Sell your house fast in Chester, PA
We buy houses in Chester as-is, for cash. No repairs, no showings, no commissions, and we pay all closing costs. Get a fair offer within 24 hours and close on your date.
- Any condition, any situation
- We pay all closing costs
- Close in as little as 2–3 weeks
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What Chester homeowners should know
Chester is a city of about 32,600 people on the Delaware River, and it calls itself Pennsylvania’s oldest city, settled as Upland in the 1640s. It was an industrial powerhouse for decades: Sun Shipbuilding, which operated here from 1917 to 1990, was the world’s largest single shipyard during World War II. Most of that industry was gone by the 1960s, and many neighborhoods, such as Sun Hill and Edgemont Park, are rowhomes and twins built between about 1920 and 1960. The 2020 census counted about 15.8% of the city’s housing units as vacant. Chester has been under state financial oversight since 1995 and in municipal bankruptcy since 2022, and Crozer-Chester Medical Center’s closure was announced in 2025. For owners of older, vacant or inherited homes, that often means fewer local buyers and a longer road to a traditional sale.
Chester (ZIP 19013) market snapshot, June 2026
Few homes sell each month here, so these numbers swing a lot.
Data: Redfin, ZIP 19013, June 2026.
Why Chester owners sell as-is
Older, vacant and inherited homes
With a large share of 1920s-60s rowhomes and a high vacancy rate, many Chester houses have sat empty after an owner passed away or moved. Vacant homes pick up water damage, break-ins and code problems fast, and each month adds taxes and insurance.
A higher transfer tax
Chester charges 0.75% for the city and 0.75% for the Chester Upland School District on top of the 1% state tax, for 2.5% total. Buyer and seller are both liable and agree on the split at closing.
A city under financial oversight
Chester has been financially distressed under Act 47 since 1995, in state receivership since 2020 and in Chapter 9 bankruptcy since November 2022. That case restructures the city’s own debts, not private home sales, but your title company will still check for any city liens, taxes or utility balances before closing.
Where we buy in Chester
- Sun Hill19013rowhomes and twins, about 1920-1960
- Edgemont Park19013early-1950s rowhomes
- Buckman Village19013WWI-era housing built for shipyard workers
- West End19013twins and older rowhomes
- Crozer Hills19013newer single-family homes
Delaware County
Chester is in Delaware County. The Delaware County Register of Wills, at the Government Center, 201 W. Front St. in Media, handles probate and estate administration. Pennsylvania foreclosures are judicial, and Delaware County holds its sheriff’s sales in person on the third Friday of each month in Media. The Tax Claim Bureau holds an annual upset sale for delinquent property taxes.
General information, not legal advice. See our Philadelphia county guide for more.
“I lost my job and got behind on my mortgage… We closed in 9 days and I avoided foreclosure.”
“My brother and I inherited our mom’s house… They handled the entire process.”
Sold in 3 simple steps
Tell us about the house
Fill out the form or call. We’ll ask a few questions about the property and your timeline.
Get a fair cash offer
After a short walkthrough, you get a written offer within 24 hours, with the math explained.
Close on your date
Close in as little as 2–3 weeks through a local title company, or on the date you pick. We pay all of your closing costs.
Selling a house for cash in Chester
Does Chester’s bankruptcy affect selling my house?
The Chapter 9 case restructures the city’s own debts, and it doesn’t change how private homes are sold. Your title company will still check for city liens and unpaid taxes or utility bills, which are normally paid from the sale proceeds at closing.
What transfer tax will I pay in Chester?
The total is 2.5%: 0.75% for the city, 0.75% for the Chester Upland School District and 1% for the state. The split is negotiated, and both parties are liable. When you sell to BAM, we pay the closing costs.
Where do Chester estates go through probate?
At the Delaware County Register of Wills, in the Government Center at 201 W. Front St. in Media. Heirs usually need letters from the Register before an inherited house can be sold.
Do I pay any fees or closing costs when I sell to BAM in Chester?
No. There are no commissions or fees, and we pay all of the normal seller closing costs. The offer we make is the amount you walk away with, minus only what you owe, like a mortgage payoff or back taxes.
Sources for this page (7)
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chester,_Pennsylvania
- dced.pa.gov/local-government/act-47-financial-distress/receiver-for-the-city-of-chester/
- www.chestercity.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Chester-Transfer-Tax-FAQ-v1.pdf
- delcopa.gov/news/prospect-medical-holdings-close-crozer-chester-medical-center-and-taylor-
- www.livingplaces.com/PA/Delaware_County/Chester_City/Sun_Hill.html
- www.redfin.com/zipcode/19013/housing-market
- www.delcopa.gov/row
Facts checked September 2026. Laws, deadlines and fees change, so confirm details with the county or a local attorney before you rely on them.
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