Buying a home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

How much homes cost in Philadelphia

The Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) asks owners how much they think their home would sell for. The median of those answers is a useful benchmark, but it is not a sale price: it covers every owner-occupied home, including homes bought long ago. Our page on Pennsylvania home prices explains the method in detail.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 1-Year Estimates 2024, table B25077. The 2025 estimates are scheduled for October 29, 2026.

Are Philadelphia prices rising?

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) tracks repeat sales of the same single-family homes. Its purchase-only, seasonally adjusted index for the Philadelphia, PA metro division, published August 25, 2026, shows:

Source: FHFA House Price Index, quarterly purchase-only files. Changes calculated by Payotte from the published index values.

Prices in the Philadelphia area rose modestly over the past year, after a gain of about a quarter over five years.

Transfer tax in Philadelphia

Philadelphia charges its own realty transfer tax on top of the state’s. The City’s Department of Revenue page lists a City rate of 3.578% and a Commonwealth rate of 1%, for a total of 4.578%, calculated on the sale price or assessed value plus any assumed debt. Our page on transfer tax in Pennsylvania explains the rules; we do not recalculate it here.

Property tax in Philadelphia

The Office of Property Assessment (OPA) sets the assessed value of each property, and the City’s Real Estate Tax is based on that figure. Two rates are combined, one for the City and one for the School District, and the bill is due on March 31 each year. The City’s page also describes a homestead exemption that reduces the taxable part of the assessment, available only after you apply. To dispute an assessment, you file an appeal with the Board of Revision of Taxes. For the current rates and how the tax is paid through a mortgage, see our Pennsylvania property tax guide and our guide to escrow accounts.

Help for first-time buyers

The City’s Philly First Home program offers a grant of up to $10,000 or 6% of the purchase price, whichever is less, for the down payment and closing costs, “while funding is available.” It requires counseling before you sign the agreement of sale and applies to single-family homes and duplexes, not condominiums. The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency adds its own assistance loans. Amounts, income limits and a worked example are on our page about first-time buyer programs in Pennsylvania.

Selling in Philadelphia: the sales certification

The City of Philadelphia states that “Pennsylvania State Law requires you to have a Property Sales Certification to sell real estate in Philadelphia,” for commercial and residential property alike. The certification provides the property’s zoning classification, its last established use in the zoning record, and a disclosure of uncorrected violations of the housing, building, safety and fire ordinances. The City’s page lists a fee of $139 and a processing time of five business days, and applications go through the eCLIPSE online system or in person at the Permit and License Center. Confirm the fee and timing with the Department of Licenses and Inspections before you list. Our page on seller disclosure in Pennsylvania covers the state’s separate disclosure rules.

Pennsylvania guides for Philadelphia buyers

• Closing costs in Pennsylvania
• Transfer tax in Pennsylvania
• Property tax in Pennsylvania
• Seller disclosure in Pennsylvania
• Real estate attorneys in Pennsylvania
• Foreclosure in Pennsylvania
• First-time buyer programs in Pennsylvania
• How to verify a license in Pennsylvania
• The steps of buying a home