Pennsylvania's third-largest city — and one of the most varied housing markets in the state. Center City rowhomes don't price like West End singles, and we know the difference.
How fast can I sell my house in Allentown, PA — and is the cash offer the price I actually get at closing?
You can get a written cash offer within 24 hours and choose a closing date as fast as 7 days — or 5 days when there's a Lehigh County sheriff sale on the calendar. ABE Homes is owned by Mike Sup, an InterNACHI Certified Professional Inspector (#21032009) who walks every Allentown property himself, so the number on the contract is the number at closing. There's no third-party inspector sent in afterward to "find issues" and cut the offer.
You pay zero commissions, zero closing costs, and make zero repairs — we buy as-is across all of Allentown (ZIPs 18101–18106), from Center City rowhomes to West End singles. If you owe back property taxes through the Lehigh County Tax Claim Bureau, those are paid off at closing from the sale proceeds.
Answered by Mike Sup, InterNACHI #21032009 — verified Pennsylvania cash home buyer since 2010
Lehigh County holds foreclosure sales monthly at the courthouse on Hamilton St. We close in 5–7 days — before the sale date — and pay off the lender from sale proceeds. See the Lehigh County foreclosure timeline →
Traditional cash buyers make an offer, then send a home inspector later to find reasons to pay you less. Mike IS the home inspector. His walkthrough IS the inspection. Your offer is fair from day one — no "revised" lowball later.
Other Cash Buyers
The bait and switch
1
Initial Offer
Strong number up front
Looks great! You accept and schedule closing...
2
Third-Party Home Inspector Arrives
"Issues Found"
Roof damage, HVAC concerns, foundation cracks...
3
"Revised" Offer
Original offerCut after walkthrough
Take it or start over with another buyer.
Their offer just dropped — and you signed the contract a week ago.
This "bait and switch" happens every day with traditional cash buyers.
With Mike
InterNACHI Certified Home Inspector
InterNACHI is the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors — the largest non-profit home inspector body in North America.
The contract price is the closing price.
Final price. Guaranteed.
Mike IS the home inspector. His walkthrough IS the inspection. No surprise reductions. The price you see is the price you get — that's the honest pricing he's built his reputation on.
Mike's InterNACHI certification (#21032009) means his valuation is accurate from day one — the contract price is the closing price. No surprise revisions after the walkthrough.
The other Lehigh Valley cash buyers — Pezon, ClearEdge, iBuyLehigh, We Buy Ugly Houses — are investors or wholesalers. None of them are InterNACHI-certified home inspectors. ABE is the only one. That's why our offer doesn't change between contract and closing.
Real Transformations
We Buy Houses in Any Condition
See the before and after of actual properties we've purchased. Drag the slider to compare.
Verified Purchase
Renovated Potential
Distressed Condition
Allentown, PA — rowhome at 603
Full exterior renovation — siding, trim, porch, brick
Days to Close
8 days
Condition
Distressed exterior + dated interior
These are actual PA properties we purchased
Success Stories
Real Stories from Lehigh Valley Homeowners
Every home has a story. Here's how we've helped families in Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton move forward.
“Best experience ever. Although things didn't go exactly as planned, it was worth every penny. Mike made the process smooth and stress-free.”
Closed in 7 days• Avoided foreclosure
KR
Kashea R.
Allentown, PA•Verified Review
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Inherited Property
“Working with Mike was a great experience, especially as a first-time seller. He walked me through everything and made what could have been overwhelming feel manageable.”
Estate sale completed
GR
Gabriel R.
Bethlehem, PA•Verified
“
Foreclosure
“Mike responded the day after I called and had an offer to me within 48 hours. The turnaround was incredible. Highly recommend for anyone who needs to move fast.”
48-hour offer• Fast closing
BV
Boris V.
Easton, PA•Verified
“
Rental Property
“My company works with properties across the Lehigh Valley. Having someone as detailed and honest as Mike makes us sleep better at night. Can't recommend him enough.”
Investment property sold
JR
Jason R.
Whitehall, PA•Verified
“
Home Sale
“Very happy with Mike! He was upfront about everything and helped me understand exactly what to expect. No surprises, just honest communication throughout.”
G
Greta
Emmaus, PA•Verified
“
Home Sale
“Was great working with Mike. Very knowledgeable and efficient. As contractors, we appreciate someone who knows what they're doing and doesn't waste time.”
PH
PowerHouse Contracting
Lehigh Valley, PA•Verified
Swipe for more
“
Inherited Property
“Working with Mike was a great experience, especially as a first-time seller. He walked me through everything and made what could have been overwhelming feel manageable.”
Estate sale completed
GR
Gabriel R.
Bethlehem, PA•Verified
“
Foreclosure
“Mike responded the day after I called and had an offer to me within 48 hours. The turnaround was incredible. Highly recommend for anyone who needs to move fast.”
48-hour offer• Fast closing
BV
Boris V.
Easton, PA•Verified
“
Rental Property
“My company works with properties across the Lehigh Valley. Having someone as detailed and honest as Mike makes us sleep better at night. Can't recommend him enough.”
Investment property sold
JR
Jason R.
Whitehall, PA•Verified
“
Home Sale
“Very happy with Mike! He was upfront about everything and helped me understand exactly what to expect. No surprises, just honest communication throughout.”
G
Greta
Emmaus, PA•Verified
“
Home Sale
“Was great working with Mike. Very knowledgeable and efficient. As contractors, we appreciate someone who knows what they're doing and doesn't waste time.”
Your specific offer will be priced to your block, condition, and ZIP. Mike walks the house once and the contract price is the closing price — no last-minute revisions. Facing foreclosure? · Inherited a property? · Tired landlord?
Other cash buyers guess at your home's value, then drop their price at closing when they find issues. Mike sees the real picture from day one—so his offer stays the same.
I started buying homes in Allentown in 2010 because I kept seeing families get lowballed after the third-party home inspection. Getting my InterNACHI certification was the obvious answer — it's the only way I could give a price I'd actually stand behind.
Mike's 5.0-star reputation spans both his inspection practice and ABE Homes — same person, same standard.
What you'll actually take home after PA inheritance tax
Pennsylvania inheritance tax is owed by the heir, not the estate, and is due within 9 months of death (5% discount if paid in 3). Use this to estimate before talking to your estate attorney.
Pay PA tax within 3 months of death and receive a 5% discount.
Your inheritance tax rate
4.5%
PA inheritance tax owed
$9,675
Net proceeds after tax
$205,325
This estimate assumes the home is the only inherited asset. Real estate is taxed on the date-of-death fair market value. If you sell within a few months of inheriting, our cash offer typically equals the market value Pennsylvania uses to assess the tax.
Practical answers to the city- and county-specific questions we get most often. We'll walk you through any of these on a call — no obligation.
Lehigh County Courthouse · Allentown
TAX & FEES
City of Allentown property tax
Apr 30 · Jun 30 · 10% penalty
Allentown property tax is billed by the City Treasurer (435 Hamilton St). Bills mail in early March; full discount window closes April 30, face period runs May–June, then 10% penalty kicks in. If you're behind, the Lehigh County Tax Claim Bureau takes over collection in the second year — that's when you'd see Upset Sale notices.
Pennsylvania charges 1% state, plus Allentown's 0.5% local (0.25% city + 0.25% School District). On a $215,000 sale, that's roughly $3,225 total — typically split 50/50 between buyer and seller per local custom. We pay our half; on cash deals we often cover both.
Allentown's Bureau of Building Standards & Safety actively cites rental and vacant properties. If you have open citations or a 'Vacant Property' designation, you can sell as-is to us — we resolve the violations after closing using the sale proceeds. No need to fix anything first.
Deed transfers are recorded at the Lehigh County Recorder of Deeds. Recording is normally completed within 48 hours of closing. We handle title work and recording — you sign once and walk away with proceeds.
An Allentown property in probate must clear the Lehigh County Register of Wills before it sells. Letters Testamentary typically issue 2–6 weeks after the petition. Once issued, the executor can sell without all heirs' signatures (in most cases). We coordinate directly with your probate attorney and close after Letters issue. Register of Wills: 455 W Hamilton St, 4th Floor, Allentown.
These answers are specific to Allentown and Lehigh County, not generic PA guidance. Every Allentown sale we've handled flowed through these exact offices and processes.
Our Guarantee
The No-Nonsense Promise
We built our reputation on doing business the right way. Here is what you can expect when you contact us.
01
We won't sell your number
We hate spam too. Your phone number is safe with us — we will never sell it, share it, or use it to harass you. One conversation, at your pace.
02
We won't post a “Sold” sign
Your situation stays between us. No 'Sold' signs posted, no neighbor gossip, no public marketing tied to your property. Discretion is standard — not an upgrade.
03
We won't run a countdown timer on you
Take the offer or leave it. We are here to help, not to run countdown timers or call you five times a day. If the numbers don't work for you, no hard feelings.
04
We won't charge you a single fee
What we offer is what you get. We pay all closing costs, title fees, and transfer taxes — both sides. The number we put in writing is the number that hits your account.
The Inspector Difference
We won't lower your price at closing
Other cash buyers offer high to lock you in, then send a third-party home inspector to find ‘issues’ and lower the price at closing. Mike IS the InterNACHI Certified Home Inspector. His walkthrough IS the inspection. The first price is the closing price.
We coordinate Letters Testamentary; pay code citations at closing
Sources: US Census 2020 · Lehigh County · ABE operations
8 min read · Allentown Market Analysis
Selling a House in Allentown: What to Expect
By Mike·InterNACHI Certified Inspector·Updated
Allentown isn't one market — its neighborhoods price differently, and we price each one accurately.
500 Hamilton Street, Allentown — the Center City corridor we buy in most often. (Photo: Atwngirl, CC BY-SA 4.0)
125,845
2020 Population
3rd
Largest in PA
54.2%
Hispanic · Census
$215K
Median home value
“
Center City rowhomes don't price like West End singles — and we know the difference.
Allentown's housing market is one of the most varied in Pennsylvania. Center City and Old Allentown are dense rowhome neighborhoods with stock dating to the late 1800s — many with original knob-and-tube wiring, slate roofs, and asbestos siding that scares off less-experienced buyers. The West End has more single-family stock from the 1920s–1950s, generally in better condition. Trexlertown and Cedarbrook on the western edge are newer subdivisions in the Parkland School District. The South Side's mix of working-class rowhomes is heavily Hispanic — roughly 60% of Allentown is Hispanic, predominantly Puerto Rican and Dominican families. We provide bilingual offers and contracts at no extra cost. Distress patterns we see most often in Allentown: tax delinquency moving toward Lehigh County Upset Sale, inherited estates from longtime Bethlehem Steel and Mack Truck families, and tired landlords exiting the rental business. As a certified InterNACHI inspector, Mike prices each property accurately to its specific neighborhood and condition — Center City rowhomes don't comp like West End singles, and we don't pretend otherwise.
Interactive Map
2.7M+ Served
We Buy Houses in the Lehigh Valley — Allentown, Bethlehem & Easton
Cash home buyers serving 45+ cities across 6 Pennsylvania counties in the Lehigh Valley and beyond.
The Sheriff's Office holds real-estate sales for foreclosure debt collection. Sale dates are scheduled by the court; we routinely close before sale dates to pay off the lender from sale proceeds.
Real estate tax bills mail at the end of March each year. Delinquent collection is handled by Elite Revenue Solutions as agent for the Tax Claim Bureau. Properties advance to Upset Sale, then Judicial Sale if unsold.
Lehigh County · Official Reference
Free Local Help
Free Help for Allentown Sellers
Selling to us is one option. These local resources can also help — call them first if you're in distress and want to explore alternatives.
Mortgage Assistance
PA HEMAP — Homeowner Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program
State-run program offering loans to PA homeowners facing foreclosure due to financial hardship beyond their control. Worth a call before deciding to sell.
Free civil legal aid for low-income Lehigh County residents facing foreclosure, eviction, or other housing crises. Spanish-speaking attorneys available.
Worried about foreclosure, taxes, or repairs? Answers below.
Allentown-specific. PA-law accurate. Updated for 2026.
“
How fast can you buy my house in Allentown?
We close on your Allentown home in as little as 7 days. Most sellers get a written offer within 24 hours of a brief call. Cash means no bank approval, no appraisal contingency, no waiting on financing — the three biggest reasons traditional Lehigh Valley sales fall through.
“
Do you buy Center City and South Side rowhomes?
Yes — Allentown's pre-1940 twin and rowhome stock is our specialty. Center City, Old Allentown, and South Side along Hamilton and Lehigh streets are the neighborhoods we buy in most. Knob-and-tube wiring, original boilers, lead paint, asbestos siding — Mike is an InterNACHI Certified Inspector (#21032009), so we price these issues accurately instead of using them to lowball you.
“
I'm behind on Lehigh County property taxes. Can you still buy?
Yes — we routinely close before the Lehigh County Upset Sale date and pay your back taxes at the closing table from sale proceeds. You walk away with a check and a clean slate. If you'd rather try to keep the home first, PA HEMAP (Homeowner Emergency Mortgage Assistance, 800-342-2397) is the state program built for that — call them before you decide to sell.
“
Do you work with Spanish-speaking homeowners?
Sí, hablamos español. Allentown is roughly 54% Hispanic — predominantly Puerto Rican and Dominican families. We provide bilingual offers, contracts, and walkthroughs at no extra cost. Many of our sellers came to us because their previous buyer or agent didn't communicate clearly in Spanish.
“
How is your Allentown offer calculated?
We start with recent comparable sales in your specific Allentown neighborhood — Center City rowhomes price differently than West End singles or Trexlertown new builds. Then we deduct accurate repair costs from a real inspection (not a guess) and a modest profit margin. Because Mike is the InterNACHI-certified inspector, our repair numbers are honest — they're not padded to lower your price after the contract.
“
Are there any fees, commissions, or closing costs?
None. The number on the offer is the number you take home from the closing table. We pay all standard closing costs, the PA realty transfer tax, and recording fees. No agent commission, no inspection fee, no surprise deductions.
“
What's the catch? Why would you cover all the closing costs?
There isn't one. Our profit comes from the spread between our cash offer and the after-repair value of the home — not from nickeling-and-diming the seller. We cover the PA realty transfer tax, title insurance, recording fees, and any back-tax payoff out of the deal. The number on the contract is the number you walk away with.
“
What if Mike finds major problems at the walkthrough — will the offer drop?
No. Mike pre-prices for likely issues using comparable sales and the photos and description you give us up front. If he walks the property and the condition is roughly what we expected, the contract price is what you sign for. The InterNACHI training (cert #21032009) is what makes this possible — most cash buyers can't accurately price old structure (knob-and-tube wiring, asbestos siding, lead paint) without padding the offer to "protect themselves." Mike doesn't have to.
“
What's the PA realty transfer tax in Allentown / Lehigh County?
Allentown's realty transfer tax is 2% total on the sale price — 1% to the Commonwealth of PA, 0.5% to the City of Allentown, and 0.5% to the Allentown School District. On the median Allentown home value of $215,000, that's about $4,300 total, traditionally split 50/50 between buyer and seller. On our cash deals we usually cover both halves.
“
What's the PA inheritance tax on an inherited Allentown property?
Pennsylvania inheritance tax depends on your relationship to the person who passed: 0% for a surviving spouse, 4.5% for lineal heirs (children, parents, grandparents), 12% for siblings, and 15% for any other heir. The tax is owed within 9 months of death (a 5% discount applies if paid within 3 months). We coordinate directly with your probate attorney once Letters Testamentary are issued by the Lehigh County Register of Wills.
“
What Allentown neighborhoods do you buy in most?
Center City and Old Allentown rowhomes (along Hamilton, Linden, and Walnut) make up the largest share of our deals. South Side along Lehigh Street is a close second. The West End — Cedar Crest single-family stock — and Trexlertown new builds round out our regular footprint. East Side twins and South Mountain estates we also buy. Each sub-market prices differently, and we comp each property to its own block — not a city-wide average.
We also help with
Selling an Allentown home in any of these situations? We cover all five.
Situations overlap — foreclosures on inherited estates, divorces with rental property, vacant houses heading to Upset Sale. We cover all of it.
Allentown is the only city in Pennsylvania where more than half the population is Hispanic — 54.2% per the 2020 U.S. Census, the fastest-growing Latino market in eastern PA. The housing stock reflects 150 years of layered history: Center City rowhomes built between 1890 and 1930, West End singles from the 1940s-60s, and newer infill around Lehigh Parkway. Each ZIP code prices differently, and a cash buyer who doesn't know that will hand you a number that's either too low to be fair or too high to actually close at. Mike Sup has walked Allentown properties since 2010. He's an InterNACHI-certified inspector. The offer he writes is the price you'll receive.
Facing foreclosure or a sheriff sale
Pennsylvania is a judicial foreclosure state. After your lender files, you'll typically receive an Act 91 notice giving you 30 days before the formal complaint, then a process that runs 4-7 months until the sheriff sale. If you're inside that window, you may also qualify for HEMAP — the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency's Homeowners' Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program — which can pause the timeline. We'll tell you about HEMAP first, even if it means you don't sell to us. If you decide the sale is the right move, we can typically close before the scheduled sheriff sale date and settle the lender directly.
Inherited a property and stuck in probate
Pennsylvania probate runs through the Register of Wills in each county and typically takes 6-12 months to fully close. If you're an out-of-state heir, you don't have to wait for full probate clearance to begin the sale — we coordinate with your estate attorney. We buy houses with belongings still inside; no cleanout required. Be aware that Pennsylvania inheritance tax applies before the estate closes: 0% for a surviving spouse, 4.5% for lineal descendants (children, grandchildren), 12% for siblings, 15% for other beneficiaries.
Court-ordered sale during divorce
Pennsylvania is an equitable-distribution state, not a 50/50 community-property state. That means a court divides marital assets based on what's fair, not necessarily equal. When a judge orders a marital home sold for distribution, both parties need a fast, neutral, transparent closing. We provide a written offer with no contingencies and no last-minute revisions. Your divorce attorney handles the disbursement at settlement; we close on the date the court requires.
Burned-out landlord with problem tenants
Selling an occupied rental with non-paying tenants is one of the harder situations in Pennsylvania real estate. PA's notice periods are 10 days for nonpayment of rent and 15-30 days for other lease breaches before a landlord can file for eviction in district court. We buy tenant-occupied rentals as-is — including units with active eviction filings or unpaid back-rent — and handle the tenant-relations side after closing. You walk away clean.
Vacant property accruing carrying costs
Empty homes in the Lehigh Valley draw attention fast: Allentown's Bureau of Building & Housing Inspections, Bethlehem's Bureau of Inspections, and Easton's Bureau of Codes & Inspections all act on neighbor complaints. Code violations turn into municipal liens that travel with the title. We close on vacant properties — including ones with open code citations — and resolve the liens at settlement so they don't follow you.
Why an inspector-owned cash buyer is different
Most cash-buyer companies in the Lehigh Valley work the same way: a salesperson writes a high offer to win the contract, then a third-party inspector visits the property and 'finds issues' that justify dropping the offer by $15,000-$40,000 at the closing table. It's called the lowball trap, and it's the single most common complaint we hear when sellers call us after walking away from a competitor. Mike Sup is InterNACHI-certified (Cert #21032009, since 2010), which means he is the inspector. His walkthrough is the inspection. The number he writes on the offer is the number you receive at closing — no third party, no surprises, no chopping the price after you've signed. That's not a marketing line, it's a structural difference in how an inspector-owned cash buyer operates.
Native Spanish service — closings, contracts, attorneys
Allentown's population is 54.2% Hispanic per the 2020 U.S. Census. The broader Lehigh Valley has the fastest-growing Hispanic homeowner population in eastern Pennsylvania. Despite that, no other Lehigh Valley cash-buyer company offers genuine Spanish service. We do — Mike handles calls, contract walk-throughs, attorney coordination, and the closing itself in Spanish. Not Google Translate, not a translator on a phone, not just a translated brochure. The contract terms a Spanish-speaking seller signs at the table are the same terms explained in Spanish during the offer conversation a week earlier.
I'm 60 days out from a sheriff sale on my Allentown house and I live out of state — can you actually close before the sale date?+
Yes. We've closed inside 30-day windows when the seller engages us early in the Act 91 period. The hard constraint is title work, not the cash side. Bring us the loan number and the case docket as soon as you can — we coordinate directly with your lender's loss mitigation department and the Lehigh County Sheriff's Office. If we can't beat your specific sale date, we'll tell you in the first call, not after you sign.
My mother passed in Bethlehem and the house is full of her belongings — do I have to clean it out before you'll make an offer?+
No. Take what you want to keep. Leave the rest. We buy the property in the condition it sits and handle disposal after closing. That's true for everything from family heirlooms you can't bring yourself to throw away to a hoarder situation. We've walked through both. Mike's inspector training means the condition doesn't surprise him — it just changes the offer math, which we'll explain to you in detail before you sign.
Why is your offer typically lower than the Zestimate?+
Zillow's algorithm doesn't account for repair condition, current code-enforcement status, the cost of carrying the property through a traditional listing (taxes, utilities, insurance, lawn care for 3-6 months), or the 6% commission a traditional sale would have cost you. When you compare our offer to what you'd actually net from a retail listing after all those costs, the numbers are usually closer than the Zestimate makes them look. We'll walk through the math on the call.
We're divorcing and the court ordered the house sold — how do you handle the dual-attorney situation?+
Cleanly. Both attorneys receive the same written offer at the same time. We don't communicate separately with either spouse outside of factual property questions. The closing proceeds go directly to the disbursement account your attorneys designate. We've closed dozens of court-ordered divorce sales in Lehigh and Northampton counties without conflict.
Hablo español — ¿puedo hacer todo el proceso en español?+
Sí. Mike habla español. La llamada inicial, el contrato, las conversaciones con el abogado de cierre, y la firma final — todo en español si es lo que prefieres. Somos la única empresa de compra de casas en efectivo en el Lehigh Valley que ofrece servicio nativo en español, no traducción automática.
About ABE Homes
ABE Homes (operating as Lehigh Property Solutions, LLC) is a cash home buyer based in Allentown, PA serving homeowners in Allentown and across the Lehigh Valley. Mike Sup, owner, is an InterNACHI Certified Professional Inspector (#21032009) and handles bilingual closings in English and Spanish.
Cash offer in
24 hours from initial contact
Closing time
7 days from signed contract
Services
As-is purchases · No fees · No commissions · No repairs
Certified inspector
InterNACHI Certified Professional Inspector (#21032009)
Languages
Native English and Spanish (bilingual closings)
Address
1275 Glenlivet Dr Suite 100-02, Allentown PA 18106
Phone
(484) 895-1352
Verifiable at: InterNACHI registry, file.dos.pa.gov (PA Department of State), BBB Lehigh Valley.
Ready When You Are
Let's Talk AboutYour Options
Whether you're ready to sell today or just exploring your options, we're here to help. Get a free, no-obligation cash offer and decide on your own timeline.
What you get with ABE Homes:
Fair cash offer— Based on real market data
Close on your timeline— 7 days or 60 days — you choose
Zero fees or commissions— We pay all closing costs
No repairs needed— Sell completely as-is
Mike was straightforward from the start. No pressure, just a fair offer. We closed on our timeline and it was exactly what we needed.