Category: Uncategorized
What to Know Before Buying a Home with Well Water and Septic in Lancaster County, PA
You found a house you love in Lancaster County — maybe it’s tucked into the rolling countryside outside Hempfield, set on a quiet road in Penn Manor, or on a few acres somewhere between Lititz and Manheim. And then you notice it: private well, on-lot septic. For a lot of buyers, that’s the moment everything... Read More
Welcome Kate Kennedy to The Craig Hartranft Team
We are excited to welcome Kate Kennedy as the newest Buyer’s Agent with The Craig Hartranft Team at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Homesale Realty! Kate and her family have proudly called Lancaster County home for more than 30 years, giving her a deep appreciation for the area’s communities, neighborhoods, and the people who make it such... Read More
What Pennsylvania Home Sellers Must Disclose: The Seller’s Property Disclosure Statement
One of the most common questions I get from Lancaster County sellers — especially those who haven’t sold a home in years — is some version of: “Do I have to tell buyers about that?” The roof that leaked two years ago. The basement that had standing water after a heavy storm. The addition built... Read More
What to Do When Your Home Appraisal Comes in Low in Lancaster, PA
Your agent just called. The appraisal came in low. Maybe $10,000 below the contract price. Maybe $25,000. In Lancaster County’s competitive market — where homes routinely sell at 102% or more of list price — this happens more than buyers expect. You offered above asking to win the house. Now the appraiser says the math... Read More
Selling an Inherited Home in Lancaster, PA: What Heirs Need to Know About Probate and Inheritance Tax
Inheriting a home in Lancaster County puts a lot of decisions in front of you at once — and usually during one of the hardest times of your life. Should you sell? Keep it? Rent it out? And before any of that, can you actually do anything with the property yet? The short answer: probably... Read More
How to Appeal Your Lancaster County Property Assessment Before August 3
Lancaster County’s first countywide reassessment since 2018 is now real, and if you got your notice in the mail, your reaction was probably something like: That can’t be right. In Lancaster City and Columbia, average property values jumped 167% and 141%, respectively, from their last assessed values. Even in quieter suburban areas — Manheim Township, Lititz,... Read More
How to Make a Competitive Offer in Lancaster, PA (And Actually Win)
You found the perfect home. You made what you thought was a solid offer. And then you lost it — again. If you’ve been shopping for a home in Lancaster County in 2026, that scenario probably sounds familiar. Lancaster was recently ranked the #4 hottest housing market in the United States, with a Compete Score of... Read More
Radon Testing When Buying or Selling a Home in Lancaster County, PA
Does a House Need a Radon Test Before Selling in Lancaster County? Pennsylvania does not legally require radon testing as a condition of selling a home, but Lancaster County’s EPA Zone 1 designation and 64% elevated-test rate make it a near-universal practice. Buyers almost always request a radon test during their inspection contingency window, and... Read More
Down Payment Assistance in Lancaster, PA: How to Stack PHFA K-FIT and Tenfold
What down payment assistance programs are available to homebuyers in Lancaster, PA? Lancaster homebuyers can access multiple stackable programs that together can cover $20,000 or more in down payment and closing costs. Pennsylvania’s PHFA K-FIT loan provides 5% of the purchase price with no dollar cap, forgiven over 10 years at 10% per year. Tenfold’s... Read More
Do Pennsylvania Home Sellers Owe Capital Gains Tax?
Pennsylvania does not recognize the federal Section 121 primary residence exclusion — the one that lets most U.S. homeowners exclude up to $250,000 (or $500,000 for married couples) of gain from federal taxes. PA has its own exemption: if you’ve owned and used the home as your principal residence for at least two of the... Read More