Lancaster, Easton, Williamsport - please compare

[PAhippo]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

BTW, keep an eye out for the December/January issue of Philadelphia magazine.

We have a feature on weekend trips. My contribution to it is Lancaster.

is it online?

[lilacsnlocks]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

According to the figures on Realtor.com, the median list price for houses in Lancaster City is $300K. In the county, it's $340K.

So the OP should be able to find housing they can afford in Lancaster as well.

Ditto Easton, where the median listing price is $310K and the median sale price is even lower: $225.8K.

In Northampton County, which also includes Nazareth and Bethlehem, the median asking price is $335K.

Where are you getting your data from?

Originally Posted by Jessie Mitchell

I watch the real estate listings in Lancaster with some regularity. MarketStEl is correct here. $350K is enough to buy a house in Lancaster. The OP is pretty specific about what they want, and especially the kind of neighborhood they want ("the feel of old money") and it may be very challenging to find the right house in the right place to meet that expectation, but there are certainly lots of houses in Lanc city and county that a person fortunate enough to have a budget of 350K can buy, and plenty of really nice ones at that. It also will be not near enough if the desire is to buy a new-built house in Manheim Township or any beautiful, unique properties built for the well-to-do, but there are definitely good options in that price range.

There is no inventory. If a nice house came up for sale in an upscale neighborhood, the asking price would almost certainly be above $350,000. And even if asking price is $350,000 it will go for much more, that's just where the bidding starts. There's so much competition for anything decent. It's awful, trust me I wish it wasn't like this. But as long as people keep paying these outrageous prices it will only continue and get worse.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by PAhippo

is it online?

Not yet. The issue hit the newsstands Friday. We usually drop one of our big features on the Sunday after the issue appears, though, so you might want to check on phillymag.com then.

[PAhippo]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

Not yet. The issue hit the newsstands Friday. We usually drop one of our big features on the Sunday after the issue appears, though, so you might want to check on phillymag.com then.

thank you. I will.

[Max and Catriona]

Originally Posted by lilacsnlocks

OP I'm sorry to break it to you but better you know the truth: you are not going to be able to afford what you're looking for. It is sick that $350,000 isn't enough, but I'm telling you it isn't enough.

A few Lancaster examples of recently sold properties in our price range:

This one looks to be in a well kept townhome community - https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1.../9762108_zpid/

Single family home in a seemingly lovely neighborhood sold for $305,000. Quite nice in my opinion - https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1...54231925_zpid/

This sold for $280,000 - https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1.../9746177_zpid/

Also in Lancaster there is a condo building we like - "Clock Towers" - with units selling well below our max budget. The historic building is very cool looking and the condos have beautiful architectural features.

I'm not under the delusion it'll be easy with our budget but I can see from the above examples it's not impossible.