Vermont Vacant Real Estate Holds 3,406 Properties, Overwhelmingly Off-Market
Vermont's real estate market presents a unique landscape for investors, with 3,406 vacant properties identified across the state in August 2026. A striking 98.1% of these properties are off-market, signaling a substantial inventory of potential deals that are not publicly listed for sale. This dynamic creates a distinct advantage for investors equipped with the right data and sourcing strategies to uncover hidden opportunities.
Vermont Vacancy Overview
According to BatchData's Vacancy Rates & Investment Opportunities Report, Vermont’s 3,406 vacant properties are spread across 3,841 individual parcels. On a national scale, this positions Vermont as a smaller, more focused market. The state ranks #50 out of 50 states for vacant property volume, accounting for 0.2% of the 2,197,434 vacant properties nationwide. This count is significantly below the national per-state average of 43,949, indicating that while opportunities exist, they are less widespread than in larger states, which may translate to less competition from institutional investors.
The composition of Vermont's vacant inventory is heavily weighted toward residential real estate. Single-family homes, multi-family units, and other residential properties make up 2,411 of the state's vacant stock, representing a dominant 70.8% share. This suggests that the primary opportunities for investors lie in acquiring and repositioning residential assets, whether for flipping, rental, or resale.
Following residential properties, the next largest category is commercial real estate, with 396 vacant properties comprising 11.6% of the total. This segment includes retail spaces, offices, and other commercial-use buildings that could present value-add opportunities. Exempt properties, such as those owned by government or non-profit entities, account for 236 properties or 6.9% of the total. Smaller categories round out the inventory, including Miscellaneous properties at 151 (4.4%), Agricultural at 52 (1.5%), Industrial at 45 (1.3%), Unknown at 41 (1.2%), and Recreational at 35 (1.0%).
The most compelling feature of Vermont's vacant market is its off-market nature. Only 65 properties, or a mere 1.9% of the total, are actively listed for sale. The vast majority, 3,341 properties, are not on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), representing a 98.1% share. This off-market concentration underscores the necessity for investors to employ sophisticated property search tools and direct outreach strategies to access the bulk of available opportunities.
What's Driving Vermont's Market
The distribution of vacant properties across Vermont is not uniform, with specific counties holding a disproportionate share of the inventory. This concentration allows investors to target their efforts geographically. Furthermore, a deeper analysis of the market status reveals nuances in the off-market landscape, pointing toward specific tactics for sourcing deals.
Geographic Hotspots: Windsor and Rutland Counties Lead the State
Investment opportunities are most concentrated in a handful of Vermont’s 14 counties. Windsor County stands out as the leader, with 662 vacant properties, making it the top location for sourcing potential deals in the state. Following closely is Rutland County, which ranks second with 540 vacant properties. Together, these two southern and central Vermont counties represent a significant portion of the state's total vacant inventory.
Chittenden County, traditionally the state’s most populous and economically active region, ranks third with 411 vacant properties. Its position behind Windsor and Rutland suggests that vacancy is not purely a function of population density but is also influenced by local economic factors and housing stock characteristics. The top five is rounded out by Windham County, with 338 properties, and Washington County, home to the state capital, with 273 properties.
Further down the list, counties like Bennington (230 properties) and Orange (179 properties) still offer a substantial number of opportunities. In contrast, the state's northern and more rural counties present a much smaller inventory. Lamoille County has just 66 vacant properties, while Grand Isle County has the fewest in the state with only 22. This steep drop-off from the top-ranked counties to the bottom highlights the importance of a targeted geographic strategy for any real estate investing campaign in Vermont. Investors can maximize their efficiency by focusing acquisition efforts on the counties with the highest concentrations of vacant stock.
The Off-Market Universe: A Deeper Look at MLS Status
The headline statistic that 98.1% of vacant properties are off-market is powerful, but the detailed MLS status provides a more granular view for investors. The largest single category within the data is "Unknown," which contains 1,688 properties, or 49.6% of the total. For an investor, these properties are functionally off-market and represent a massive pool of potential leads that require further investigation, often through skip tracing to identify and contact property owners.
Another significant segment is explicitly labeled "Off Market," accounting for 1,059 properties (31.1%). These are properties confirmed not to be for sale through public channels. The "Sold" category, with 541 properties (15.9%), is also informative; it indicates that a healthy volume of previously vacant or distressed properties are being transacted, confirming liquidity in this niche market segment.
Properties with a recent history on the MLS also offer unique entry points. The 45 properties (1.3%) with a "Canceled" status and the 8 properties (0.2%) with an "Expired" status are particularly valuable leads. These represent sellers who were motivated to sell but were unsuccessful, making them prime candidates for a direct offer. In sharp contrast, only 44 properties (1.3%) are "Active" on the market, and just 21 (0.6%) are "Pending." This confirms that traditional, on-market channels provide access to only a tiny fraction of Vermont’s vacant inventory.
Investor Takeaways
For real estate investors and agents, Vermont's vacant property market is defined by its small scale, residential focus, and overwhelming off-market nature. The key to success lies in adopting strategies that directly address these characteristics. With 3,406 total vacant properties, the market is better suited for individual investors, small firms, and mom-and-pop landlords rather than large institutional funds that require greater scale.
The primary takeaway is the critical importance of an off-market acquisition strategy. With 98.1% of vacant inventory not listed for sale, investors who rely solely on the MLS will miss the vast majority of opportunities. Effective tactics in this environment include direct mail campaigns, driving for dollars, and leveraging a robust property data API to build targeted lists of property owners. Tools for contact enrichment are essential for reaching the owners of the 3,341 off-market properties.
Geographic focus is another crucial element. Rather than a statewide approach, efforts should be concentrated in the counties with the highest density of vacant properties. Windsor County (662 properties) and Rutland County (540 properties) are the clear leaders and should be the top priority for sourcing campaigns. These areas offer the highest probability of finding viable deals.
Finally, the data reveals that the bulk of the opportunity is in the residential sector, which accounts for 70.8% of all vacant stock. Investors specializing in residential flips, buy-and-hold rentals, or wholesaling will find the most fertile ground here. However, the 396 vacant commercial properties (11.6%) should not be overlooked, as this niche may offer significant value-add potential with even less competition. The small number of properties with "Expired" or "Canceled" MLS statuses represent highly motivated sellers and should be prioritized as immediate leads for investors looking for a quick entry point into the market.