Who Writes This Site
Program and regulatory figures verified September 25, 2026. Details change; confirm your scenario with us.
A lender's site about one problem: how a Pennsylvania homeowner buys the next house before the current one sells.
What this site is for
One question, worked properly. How does a Pennsylvania homeowner fund the next purchase before the current home sells, and what does each structure cost once the transfers are counted.
The framing this site exists to supply is simple and almost never stated: Pennsylvania realty transfer tax attaches to a transfer of real estate, and a buy-before-you-sell contains two of them. Most writing explains the rate. Very little points out that a single household move meets it twice.
Two things we deliberately leave out
Local realty transfer tax rates. The Department of Revenue publishes the state 1 percent and says an additional local tax is often collected, but does not list local rates on that page. Those rates vary by municipality and school district and some are well above the state figure. We have not verified any of them, so none appears here. Your closing agent or the county Recorder of Deeds will give you the exact number.
A threshold for "long-term lease." The Department's description of the tax reaches real estate transferred by long-term lease. That is a defined category and an ordinary residential tenancy is a different thing, but we have not verified where the line sits. If you are converting a departing home to a rental on unusual terms, ask your attorney.
Both omissions follow the same rule: cite a figure or leave it out.
Where our work stops
We originate loans. We do not write, review or advise on purchase contracts. Transfer tax administration belongs to the county Recorder of Deeds and the Department of Revenue, and tax treatment to your CPA. We handle the money.
How figures get on these pages
Every dollar amount and percentage traces to a primary source recorded with a verification date. The realty transfer tax language comes from the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, read September 24, 2026. Loan limits come from the FHFA county file. Agency rules come from the Fannie Mae Selling Guide, cited by section and date. Market values come from Zillow's published research series with the data month attached.
Talking to us
Call (480) 296-6513 or use the contact page. Our team reaches out shortly, with no obligation.
Start with the Pennsylvania guide or the three structures.
Frequently asked questions
Who runs this site?
Mike Certo, NMLS #260555, Branch Manager at Cornerstone First Mortgage, NMLS #173855. The site covers buy-before-you-sell financing for Pennsylvania homeowners, statewide across all 67 counties.
Why does this site not list local Pennsylvania transfer tax rates?
Because they vary by municipality and school district, are not published on the Department of Revenue's realty transfer tax page, and we have not verified them. A stale published rate would be worse than none on a tax that scales with the price of a house.
Why will this site not say what counts as a long-term lease?
Because we have not verified the threshold. The Department's wording reaches real estate transferred by long-term lease, which is a defined category distinct from an ordinary residential tenancy, and where the line sits is a question for your attorney.
Mike Certo · NMLS #260555 · Cornerstone First Mortgage NMLS #173855 · Equal Housing Lender. Educational content about financing, not a loan commitment and not legal, tax, or real estate advice. Pennsylvania realty transfer tax is collected by county Recorders of Deeds and local rates vary by municipality and school district; your closing agent, your CPA or a Pennsylvania attorney, and your real estate agent each handle their own part. Loans are subject to borrower and property qualification.