Most of the time, the person calling us about a hoarder house didn't create the situation. It's a parent's house, a relative's, or a rental a tenant left behind. Often there's grief or family tension mixed in. There's no judgment here. Houses like this are a normal part of what we buy in Lake, Porter, LaPorte, and Jasper counties.
1. Safety first
- Watch your step. Piles can hide holes, rot, and blocked exits. Don't go in alone.
- Protect your lungs. Mold, dust, and animal or pest waste are common. Wear an N95 or better, gloves, and old clothes.
- Check the utilities. Leaks, blocked furnaces, and overloaded cords are fire risks. If the heat is off in winter, the pipes may already be damaged.
2. Look for the important things before anything is thrown out
Hoarded houses often hide things that matter: wills, deeds, titles, bank and insurance papers, cash, jewelry, guns, and family photos. Go through the house, or have a trusted person do it, before anything goes in a dumpster. If the owner has passed away, the estate's attorney may need to know what's found. See our inherited house guide and probate guide.
3. Decide: clean it out or sell as-is
Cleaning it out yourself or hiring a crew can help if you want to list the house. Professional hoarding cleanouts commonly run several thousand dollars, and much more if there's biohazard, mold, or pest cleanup. Then you'll still face whatever repairs are hiding under the piles, like flooring, plumbing, and drywall.
Selling as-is means you take what you want and leave the rest. The buyer handles the cleanout, the dumpsters, and the repairs. You don't spend money up front, and you don't spend weekends hauling.
4. If the city is involved
Exterior junk, pests, or a house that's become unsafe can lead to letters from code enforcement or the health department. Don't ignore them. Fines and liens can grow. A sale can often resolve them, and we've bought houses with open violations. See our code violations guide.
5. What a hoarder house is worth
Buyers start with what the house would be worth cleaned and fixed, then subtract the cleanout, the repairs, and the risk of what they can't see yet. The more of the house a buyer can walk through, the less guesswork there is in the number. Ask any buyer to show you how they got their offer. Here's how we calculate ours.
How we help
We buy houses full of belongings all over Northwest Indiana. We'll walk through what we can, give you a fair written offer, and you pick the closing date. Take the keepsakes, and we handle everything else. It's private and handled with respect. Call (219) 308-9106 or fill out the form.