We Buy Houses in Upper Darby and Drexel Hill

Which parts of Upper Darby do you buy in?

All of them. Locals rarely say they live in "the township." They say Drexel Hill, Secane, Primos or Stonehurst. These are the names we hear most:

Drexel Hill, with 29,181 residents in 2020, is the largest. Secane crosses into Ridley Township, and Westbrook Park is part of Upper Darby but uses the Clifton Heights mailing address (see our Clifton Heights page). Your tax bill names the township or borough you actually pay.

What are the houses like, and what usually needs work?

Around 69th Street and Market Street it is block after block of brick rowhomes and twins on small lots. Drexel Hill mixes in more twins and detached stone, brick and stucco homes. Most of it is decades old, so the same repairs come up again and again: sewer laterals with cracks or roots, wiring that has been added onto for years, tired boilers and water heaters, flat roofs and worn brick pointing, porches and front steps, damp basements, and lead paint, which now matters at sale time.

What does Upper Darby require before you can sell?

A Use and Occupancy permit, called the U&O. The township requires one for every property transfer and says the seller is responsible for getting it before settlement. From the township's own instructions:

1. Apply early. Submit the application and fee to Licenses and Inspections, 100 Garrett Road, at least 14 business days before settlement. Four weeks is strongly recommended.
2. Get the lateral report. The seller must provide a valid sewer lateral inspection report from a master plumber licensed in Upper Darby.
3. Add zoning approval for multi-unit buildings. Anything but a single-family house needs an approved zoning use permit attached.
4. Let the inspector in. The visual inspection checks the house against the property maintenance code. The fee ($110 single-family, $135 duplex) covers two inspections; each extra one is $75, and a no-show is $100.

Substantial violations are the serious ones: missing or broken smoke or carbon monoxide detectors, structural hazards, exposed or faulty wiring, utilities or plumbing that do not work, and a missing sewer lateral or fire escape certification.

Can I sell if the house does not pass?

Yes. Repairs must be finished before a certificate is issued unless the buyer takes responsibility in a notarized Letter of Intent. State law works the same way: under Pennsylvania's Municipal Code and Ordinance Compliance Act, the buyer gets 12 months from the purchase to fix what a resale inspection finds. In an as-is sale to us, we are the buyer who takes on that list.

New in 2027: lead inspections

Under Ordinance 2026-08, adopted August 19, 2026, transfer inspections starting January 1, 2027 include a lead inspection for properties built before 1978, and the property needs a Lead-Safe or Lead-Free certification. If work is needed first, the owner turns in the lead inspector's report and lab results, and the work must be finished within the time the law allows. The township says a missing certification does not, by itself, stop the transfer.

Selling a rental or an empty house?

Rentals need a Rental Dwelling License, renewed every year, with a township inspection at least once every three years, and the license does not transfer to a new owner. See selling a house with tenants. Empty houses must be registered within 10 days of becoming vacant, with a fee every six months; fines run $500 to $1,000 per violation. If a parent's house is sitting empty during an estate, check this rule first.

Where do probate and sheriff sales happen?

In Media. Estates are opened at the Register of Wills in the county Government Center, 201 W. Front St., and Delco sheriff sales are held in the same building on the third Friday of each month at 11 a.m. Our Delaware County, PA page has more on both.

Why do Upper Darby owners call us?

• An inherited house, often a parent's Drexel Hill twin or a family rowhome nobody has updated in years. Our inherited house guide is written for Philadelphia, but most Pennsylvania steps apply here too.
• A U&O list you do not want to tackle. See how selling as-is works.
• Falling behind on taxes or a mortgage. Call early, while you still have choices.

How does selling to Vivid work here?

We are a local, family-owned company based in Philadelphia that buys houses directly; we are not agents and we do not list houses. You call or text, we look at the house as it sits, and you get a fair written cash offer, usually within 24 hours. You pick the closing day; just leave room for the township's 14 business days.

An as-is cash offer is usually below what a fully fixed-up house could sell for. We pay for the repairs, including the U&O list, take the risk of surprises behind the walls, and carry the house while the work gets done. You skip repairs, commissions, holding costs and the chance of a buyer walking away after the inspection. We pay all the closing costs, and your written offer shows exactly what you walk away with before you sign. If listing would net you more, we will say so. See how we calculate our offer.

Get my cash offer Text or call (267) 551-5554

Nearby towns we also buy in

Every other Delco town is on our Delaware County, PA page.

Upper Darby questions

This page is general information, not legal or tax advice. For your situation, talk to a Pennsylvania attorney or tax professional.