Renovate or Sell As-Is in Pennsylvania?

Expert Realtor and Investor, Alex Capozzolo, says, “The Pennsylvania housing market is shifting. Increased inventory and home buyer weariness are a challenge for today’s home seller. Renovating or selling as-is in Pennsylvania comes down to numbers and time.”

Summertime usually means a plethora of hungry homebuyers waiting for your property to hit the market. I hate to burst your bubble, but it’s different now. Will touch on that more later. Even in a weird real estate market, many homeowners are still stuck wondering if they should renovate or just sell it as-is in Pennsylvania. Everyone’s situation is different, besides the fact that the property is located in PA – and it’s the Summer.

Let’s review both sides without bias to help you figure out whether to renovate your home or sell it as-is this summer in Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania’s Current Market Reality

The real estate landscape is different in Pennsylvania this Summer. At the moment, interest rates still reign supreme. Additionally, buyers are experiencing massive fatigue. The ones who could afford to buy homes at these higher interest rates have done so. Meanwhile, other hopeful buyers are still sidelined and waiting for rates to descend from the stratosphere.

Plain and simple, Pennsylvania’s housing market is shifting. Inventory is increasing in most areas because buyers are tired. In addition, sellers who were waiting for a magical time to sell have realized that there’s no perfect time and have put their homes on the market.

Buyers have more choices than they did two years ago! This means your property really has to stand out if it’s going to compete.

Pennsylvania Housing Market: Small Towns Struggle

Major cities, like Philadelphia, have seen prices drop in some neighborhoods but remain ‘ok’ in others. Pittsburgh’s market varies by neighborhood, too.

Where is it tougher to sell a house in Pennsylvania this summer? Smaller towns. A property sold quickly in Lancaster might sit for months in Scranton. Suburban towns and small towns in Pennsylvania are getting rocked!

During COVID, homebuyers had visions of dreamy pastures with land, grass, trees, and the great outdoors. Countless city folk moved from NYC, Philly, and parts of Jersey to the suburbs of Pennsylvania so that they could enjoy outdoor space. Then, some of those people got bored with the slower pace and looked to move back to the bigger cities. Others are now called back into the office full-time or for a hybrid-style work week of three office days and two remote working days.

Trying to sell a home this Summer in PA, especially in the suburbs, is a challenge! That’s the reality of today’s real estate market in the Keystone State.

The As-Is Advantage

Look at yourself, and your property, in the mirror with brutal honesty. If you tried to sell your house as-is in Pennsylvania this summer, would it be successful? Look at how the market is doing in your particular area. Again, the suburbs could be challenging. Other larger cities might be ok.

The main benefit of selling as-is would be the lack of risk. What do you have to lose? If you are truly selling a home as-is, there are fewer expectations for it to be clean, fixed up, or nice looking. That should shave off weeks of prep time for listing your home if you list it as-is.

Forget about fancy staging, aerial drone footage, or virtual walkthroughs. Those efforts would be over the top. While they wouldn’t hurt, PA homebuyers are not expecting that. Work smart, not hard! Or if you’re selling your property as-is, but not listing it, the same benefit applies. You don’t have to go ham with fine-tuning the property before getting into negotiations with a buyer. Just let it rip!

With the minimal amount of time invested, you might as well try to sell your property as-is this summer, even if it’s just for a few weeks. You can literally list it or reach out to buyers online for 1-2 weeks and see what happens.

If there are no bites, pivot accordingly. Unless you’re on a serious timeline with deadlines approaching and need to sell quickly, why not try to just sell it as-is? Granted, the market might not provide the offer you’re expecting this summer in PA, but it is worth a shot.

When Renovating Makes Sense

Are you thinking about trying a home renovation? Some improvements pay off big time. Fresh paint almost always delivers some returns. Kitchen updates can add significant value if done right. Bathrooms are goldmines for renovation ROI. A dated bathroom screams “old house” to buyers, which you’ll want to avoid.

As mentioned above, the PA Summertime real estate market is different. But would the winter be a more fruitful environment for home sales? Debatable. Analyze your specific submarket and look for these three types of comps:

• As-is comp
• Cosmetic renovation comp
• Fully rehabbed comp

Of course, follow all the traditional best practices when finding these comps, which include proximity to your property, along with similar size and layout.

Clarity in Numbers

Let the numbers provide you with clarity when deciding if you should renovate your home or sell as-is in Pennsylvania. As-is comps might be flying off the shelves in your area – in that case, you know going in that direction would be easy. Maybe you live in a nicer suburb of Philadelphia where only homes with high-end finishes yield high prices. In that scenario, you might consider renovating the property first to get the most bang for your buck.

You can also try chatting with other successful home sellers in your neighborhood to see how they went about the process. Did they do a massive renovation or just sell as-is? Some neighborhoods have Facebook groups where you can connect with others in your area. Or you can try to look them up. Even if you can’t find the property ownership information of the home that sold, you might find other clues that can help you in your search.

Before going this route, revisit that mirror from earlier. Look at yourself, with full honesty, and ask if you have the time, capacity, and money to do this renovation. If you haven’t done a large renovation before, your projected rehab numbers could be off. Consult with a local general contractor to get some insight first.

Pennsylvania-Specific Factors

Older homes dominate many Pennsylvania neighborhoods. Buyers here expect character and charm. Your 1920s colonial doesn’t need to look like a 2025 new build. It needs to feel well-maintained and livable. There’s a difference. However, historic districts have special considerations. Some renovations require approval processes. Others are restricted entirely. Know your local rules before planning any major changes.

Unfortunately, older homes can also work against you during a renovation. Naturally, there are just more, older features throughout the house that likely need to be upgraded. That is, if you’re trying to match higher-end flips in your market. Make sure that you know what you’re getting into before venturing into a bigger property renovation in PA this Summer.

If you’re debating about renovating or selling as-is in Pennsylvania, reach out to an expert agent who can give you personal guidance on the best approach.