5 Reasons to Buy a Home in Philadelphia

Curious about living in Philadelphia? Whether you’re exploring all real estate in Philadelphia or specifically looking for home builders in the Philadelphia area, we’ll help you determine the top five reasons why it’s worth making the move.

1. Cost of Living in Philadelphia

The cost of living in Philadelphia isn’t cheap. But in terms of groceries, utilities, and health expenses—it’s actually pretty average compared to the rest of the United States. We won’t spend a lot of time on this, since we’re really just building up to our second point. But it’s worth noting that there are a few states that have an above-average cost of living, and there’s a lot less history to them. So we’ll give some credit where it’s due. 

2. Cost of Real Estate in Philadelphia

Real estate in Philadelphia is actually pretty affordable, especially when compared to the tri-state area. If you wanted to live in New York City proper, it would cost over 200% more. And even in comparison to Connecticut or New Jersey, there’s about a 60-80 percent difference. 

The cost for new home builders in Philadelphia starts at around the mid 400’s. That’s a steal. You’d be lucky to even find new home builders anywhere close to Manhattan. Even the other areas are pretty competitive, although New Jersey does have some new home builder options. 

So why bother comparing Philadelphia to New York City? Because it’s possible to commute from New York to Philadelphia. Now, hold up for a second. It’s still an hour-and-a-half train ride and that’s no joke. But some people do it, and for them—it might be that having a home feels like it’s worth it. It might be especially worth it if you don’t have to report to the office every day. Or, if you choose to work in Philadelphia but like having the option to explore the rest of the East Coast. Philadelphia overall is pretty conveniently located. So that’s reason number one. Real estate in Philadelphia is surprisingly affordable, unlike some of its neighboring states. 

3. Living in Philadelphia is Actually Kind of Cool

Philadelphia is the sixth-largest city in the US, and big cities usually come with their fair share of perks (especially when the cost of living in Philadelphia isn’t crazy). To start with, they have more than just Philly cheesesteaks (although c’mon, there's no question how tasty those are). But they’ve also got some jumbo-sized hoagies and competitive pizza options. And the local food scene overall is pretty kicking. 

Plus, you’ll get to learn a whole new language. Still English, but English like you’ve never heard it before and pretty specific to Philly. (PS — they also have Wawa, which is typically a Jersey thing. If you don’t know what that is, look it up. Prepare to be disappointed. You won’t be though, when you’re there.)

They also have all of the other things you’d expect from a reasonable city, like sports teams, festivals, museums, and tons of free stuff to do. Oh, and let’s not forget the history. So much history. But that also leads us to the next point. 

4. Philadelphia Has Public Transit

Most cities were built around cars. But Philly’s history means it’s a far more walkable area. And it also has public transit. That’s hard to find in a lot of great cities. In fact, you can even get by living in Philadelphia without a car. More than 20 percent of the population uses public transit. The average one-way commute time in Philadelphia is 31.5 minutes—not too shabby. With options for subways, trains, and busses. Plus, you can always mix it up. They have a solid highway system too, so you can commute to work, take vacations by car, and walk to grab your essentials. Don’t underestimate what a huge game-changer this could be.

5. You Can Afford New Home Builders

Right. Of course, we have to talk about new home builders in Philadelphia. We’re obviously biased. But for some people, having a new home built that reflects some of your personal tastes—well, it’s kind of a big deal. And you can’t always have that in big cities. But Philadelphia makes that possible. So if part of your dream of living in Philadelphia includes Philadelphia home builders, well hello. We’ve got options for you.

Real estate in Philadelphia is affordable, the cost of living in Philadelphia is average, and the experience of living in Philadelphia can be pretty cool. So heck, why not Philadelphia, right? And we say go for it. But you should also know—it gets about 20 inches of snow a year, so pack some boots.

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Published 08.23.2021