Welcome to the empire! Do /v open. Then do /res claim. Yay! You got a residence. Also did you do the tutorial? If not do /tutorial
What kyle said, but remember, if the server that you're on is full, you can use /server [server #] to get onto a new one on which you can claim a residence.
Welcome! I hope you enjoy the empire! If you have anymore questions, consult the empire wiki! http://empireminecraft.com/wiki/