Step one
Tell us about the house
Address, condition, who is on the title, and whether anything is owed against it. A specialist calls back, usually the same day, and tells you plainly whether it works.
Donate a house to charity in any condition, in any state
House donation specialists: (888) 228-7320
Donate a House to Charity, In Any Condition
Real Estate with Causes accepts donated houses nationwide: inherited, vacant, tenant-occupied, damaged, dated, or simply no longer worth keeping. We prepare and record the deed. A house donation is a gift and not a sale, so there is no listing, no showings and no closing.
Tell us about the house
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
How donating a house works
Three steps, and the first one is a conversation rather than a commitment. Nothing is signed until you know exactly how the transfer will run and who is responsible for what.
Step two
We prepare and record the deed
Our staff draws the deed in the form the property's state requires and records it in that county. You sign and notarize, usually by mail. You do not need to travel.
Step three
The carrying cost stops
On the day the deed records, the taxes, insurance, upkeep and liability are ours. You receive a written acknowledgment for your records and, where required, a signed Form 8283.
Selling a house versus donating it
A straight comparison for a house you no longer want to hold. Which one is better depends on your equity, your basis and your tax situation, and a sale is sometimes the right answer.
| Listing the house | Donating the house | |
|---|---|---|
| Time to be done with it | Prep, listing, showings, buyer financing and inspection contingencies. A house needing work can sit for months. | No listing and no showings. Title drives the schedule, and a clean title with one owner usually records in weeks. |
| What you pay | Agent commission, seller closing costs, repairs a buyer demands, and every month of carrying cost until it closes. | No escrow, no closing and no commission, because a gift is not a sale. The qualified appraisal is your expense and your choice of appraiser. Back taxes and cleanout are usually the donor's, though we sometimes absorb them where the numbers support it. |
| Condition and cleanout | Buyers discount hard for deferred maintenance, and a lender can refuse the loan outright on a house that will not pass inspection. | No repairs and no staging before you talk to us. Leave what you do not want. Condition is a fact we work with. |
| Tax outcome | Capital gains tax on the appreciation above your basis, unless the house qualifies for the primary residence exclusion. | A charitable deduction reported on Form 8283. For a house held more than a year the deduction is generally fair market value, limited to 30% of AGI, with a five-year carryforward. |
| Tenants in place | Most retail buyers want the house empty, which means notice periods, relocation or waiting out a lease. | Tenants do not stop the conversation. The lease transfers with the property and we take it from there. |
| Where the value goes | To you, less commission, closing costs and tax. | To our charitable programs, less the cost of the transfer and the sale. |
We do not provide tax or legal advice. Deduction outcomes depend on holding period, property type, use and a qualified appraisal. See IRS Publication 526, Publication 561 and the Form 8283 instructions, and consult your own advisor.
The condition of the house sets the plan
Six situations we handle constantly. Find the one that matches yours and read what changes about the transfer, or call and describe it in your own words.
The tax deduction for donating a house
Real property runs on Form 8283, and the rules differ from the ones that govern other donated assets. Here is what actually governs the deduction on a house.
How the deduction is calculated
For a house you have owned more than a year, the deduction is generally fair market value as established by a qualified appraisal, limited to 30% of adjusted gross income, with a five-year carryforward for the excess. You may elect the 50% limit instead, but the deduction then falls back to your basis.
When an appraisal is required
Above $5,000 the IRS requires a qualified appraisal and Form 8283 Section B, signed by the appraiser and acknowledged by us. Above $500,000 the appraisal is attached to your return. The appraisal is your expense and your choice of appraiser, which is what makes it qualified.
What changes the answer
A holding period under a year, a house held as dealer inventory, or a rental with depreciation taken against it are all treated differently. A remaining mortgage makes the gift a bargain sale. None of these rule a donation out, they change the arithmetic.
Full tax benefits guide · How Form 8283 works · Capital gains and appreciated property
House donation questions, answered
Do I have to clean the house out before I donate it? +
No repairs, no staging, no painting. Cleanout is usually the donor's responsibility, but leaving furniture and belongings behind does not stop a donation, and on properties where the numbers support it we do absorb the cost of clearing it. Tell us what is still in the house and we will tell you who handles it.
The house was left to me and my siblings. Can we still donate it? +
Yes, and it is one of the most common calls we take. Everyone on the title has to sign, so the practical questions are whether probate has closed and whether all the heirs agree. If the estate is still open, the executor can often act. Each owner takes a deduction in proportion to their share, so each should speak to their own advisor.
What if the house still has a mortgage on it? +
A mortgage does not automatically rule a gift out, but it changes what the gift is. A remaining balance makes it a bargain sale rather than a clean donation, which means gain to you on the debt portion. Whether it works comes down to the balance, the equity and the lender. Tell us those three figures and we will tell you where you stand.
Can I donate a house I currently live in? +
You can, and there are a few routes. An outright gift with an agreed move-out date is the simplest. A retained life estate lets you keep living there for life while making the gift now, and a charitable gift annuity funded with the house can pay you an income. Each has its own tax treatment, so this is a conversation before it is a decision.
How long does donating a house take from first call to recorded deed? +
Title sets the pace. A single owner with clear title and nothing owed can often be done in a few weeks, most of which is document preparation and notarization by mail. Open probate, several heirs, a clouded title or a lender in the picture takes longer, and we tell you which situation you are in on the first call rather than at the end.
Not a house? We take these too
Eight other property classes, each with its own transfer rules and its own page.
Tell us about the house and we will review it
No obligation and no pressure. If a donation is not the right route for your house, we will say so and point you at the one that is.
Related:Houses in a divorce settlement