Lancaster Property Market and Real Estate Guide

(Lancaster, Pennsylvania - PA, USA)

Lancaster lies in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch country. This city is a lovely place to buy property, with a pleasing mix of city-based amenities and beautiful countryside, where residents still get around in horse-drawn carts.

Lancaster is a small community, and most people looking to buy property or rent an apartment here do so in the city center. The countryside is given over to farmland, most of which is maintained by the Amish and other Anabaptist communities. The best properties are on Orange, Chestnut and King streets, in the city center.


The average listing price for homes in Lancaster (many of which are agricultural estates) is in the low six figures, and varies considerably based on where the property is located. Prices held through the mortgage crisis of 2008 and have neither gained nor lost much since 2006. Over the long term, the prospects for property investment are solid.

Renting Serviced Apartments

Serviced apartments aren't very common in Lancaster, due to the region's agricultural atmosphere. There are a few extended stay hotels near the center, but these are much harder to find than standard, unfurnished apartments that require a down payment and six-month or year-long commitment.

Most of the serviced apartments in Lancaster are close to Franklin and Marshall College. These units cater for visiting professors, families of university members and a few business travelers. The academic calendar also affects local rentals, making it easier to find apartments with three- to six-month leases on offer.

Buying Apartments and Houses

Homes in the lower range are available around the city center. These are mid-sized houses in satellite communities, and most of the residents commute to the city center for business and work. More expensive homes are found in gated communities, while the best selection of modern apartments is in the immediate city center.

In closing on a house, the cost to the buyer is much less than that which the seller pays. This is typical in the US, though Pennsylvania's closing costs are slightly higher than those of most states. Buyers can expect to pay less than two percent of the sale price in covering miscellaneous inspections, title work, and so on.

Real Estate Agents

Finding a well-reputed real estate agent goes a long way toward simplifying your search for properties in Lancaster. Most agencies have a speciality, whether that is commercial real estate in the city center, freestanding houses in the suburbs, or estates on farmland in the countryside.

Check out the following Lancaster realtors and real estate agents:

Progressive Property Management
Address: 233 North Duke Street, Lancaster, Pennsylvania PA, 17602, USA
Tel: +1 717 394 3374
Email: info@ppmproperties.com
Website: www.ppmproperties.com
PPM Real Estate specializes in small communities and they mainly deal with commercial properties. This agency can help connect renters with properties they manage.

Lancaster Real Estate
Address: 626 North Duke Street, Lancaster, Pennsylvania PA, 17601, USA
Tel: +1 717 399 8010
Email: brad.norris@lancasterrealestatepa.com
Website: www.lancasterrealestatepa.com
Lancaster Real Estate maintains a list of homes in the city center and surrounding countryside.

Lancaster Association of Realtors
Address: 1930 Harrington Drive, Lancaster, Pennsylvania PA, 17601, USA
Tel: +1 717 569 4625
Email: gwachter@lcaronline.com
Website: www.lcaronline.com
This association oversees the real estate business in Lancaster and can help connect people with realtors, as well as property for sale or rent in the region.