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Rent to Own Homes in Pennsylvania
The Appalachian Mountains cut through the middle of Pennsylvania state, offering a unique culture steeped in American history. You can drive through the mountains and stop off at roadside attractions designed to educate visitors about the rich history of the region. If you enjoy hiking and spending time with Mother Nature, you may appreciate living near the mountains and... Read More
The Appalachian Mountains cut through the middle of Pennsylvania state, offering a unique culture steeped in American history. You can drive through the mountains and stop off at roadside attractions designed to educate visitors about the rich history of the region. If you enjoy hiking and spending time with Mother Nature, you may appreciate living near the mountains and slipping into the trees to enjoy walks and other recreational activities. You may also appreciate living within close proximity to many other states, including New York, West Virginia and Ohio. The United States also borders Ontario on the northwest edge of this state.The below results are primarily rent to own homes in :
The Appalachian Mountains cut through the middle of Pennsylvania state, offering a unique culture steeped in American history. You can drive through the mountains and stop off at roadside attractions designed to educate visitors about the rich history of the region. If you enjoy hiking and spending time with Mother Nature, you may appreciate living near the mountains and... Read More
The Appalachian Mountains cut through the middle of Pennsylvania state, offering a unique culture steeped in American history. You can drive through the mountains and stop off at roadside attractions designed to educate visitors about the rich history of the region. If you enjoy hiking and spending time with Mother Nature, you may appreciate living near the mountains and slipping into the trees to enjoy walks and other recreational activities. You may also appreciate living within close proximity to many other states, including New York, West Virginia and Ohio. The United States also borders Ontario on the northwest edge of this state.The below results are primarily rent to own homes in :
Two of the most popular cities within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania are Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. As home to the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall and Independence National Historic Park, Philadelphia is a great place to visit if you’re interested in American history. Residents living in the area enjoy access to a large open market as well as many parks, museums and family-friendly entertainment options.
With a local zoo, aquarium, conservatory, botanical garden, children’s museum and several large parks, Pittsburgh is a large city filled with family-friendly amusements. The city is also home to Rivers Casino, Mount Washington and the National Aviary. Once named the Steel City for the heavy presence of steel mills, this city no longer has many operational mills. The economy has shifted and now features many jobs in the bio-sciences and technology fields.
Pennsylvania State University operates multiple campuses throughout the state, giving residents direct access to quality advanced education. Many cities also enjoy exceptional public primary schools with high graduation rates. Private schools are available in many areas as well.
Buying a Home in Pennsylvania?
It’s not unusual to find close to 100,000 homes for sale throughout Pennsylvania at any given time. Most of these properties are single-family units, but there are also many multiple-family homes, condos and townhouses on the market in many cities. While waterfront properties aren’t as plentiful as in many other states, you can find them for sale in limited areas. Erie, Pennsylvania, is a good place to look for these properties, but expect to pay $1 million or more for these premium homes.
If you’re shopping on a tight budget or are interested in flipping a home for investment purposes, there is a healthy foreclosure market in this state. If you’re a first-time homebuyer, you may also qualify for some of the homebuyer assistance programs offered through the state and federal government. Most programs provide grants for down payments and closing costs, and you often don’t have to pay them back.
Popular Neighborhoods in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania offers a diverse collection of cities and neighborhoods, so it’s not difficult for most residents to find an environment that suits their lifestyle, professional interests and budget. The suburb of Devon is one of the most ideal places for families. The local schools consistently deliver high graduation rates, and the median home price is under $500,000. There are a variety of businesses and entertainment options in the local area, and some are within walking distance of residential areas. For slightly lower home prices in a beautiful city, you may also consider homes in West Chester, Pennsylvania.
If your budget is more in the $200,000 range or under, you may find more housing options in large cities like Philadelphia and Pennsylvania. While the crime rates are higher in these cities and you may have to look closely to find quality school districts, there are many unique neighborhoods in both of these cities where families of all income levels live comfortably. For lower home prices away from these big cities, consider the smaller city of Bethlehem. Median home values fall around $170,000 throughout the city.
Buying vs. Rent to Own Homes?
There are many reasons you may hesitate before purchasing a new home in Pennsylvania. You may find a house that is perfect for your family only to realize that your credit score has dropped too low to secure a prime interest rate. Perhaps you haven’t saved up much of a down payment but notice the home of your dreams has hit the market. These scenarios occur daily to homebuyers throughout the state, and many turn to rent-to-own properties as a solution.
These properties offer unique contracts that allow you to start out as a renter. You move into the property that you will one day buy, but you don’t have to start the home-buying process immediately. The exact terms of the contract will vary, but you will typically have a rental period of two years or longer and the ability to purchase the home at any point. In some cases, a portion of your rent payment will serve as your future down payment on the property. If you make good use of the rental period, you can clean up your credit or save for closing costs so that you’re in a better position to buy at the end of the contract.
Cost of Living in Pennsylvania?
Even though the cost of food and utilities will often rise above the national average, the overall cost of living in Pennsylvania is approximately three percent lower than the national average. This reflects the affordable housing market, which is approximately 15 percent lower than the national average. This doesn’t mean that there aren’t any high-priced homes in this state. It just means that there are more lower-priced homes than you may find in some other states, and you can probably stretch your dollar further if you’re interested in purchasing a larger home. For many residents, utilities and groceries are the two biggest expenses.
It’s easy to think about the big-city cultures of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia when the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is discussed, but much of this state is actually filled with small towns. Since the Appalachian Mountains roll right through the middle of the state, a large percentage of the population also identifies with a unique culture steeped in American history. The mountains attract a steady flow of road-trip visitors each year, and many locals enjoy views of the mountains outside their windows. While the cost of living is below average in this state and there are many affordable homes on the market at all times, many people take up residence here because it’s so close to New York, Ontario and many other states worth visiting.
Summary
It’s easy to think about the big-city cultures of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia when the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is discussed, but much of this state is actually filled with small towns. Since the Appalachian Mountains roll right through the middle of the state, a large percentage of the population also identifies with a unique culture steeped in American history. The mountains attract a steady flow of road-trip visitors each year, and many locals enjoy views of the mountains outside their windows. While the cost of living is below average in this state and there are many affordable homes on the market at all times, many people take up residence here because it’s so close to New York, Ontario and many other states worth visiting.