April brought another uptick in the median sale prices across the Philadelphia region, according to the Long & Foster Real Estate Market Minute Report. Delaware County experienced the highest increase with a 14% rise.  

The number of units sold soared across the region with Philadelphia County exhibiting a dramatic 80% incline. While active inventory continued to decline, homes sold rapidly with days on market ranging from 22 to 43.   

The Long & Foster Real Estate Market Minute report for the Philadelphia region includes Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties.

Low interest rates continue to be the driver for this robust housing market. “Although we’ve been talking about the low inventory for years, the rate at which it is declining is starting to slow,” said Gary Scott, president of Long & Foster Real Estate. “It’s been encouraging to see the increase in new listings and healthy appreciation of median sale prices.” 

In today’s market, in which sellers have the upper hand, we asked Scott for some guidance on what to do if you want to buy and sell a home concurrently. “It’s one of the least risky times to buy your next home before you sell your current home,” said Scott. If homeowners are able to handle the payments on two homes for six months or so they can buy first and sell later, added Scott. 

“A bridge loan is also an option if you want to buy without selling first,” said Scott. “Or you can take out a home equity line of credit on your home before you put it on the market to access the equity to help you make your purchase first.” A bridge loan allows homeowners to borrow money to pay for the down payment on their next home based on the equity in their current home. In this market, whether you’re buying or selling a home, a professional real estate agent can help evaluate your options to decide which to do first and how to optimize both transactions.  

To learn more about your local market conditions, visit Long & Foster’s Market Insights. You can also learn more about Long & Foster and find an agent at LongandFoster.com.