when another route would serve you better.
Tell us about the property
Every property gets a look. Name, phone and email are the only required fields.
Fully IRS Compliant
We Handle the Paperwork
Form 8283 Done Right
501(c)(3) Recognized Charity
When donating makes sense
A donation works best when the house has equity: it is owned free and clear, or what is owed is well below what it can sell for. In that case the carrying costs stop the day the deed records, and you may receive a charitable deduction based on the appraised value.
It also suits owners who cannot face a listing: the repairs a buyer would demand, months of showings, and paying the bills the whole time.
What a donation will not do
A donation does not produce cash, and it will not erase a mortgage. If you need money from the house, a sale is the right route, and we will say so.
When another route is better
If the mortgage is larger than the house is worth, the loan has to be satisfied at transfer, so the conversation usually turns to your lender. In that case the conversation is with your lender, about a short sale, a loan modification or a deed in lieu of foreclosure.
If you need the proceeds to live on, sell the house. If you want both, some owners sell locally and donate part of the proceeds, and we receipt that gift in the usual way.
What to have ready when you call
A rough picture of the numbers is all we need to give you a straight answer.
What is owed against it
Mortgage balance, home equity line, back taxes or liens, if any.
What it might sell for
A rough guess is fine. A recent tax assessment or a neighbor’s sale helps.
Questions from owners who cannot keep a house
Will donating my house get me out of the mortgage? +
No. A donation does not cancel a mortgage. The loan has to be paid off from the property’s value or by you at transfer, which is why a donation works only when there is real equity. If you are underwater, talk to your lender about a short sale or loan modification.
How fast can the carrying costs stop? +
On a house with clear title, one owner and nothing owed, the deed can often record within a few weeks. Taxes, insurance and utilities become ours on the recording date.
Will I receive any money for the house? +
No. A donation is a gift. You may qualify for a charitable deduction based on the appraised value, which only helps if you itemize and have taxable income to offset.
I am behind on the property taxes. Can I still donate? +
Often, yes. What matters is that the taxes owed are well below what the house can sell for. Some counties require them paid before the deed can transfer, and we plan around that with you.
Can you help me decide whether to sell or donate? +
We can tell you honestly whether a donation fits your house and your numbers. For the tax side of that decision, talk to your own advisor.
We do not provide tax or legal advice. See IRS Publication 526, Publication 561 and the Form 8283 instructions, and consult your own advisor.
Related guides
Tell us what the house costs you and we will review it
Send the address and a rough picture of the numbers, and we will tell you plainly whether a donation is the right route.