We Buy Houses in Philadelphia

Why sell to a local Philadelphia buyer?

Because most of what slows down a Philly sale is local: probate at City Hall, L&I violations, water liens, sheriff sale dates. Our office is on Amber Street in the Kensington and Fishtown area.

When you call or text (267) 551-5554, a real local person answers. Our team includes Michael Neavson and Jen Gorsen, and sellers rate us 4.6 stars on Google and 5.0 on Facebook. There is no pressure to say yes.

What kinds of Philadelphia houses do we buy?

Mostly rowhomes, because that is what Philadelphia is built from. City figures based on Census data put single-family attached homes at about 56% of the city's occupied homes and about three of every four owner-occupied homes. They are old, too: 38% were built before 1940, and only about 15% in 1980 or later.

We also buy twins, singles and buildings with 2 to 4 units, in any condition. The city's own Rowhouse Manual lists the problems these houses tend to have:

• The roof. Most rowhouse roofs look flat but slope gently to a drain, and the manual calls the roof the most vulnerable part of the house.
• Rotted joist ends. Floor joists rest in pockets in the party walls, and rot at those pockets is one of the most common structural problems.
• Bulging walls. Front or back walls can bow or lean over time. One fix is star bolts that tie the wall back.
• Water in the basement, from poor drainage outside or sewer backups.
• Old wiring. Knob-and-tube and cloth-wrapped wiring still turns up and should be replaced in a renovation.
• The pipes to the street. Philly owners are responsible for the pipes that carry water from the city's main to the house. The Water Department's HELP loan covers water and sewer line repairs at zero interest over 60 months, with a lien on the property.

You do not have to fix any of it to sell to us. We price the repairs into the offer and handle them after closing.

Which parts of Philadelphia do we buy in?

All of them. Here are the sections the way people in Philly say them, the neighborhoods in each, and the main ZIP codes.

Can I sell a Philadelphia house with open L&I violations?

Yes. Pennsylvania law requires a Property Sales Certification from L&I to sell real estate in Philadelphia. It costs $139, takes about five business days, and shows the zoning classification, the last use on the zoning record, and any uncorrected housing, building, safety or fire violations. So every buyer sees the open violations.

If you keep the house, a violation notice means you fix the items and pay any fees, or appeal to the Board of License and Inspection Review within 30 days (6 days for unsafe or imminently dangerous conditions). Fees keep adding up while a violation stays open, and L&I can send unpaid ones to court or a collection agency.

If you sell to us, you fix nothing first. We buy the house with its violations and deal with them after closing. For duplexes and triplexes, the certification also shows the use the city has on record, so a buyer will see if the record says one family but the building is set up for three. That does not stop a sale to us, but it does affect the price.

The house is still in my late mother's name. Can I sell it?

Usually, yes, once the title is cleared. If the deed is in the name of someone who has died, the property does not pass to you automatically; probate comes first. The city calls this a tangled title and says more than 10,000 Philadelphians have one. Free and low-cost help:

• The Register of Wills' Title Clearance Unit, (215) 686-6262, helps qualified residents through probate and the title transfer, and deed recording fees are waived for them.
• Philadelphia VIP manages the city-funded Tangled Title Fund for help with fees. Community Legal Services and Philadelphia Legal Assistance give free legal help, including the Save Your Home Philly Hotline, (215) 334-4663.
• If you live in the house, you may qualify for a conditional Homestead Exemption and a tax payment agreement before your name is on the deed.
• While the title is unsettled, sign up for the Department of Records' free deed fraud alerts.

We can give you an offer now, so you know the number while the paperwork moves, and close on the day you pick once the estate has someone with authority to sign.

How does probate work at the Philadelphia Register of Wills?

The Register of Wills is in City Hall, Room 180 (Probate Department: (215) 686-6255). It probates wills, issues letters of administration when someone dies without a will, and acts as the agent for filing and paying Pennsylvania inheritance tax. To probate a will, the city says to bring the original will, an original death certificate, an estimate of the estate's value and a photo ID. Fees depend on the size of the estate.

Pennsylvania inheritance tax is 0% on what passes to a surviving spouse (or to a parent from a child 21 or younger), 4.5% to children, grandchildren and other direct descendants, 12% to brothers and sisters, and 15% to most other heirs. It becomes delinquent nine months after the death, and paying within three months earns a 5% discount.

Inheriting the house generally does not trigger Philadelphia's transfer tax, but a sale from the estate to a buyer is not exempt. Step by step: how to sell an inherited house in Philadelphia.

What happens at a Philadelphia sheriff sale, and can I still sell?

The Sheriff's Office runs two kinds of sales, all online at 10 a.m. through Bid4Assets: mortgage foreclosure sales on the first Tuesday of each month, and tax sales several times a month for unpaid city debts such as real estate taxes and water and sewer bills.

• Before a mortgage sale: if you live in the house, the court's Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Diversion Program sets up face-to-face conciliation conferences with the lender's lawyers, and judgment is blocked until they end. A housing counselor is free. Call the Save Your Home Philly Hotline at (215) 334-4663 first.
• Help catching up: the city's Foreclosure Prevention Grant Program provides up to $5,000 for homeowners three or more months behind on their mortgage.
• After a tax sale: if the house was owner-occupied in the 90 days before the sale, the owner of record may get it back within nine months of the deed acknowledgment by paying the back taxes and repaying the winning bidder. There is no such right after a mortgage foreclosure sale.

Until the sheriff's deed goes to a winning bidder, the house is still yours, so selling before the sale date is a real option: the debt gets paid off from the sale at settlement. Start early. Full steps: how to stop a sheriff sale in Philadelphia.

How much is the Philadelphia transfer tax, and who pays it?

The combined rate is 4.578%: 3.578% for the city plus 1% for the state, since July 1, 2025. The city says the tax is usually split evenly between buyer and seller, but that is custom, not law, and the city can collect all of it from either side.

Most transfers between close family members (spouses, parents and children, brothers and sisters) are exempt, with paperwork. When you sell to us, we pay all the closing costs, and your written offer shows exactly what you walk away with before you sign.

Do unpaid water bills and property taxes stop a sale?

No, but they come out of your proceeds at settlement. Unpaid real estate taxes, with interest and penalties, stay attached to the property, not to a person, even after the owner changes. Unpaid water bills can become liens. The city's search at water-lien.phila.gov shows 15 years of water lien history, title companies usually must clear those liens before a sale, and payoff requests go to the Water Department at least 30 days before settlement.

If you would rather stay, ask the city about a tax payment agreement (OOPA), the Homestead Exemption (it takes $100,000 off your assessed value), the tax freezes and water bill help. The Basic Systems Repair Program does free emergency repairs on eligible owner-occupied single-family homes.

Does a vacant house in Philadelphia need a license?

Yes. L&I says that if you own an unoccupied residential property, you need a Vacant Residential Property License. It costs $202, must be renewed every year, and you have to be current on city taxes to renew. Owners who skip it can be fined. This catches many families while a house sits empty during probate. We buy vacant houses as-is, license problems and all.

Can I sell a rented Philadelphia house with tenants in it?

Yes. Philly landlords need a rental license ($69 per unit), lead-safe or lead-free certification for buildings from before March 1978, and a Certificate of Rental Suitability for new leases. Rental licenses do not transfer: a buyer closes the old one and applies for a new one. We buy rentals with the tenants still living there; have the leases and deposit records handy. More: selling a house with tenants.

Who have we bought from in Philadelphia?

Keith inherited his mom's house in South Philadelphia. Jerril in Germantown and Greg in Mayfair were tired landlords. Each tells their own story.

Inherited his mom's house

Keith, South Philadelphia

Tired landlord

Jerril, Germantown

Tired landlord

Greg, Mayfair

What will a cash offer on a Philadelphia house look like?

Lower than the same house would list for after a full renovation. We pay for the repairs, carry the house while the work gets done (taxes, insurance, utilities), take the risk on what turns up behind the walls, and pay to sell it later. In return you skip the repairs, the cleanout, the showings, the commission and the months of waiting. See how we calculate our offer or cash sale vs. listing. If listing nets you more, we will tell you.

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

Philadelphia neighborhood pages

Guides for Philadelphia sellers

• Selling an inherited house in Philadelphia
• Stopping a Philadelphia sheriff sale
• Selling a house with tenants
• Selling a house as-is
• Selling a house with L&I code violations
• Selling with back taxes, liens or water bills
• What it costs to sell a house in Philadelphia
• Selling a parent's house
• Selling a house during a divorce
• Selling from out of state
• How we calculate our offer

Questions Philadelphia sellers ask

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