Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · House flipping

Flipping Houses in Philadelphia, PA: Rowhome Data, Sheriff Sales and Flip Math

ForeclosuresDaily.com links agents, investors, wholesalers and the general public with motivated sellers throughout Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Philadelphia foreclosures move through the Court of Common Pleas, so a flipper's best shot at a good price comes before the sheriff ever puts the house up for sale.

Across Philadelphia, owners dealing with foreclosure, an estate, delinquent taxes or a repair bill they cannot cover frequently have to sell on a deadline. Many settle for less than retail, skip listing with an agent and choose a cash buyer who can settle fast.

House flipping Philadelphia, PA 3D hero: house on rising gold bar chart with calculator, hard hat and cash with fix and flip, comps and updated daily checks

Cross-referenced tax rolls and property appraiser records

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Where flippers find houses in Philadelphia

Philadelphia has about 1.6 million residents, a median home value near $243,000, and a median household income around $62,000. Roughly 52% of occupied homes are lived in by their owners, while 48% are rentals.

Moderate home prices leave room to add value with kitchen and bath updates and curb appeal, as long as you buy right. Lead sources each add a different piece about who owns the home and when they may sell, so combining them improves your odds of the right house at the right price.

1 ForeclosuresOwners with missed mortgage payments frequently sell for less to stay ahead of a foreclosure sale.See foreclosure leads

2 Probate and inherited homesRather than repair and show an inherited house, many heirs want a fast as-is sale.See probate leads

3 Tax-delinquent homesOwners behind on property taxes are often under financial pressure and may welcome a fast cash offer.See tax late leads

Where to start researching in Philadelphia

01 Entry-level ZIP codesMedian home values in 19132 (Philadelphia), 19133 (Philadelphia), and 19140 (Philadelphia) run about $81,000 to $107,000, the lowest nearby. A lower purchase price leaves a bigger cushion for rehab and profit, though you should verify buyer demand first.See verified leads

02 High-value ZIP codesBy contrast, 19103 (Philadelphia), 19147 (Philadelphia), and 19130 (Philadelphia) have medians near $492,000 to $583,000. Flips in Philadelphia require larger budgets and quality finishes, but the finished product can sell for much more.Get fresh data

03 Owner-occupied ZIP codesMeanwhile, in 19154 (Philadelphia), 19150 (Philadelphia), and 19138 (Philadelphia), about 71% to 80% of homes are owner-occupied. A finished flip gives local buyers exactly what most of them want: a move-in-ready home.Look up owners

04 Renter-heavy ZIP codesThe most renter-heavy ZIP codes are 19104 (Philadelphia), 19121 (Philadelphia), and 19122 (Philadelphia), where renters occupy about 68% to 83% of occupied homes. Investors are often the buyers when tired local landlords decide to sell worn rentals at a discount.See eviction leads

19103 · Philadelphia: snapshot

$582,500

Median home value

$99,644

Median household income

25,900

Population

20,784

Housing units

30.7%

Owner-occupied homes

69.3%

Renter-occupied homes

10.6%

Single-unit homes

15.4%

Vacancy rate

PENNSYLVANIA FORECLOSURE DATA

1 in 5,709

Housing units with a foreclosure filing

#32 of 50

State foreclosure rate rank

1 in 3,569

U.S. rate, for comparison

Judicial

Pennsylvania foreclosure process

$243,000

Philadelphia median home value

RENT AND EQUITY ESTIMATES

$2,015

Median gross rent per month

4.2%

Est. gross rent yield (rent x 12 / value)

Market note: Vacancy is 15.4% and the median home value is $582,500. 30.7% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and 69.3% are renter-occupied. With this many rentals, a large share of potential sellers here are landlords.

Understanding Pennsylvania foreclosure rules for Philadelphia flips

Philadelphia at a glance

1,574,281

Population (2025 estimate)

51.8%

Homes that are owner-occupied

$243,100

Median owner-occupied home value

$1,397

Median gross rent

$61,953

Median household income

Each Pennsylvania foreclosure is decided in a county Court of Common Pleas, and Philadelphia's cases follow the same path.

Pennsylvania lenders owe borrowers 30 days' notice before filing, owners can usually cure the default up to one hour before the sheriff's sale, and no buyback right exists once that sale is final. Owner-occupied Philadelphia cases also pass through conciliation conferences, which gives you time to meet the owner, walk the house and negotiate face to face.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, Philadelphia city, Pennsylvania (2020 to 2024 American Community Survey; population estimate for July 1, 2025) and state foreclosure law summary.

In Philadelphia, the Sheriff's Office sells foreclosed homes after a court judgment and also runs the city's tax sales, both held online through Bid4Assets. Watch both sale lists, since a delinquent-tax property follows different rules from a mortgage foreclosure.

On a Philadelphia flip, profit is locked in at purchase. The usual opening formula is the 70% rule: spend no more than 70% of after-repair value less the renovation cost. Listed rowhomes rarely trade that low, which is why flippers chase off-market owners.

See verified leads

Title work and settlement for a Philadelphia flip

Title company

A careful title company is cheap insurance on every Philadelphia rehab. Its search turns up mortgages, liens, judgments and unpaid taxes, which pile up on distressed properties and must be settled before you take the deed.

Pennsylvania closing

Pennsylvania closings are usually handled by a title company. When the deal involves distress, raise lien payoffs, estate documents and any court approval with your settlement agent at the start.

See foreclosure leads

Mistakes that cost Philadelphia flippers money

Skipping the lien search is another costly Philadelphia County error. A Pennsylvania sheriff sale does not always wipe out every lien, and tax sales follow separate rules, so read the court docket and the title report before bidding.

Overpaying and slow renovations drain profits from Philadelphia flips too. Confirm recent sales nearby, permit timing and real repair costs before your offer goes in, and know how you will exit before you buy.

See verified leads

Building a repeatable process

Step 01 · Build a repeatable systemBuild a simple process. Every week, gather new foreclosure, probate, and tax-delinquent leads, do fast math on each one, and log each lead with a next step.See probate leads

Step 02 · Review and adjustWith time, you will learn which ZIP codes and price ranges in Philadelphia yield the best flips. With that knowledge, concentrate your mail, calls, and time on the spots where deals get done.See verified leads

OUTREACH

Talking with motivated Philadelphia sellers

Distressed owners carry a lot of strain, so plain, courteous outreach works best. A brief letter proposing a fair as-is cash price and a quick settlement does the job. Log every contact, respect requests to stop, and follow Pennsylvania's rules on solicitation.

Get fresh data

Next steps

To begin, settle on the ZIP codes and price range you want, then rely on a solid source of distressed leads, like ForeclosuresDaily.com lead lists, and review new leads consistently.

For today’s population and housing figures, open the Census profile for Philadelphia. The last piece is your team: secure a contractor, a lender, and a title company before making an offer.

See lead generation

FAQ

Philadelphia, PA house flips: frequently asked questions

Is there still money in Philadelphia house flips?

There can be, provided you buy at the right number. With a median home value near $243,000, Philadelphia leaves room for kitchen, bath and curb appeal upgrades to add value. Price each deal using purchase cost, repair estimate, months of holding and resale value before you commit any money.

Which sellers bring Philadelphia flip opportunities?

Off-market owners supply most of them: homes in foreclosure, probate and inherited properties, tax-delinquent houses and landlords ready to quit. With about 48% of Philadelphia homes rented, absentee owners make up a big slice. Many of these sellers prefer a quick sale and are happy to leave the repairs to you.

What price makes sense for a Philadelphia flip property?

Plenty of flippers anchor on the 70% rule, paying no more than 70% of after-repair value minus repairs. Tune the figure for neighborhood resale prices, the cost of your financing and the length of the renovation, since every extra month of carrying costs eats into profit.

Why use ForeclosuresDaily.com?

Philadelphia flippers have had access to ForeclosuresDaily.com's off-market leads on foreclosures, probate cases and tax-delinquent properties since 2004. They use those leads to contact motivated owners before other buyers do, often while the seller still has time to choose a private sale over a sheriff's auction.