A new analysis making the rounds put a striking number on Florida: the state has roughly 1.5 million vacant homes — one of the highest vacancy rates in the country. The headline sounds like a housing story, but for property owners it is really a fraud story. The very homes that sit empty — second homes, seasonal condos, out-of-state rentals, vacant lots — are the exact properties that deed-fraud crews and squatters go after first. Here is what the numbers say, and how to protect a property you are not living in.
- A LendingTree analysis of U.S. Census data found Florida has about 1.5 million vacant homes — roughly 14.7% of its housing, the 5th-highest rate in the nation.
- Most are not abandoned — they are second homes, vacation, and seasonal properties, and Florida home values stay high anyway (median ~$359,000, above the U.S. ~$332,700).
- That is exactly the profile fraudsters want: property nobody is watching, often owned free-and-clear by absentee owners.
- Protect it with a county property-fraud alert, an owner title policy, and a periodic record check.
The Numbers: Florida's Vacancy Rate
According to a LendingTree analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data (2024 American Community Survey estimates), about 14.7% of Florida housing units are vacant — the fifth-highest rate in the country, behind only Maine, Vermont, Alaska, and West Virginia. Out of roughly 10.3 million total units, that works out to about 1.5 million vacant homes — nearly as many as the other nine states in the top ten combined. Nationally, the vacancy rate actually ticked down to about 10.1%.
Why "Vacant" Doesn't Mean "Abandoned"
Here is the important nuance: a vacant home is not necessarily an available one. The Census definition includes vacation homes, seasonal residences, properties already sold or rented but not yet occupied, and homes held off the market. Nationwide, millions of vacant homes are seasonal or recreational, a couple million are for rent, and fewer than a million are actually listed for sale. Florida flood of second homes and snowbird properties is a big reason its vacancy rate runs high — and, as analysts note, that retirement and vacation demand keeps values elevated despite all the empty units.
For a title company, that nuance is the whole point: those seasonal and absentee-owned homes are occupied only part of the year, if at all — which is precisely what makes them vulnerable.
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Why Empty Homes Are a Fraud Magnet
Criminals do not pick targets at random. They look for property nobody is watching, and Florida 1.5 million vacant homes are a target-rich list:
- Seller-impersonation & deed fraud. A fraudster poses as the absentee owner and tries to sell or borrow against a home the real owner rarely visits — the exact scheme behind recent Florida arrests. See the FBI title-theft warning and the $200K vacant-land scam.
- Squatters. An empty home invites unauthorized occupants, and in rare cases an adverse-possession claim — both of which can cloud your title. See squatters & adverse possession.
- Mortgage-free = no watchdog. Many second homes are owned outright, so there is no lender monitoring the title — one fewer set of eyes on the property.
How to Protect Your Vacant Property
Enroll in Your County Property Fraud Alert
Most Florida counties offer a free alert that emails you when a document is recorded against your name or property. It is the single best step for an absentee owner — and it costs nothing.
Keep an Owner Title Policy
An owner title policy helps protect you against covered forgery and fraud claims for as long as you own the property. See Florida title insurance explained.
Check the Record — and the Property
Look up your parcel on the county Clerk and Property Appraiser sites a couple of times a year, and have someone lay eyes on a seasonal home between visits.
Remember: No Homestead on a Second Home
A property that is not your primary residence does not get Florida homestead exemption or Save Our Homes cap, so the taxes run higher — estimate them with our Florida property tax estimator.
💡 Own a Florida home you do not live in full-time? Ask Atlantic Title Firm to run a title search and flag any fraud or cloud before it becomes a lawsuit.
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Submit a Contract →Related Reading
Squatters and Adverse Possession
How empty homes get claimed.
How to Prevent Home Title Theft
Protecting vacant and second homes.
The FBI's Title-Theft Warning
Deed fraud and how to stop it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many vacant homes are in Florida?
A LendingTree analysis of Census Bureau data found roughly 1.5 million vacant units — about 14.7% of Florida housing stock, the fifth-highest rate in the U.S. Many are second homes, vacation, and seasonal properties, not abandoned homes.
Does high vacancy mean cheap homes?
Not in Florida. It is an exception — median value around $359,000 vs. the national ~$332,700. Second-home and retirement demand keeps values high despite the vacancies.
Why are vacant homes a title-fraud risk?
No one is watching them. Vacant land, seasonal homes, and absentee-owned property are the top targets for seller-impersonation and deed fraud, and for squatters whose claims can cloud title.
How do I protect a vacant or second home?
Enroll in your county property fraud alert, check the record a couple times a year, keep an owner title policy, and secure the property. A title search catches fraud and clouds before a closing.
General information, not legal advice. Figures are from a LendingTree analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data. Confirm current rules with a licensed Florida attorney and your title agent about your specific situation.
Protect Your Vacant Florida Property
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