Pennsylvania doesn’t have a traditional homestead exemption. The general exemption is only $300. Married couples who own jointly as tenants by the entirety get some protection from individual creditor claims, and federal bankruptcy law provides its own exemption for homeowners who file. None of these stop your mortgage lender from foreclosing if you fall behind on payments.
Sell your Pennsylvania house fast, no repairs required
Get a fair cash offer and close on your schedule, no matter what condition your home is in.
How it works
Getting a cash offer on your Pennsylvania home is a simple process that doesn’t involve repairs, showings, or waiting on a buyer’s lender to approve the deal.
STEP 01
Request your cash offer
Tell us about your Pennsylvania home with a brief online form.
STEP 02
Schedule a property visit
A cash home buyer visits the property once, at a time you set.
STEP 03
Review your offer
Look over your offer closely, with no commitment until you’re ready.
STEP 04
Close on your schedule
Lock in a closing date that works for you and collect your funds.
Why sell your Pennsylvania house with SellMyHouse.co
Here’s how selling to a cash home buyer compares with a traditional Pennsylvania listing.
- You don’t have to do any repairs. A cash home buyer can make an offer on your home in almost any condition, whether it needs minor updates or significant work.
- There’s no agent commission taken out of your offer. On a median-priced Pennsylvania home, agent fees on a traditional sale typically run between $16,000 and $20,000.
- You control the timeline. If you need to close quickly or need more time to figure out your next move, a cash buyer can typically work around your schedule.
- No showings, no staging, no open houses. You deal with one buyer from the moment you request an offer to the day you close.
- Complicated situations are okay. Inherited homes, properties with deferred maintenance, and houses going through divorce or estate processes are all situations cash buyers in our network handle regularly.
What Pennsylvania sellers need to know
In Pennsylvania, what you owe at closing depends on where the home is, and the state’s disclosure, foreclosure, and homestead rules can all shape how and when you sell.
Seller disclosure
Pennsylvania’s Real Estate Seller Disclosure Law requires sellers to complete a disclosure form before signing an agreement of sale. The form is based on what you know about the home’s condition, and it also asks about past problems, such as earlier water or termite issues, not just current ones.
Real estate transfer tax
Pennsylvania charges a 1% state transfer tax, and most municipalities add another 1%, for a typical combined rate of 2%. That’s about $6,577 on a $328,817 sale, usually split between buyer and seller. Philadelphia adds 3.278% on top of the state tax, for 4.278% in total.
Judicial foreclosure
Every Pennsylvania foreclosure goes through the courts and typically takes 12 to 24 months. Lenders must send a 30-day notice before filing, and you can reinstate the loan up to 1 hour before the sheriff’s sale. There’s no redemption period afterward, and lenders can pursue a deficiency judgment for any unpaid balance.
Homestead exemption
Pennsylvania has no traditional homestead exemption. The general exemption is only $300. Married couples who own jointly as tenants by the entirety have some protection from individual creditors, and federal bankruptcy offers its own exemption. Neither one stops a lender from foreclosing. If you’re selling to resolve a debt, talk to an attorney about how your equity will be handled at closing.
Frequently asked questions
Pennsylvania uses an all-judicial foreclosure process, so every foreclosure goes through the Court of Common Pleas. From the lender’s first notice to the sheriff’s sale, the process typically takes 12 to 24 months. Homeowners can reinstate a delinquent mortgage up to 1 hour before the sheriff’s sale. There’s no post-sale redemption period.
The state charges 1%, and most local municipalities add another 1%, for a combined rate of 2% in most of Pennsylvania. Philadelphia charges a total of 4.278% (1% state plus 3.278% city). Both buyer and seller are jointly liable, so your share is typically split at closing or negotiated as part of the deal.
Pennsylvania’s Real Estate Seller Disclosure Law requires you to complete a disclosure form covering the home’s structure, systems, and other known material defects, based on what you actually know. The form also asks about past problems, such as earlier water or termite issues. Exemptions for transfers between co-owners, court-ordered sales, and foreclosures still apply, but a standard cash sale isn’t exempt.
No. Cash home buyers in our network purchase homes in almost any condition. You don’t have to put any money into repairs or updates before requesting an offer.