Sell your York house fast, as‑is, for cash
We buy houses in the City of York, Hanover, Spring Garden and the boroughs and townships around them, in any condition. You get a written cash offer, and the paperwork the city asks for when ownership changes becomes our job instead of yours.
Get your free cash offer
Takes 2 minutes. Zero obligation. We respond within 1 hour during business hours.
No fees, no commissions, no obligation. Your cash offer comes in writing.
Rather talk it through? Call or text (215) 703-9223
- A cash price in writing, yours to turn down
- Code items from a city inspection are on us
- Nothing deducted for commissions
- Settlement on the day you choose
Selling a house in York: what's different here
The City of York is the county seat, so the courts, the Sheriff, the Register of Wills and the Tax Claim Bureau all have their offices in the city, at the Judicial Center on North George Street or the Administrative Center on East Market Street. Resale and rental rules are set town by town: the city checks a house when it changes hands, while Hanover and Spring Garden focus on registering rentals. Each item below links to the office that published it.
General information from official court, county and state sources, not legal advice. Last reviewed October 19, 2026.
- Court of Common Pleas
- York County is the 19th Judicial District. Its Court of Common Pleas hears major civil cases, mortgage foreclosures among them, while 19 magisterial district courts take landlord-tenant disputes and small claims.
- Six sheriff sales a year
- Sheriff sales run online through RealForeclose, at 2 p.m. (sale requirements). The last 2026 sale is Monday, December 7; the first two of 2027 are February 1 and April 5, and October 19, 2026 is the last day to file a writ for the February sale (sale schedule).
- How a sale is announced
- For each property, a handbill is posted at the Sheriff's Office in the Judicial Center, and notices run in the York Legal Record, York Daily Record and York Dispatch on three Thursdays in a row, starting about a month before the sale. A schedule of distribution goes up within 30 days afterward (Sheriff).
- Tax Claim Bureau sales
- Property at least two years behind on taxes goes to the Upset Sale, generally held in September; the 2026 sale was held online through GovEase on September 17, and liens and mortgages stay attached. Unsold parcels can go to a Judicial Sale, which the Bureau calls the free and clear sale (June 4 in 2026), then to a repository list (Tax Sale Information).
- Transfer tax in the city
- Pennsylvania takes 1% (Department of Revenue). The City of York's Article 355 adds 1% of value, which drops to half while another taxing body also taxes the same transfer, unless the two agree on a different split. The Recorder of Deeds collects at 28 E. Market St., Suite 122.
- Certificate of Compliance
- In the City of York, any building changing ownership or tenancy without a change of use needs a Certificate of Compliance, and an inspection is part of getting one. Tenant-occupied homes are separately licensed and inspected (Bureau of Permits and Inspections).
- Hanover rentals and vacant homes
- Since January 1, 2025, Hanover Borough has required every rental unit to be registered each year, at $35 per unit, and owners living more than 40 miles away must name an agent. Vacant properties are registered too, with registrations due every December 31.
- Probate
- The Register of Wills is on the second floor at 45 N. George St., open 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. on weekdays, with e-filing available. It grants letters to executors and administrators and collects Pennsylvania inheritance tax for the state.
- Free counseling
- Community Progress Council, 226 E. College Ave., York (717-846-4600), appears on HUD's counselor list for mortgage delinquency and default help. PHFA's HEMAP page explains the deadline after an Act 91 notice.
How a cash sale works in York County
County offices handle the deed, the courts and delinquent taxes. Your municipality decides what has to happen before the keys change hands.
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Tell us where the house is
A rowhouse inside the City of York needs a Certificate of Compliance; a rental in Hanover or Spring Garden comes with its own registration. Knowing the town early tells us which forms to line up.
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Get a number on paper
After one walkthrough we send a written price for the house as it stands. York County assessments still rest on 2004 values, so we price from the house itself, not the tax bill; the county's own common level ratio was 48.70 percent as of July 1, 2026.
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Settle with a title company
The title company orders a tax certification from the City Treasurer if needed, pays off the mortgage and any Tax Claim balance, and sends the deed to the Recorder on East Market Street with the transfer tax.
York County situations we see
What the local rules mean for each one.
On the sheriff sale list
Sales are on Mondays, six times a year, and newspaper notices start about a month ahead. A sale to us before that date pays the lender out of your proceeds. More in how long foreclosure takes in Pennsylvania.
Behind on property taxes
Once taxes are two years overdue, the Tax Claim Bureau can put the property in its September upset sale. Selling first lets the overdue amount come off the top at settlement. See how PA upset sales work.
Settling a family estate
Letters come from the Register of Wills on North George Street, in person or by e-filing. With letters in hand, the executor can sign for the sale. Our inherited-house guide walks through inheritance tax.
Tired of being a landlord
The city licenses tenant-occupied homes, Hanover registers each unit yearly and Spring Garden charges $200 a unit with an inspection every two years. We take rentals with tenants still living there.
An empty house in Hanover
A vacant property in the borough has to be registered every year by December 31. If the house is sitting empty, selling it ends that cycle along with the utility and insurance bills.
Old brick with a long repair list
A city inspection before transfer can turn up wiring, plumbing or porch work. You can leave all of it in place; our offer already counts on handling it.
Transfer tax and recording costs in York
The state rate is fixed at 1%. The local rate depends on your municipality and school district, so here is the City of York's own ordinance as an example, with the county's deed recording fee.
| Item | Rate or fee | On a $150,000 sale | On a $200,000 sale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania realty transfer tax | 1% | $1,500 | $2,000 |
| City of York tax, Article 355 | 1%, or ½% while another body also taxes the transfer | $750 to $1,500 | $1,000 to $2,000 |
| Recording the deed (one parcel) | $86.25 base + $20 per parcel number | $106.25 | $106.25 |
Sources: Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, City of York Article 355 and the York County Recorder of Deeds fee page (extra charges apply past four pages or four names). Dollar figures are arithmetic on example prices, not quotes. The state says buyer and seller are jointly liable for the tax; your agreement of sale decides who pays what, and the title company confirms the local rate for your address.
Where we buy around York
Selling a house in York County: common questions
Still have a question? Call or text (215) 703-9223 or email info@eternalhomebuyers.com.
Does the City of York inspect a house before it is sold?
Yes. The city's Bureau of Permits and Inspections says any structure changing ownership or tenancy without a change in use needs a Certificate of Compliance, and an inspection is required to get one.
When are York County sheriff sales held?
Six times a year, online through RealForeclose at 2 p.m. The last 2026 sale is December 7, and the first 2027 sales are February 1 and April 5. Notices run in three local papers on three consecutive Thursdays about a month before each sale.
How far behind on taxes before a York County tax sale?
The Tax Claim Bureau offers property at its Upset Sale once taxes are at least two years delinquent. The upset sale is generally held in September; in 2026 it was held online on September 17.
What is the transfer tax in the City of York?
Pennsylvania charges 1%. The city's Article 355 adds 1% of value, cut to half while another taxing body also taxes the same transfer unless they agree on a different split. The Recorder of Deeds collects it when the deed is recorded.
Do I have to register a rental in Hanover?
Yes. Since January 1, 2025, Hanover Borough requires each rental unit to be registered every year, at $35 per unit, and owners who live more than 40 miles away must name an agent.
Where do I probate a will in York County?
At the Register of Wills, 45 N. George St., second floor, York, open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. E-filing is also available, and the office collects Pennsylvania inheritance tax.
More for York sellers
Sources
Official pages we used for the local facts on this page, checked October 19, 2026.
- Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania, Courts of Common Pleas judicial districts
- York County Court of Common Pleas (19th Judicial District)
- York County Sheriff, Real Estate Sheriff Sales
- York County Sheriff, Real Estate Sale Requirements
- York County Tax Claim Bureau, Tax Sale Information
- York County Assessment and Tax Claim Office
- York County Recorder of Deeds
- York County Recorder of Deeds, Recording Fees
- Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, Realty Transfer Tax
- City of York Codified Ordinances, Article 355 Realty Transfer Tax (PDF)
- City of York, Bureau of Permits and Inspections
- City of York Treasurer, Property Tax Information
- Hanover Borough, Residential Rental Unit Registration
- Hanover Borough, Vacant Property Registration
- Spring Garden Township, Rental Properties
- York County Register of Wills
- York County Register of Wills, E-File for Wills and Estates
- HUD housing counselor search, within 10 miles of York
- PHFA, Homeowner's Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program (HEMAP)
Photo: Acroterion via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
This page is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules, rates and sale dates change; confirm with the office linked above, an attorney, a tax professional or a HUD-approved housing counselor. Last reviewed October 19, 2026.
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