It was vacant because Nobunaga, jus prior to his visit, had arranged for the previous occupants, father and son Haruyoshi and Akizane NIJO (whose wife was an adopted daughter of Nobunaga) to move to a new mansion near Hoon-ji Temple (Tokitsunekyoki); Nobunaga ordered Sadakatsu MURAI, the Kyoto Shoshidai, to take possession of it and renovate it so that Nobunaga could stay in it while in the capital.
前住者の二条晴良・昭実（妻は信長の養女）父子は直前に信長のはからいにより報恩寺の新邸に移徒して（『言経卿記』）空き家となっていたので、信長が上洛したときの宿所とするため、この旧二条邸を譲り受けて改修することを京都所司代の村井貞勝に命じた。