How to Wholesale Real Estate in Allentown, PA
Allentown is the Lehigh Valley’s largest city, with dense early-1900s rowhomes downtown and bigger houses toward the West End. The city requires a presale inspection before most sales, so wholesale deals here need to plan around that report as well as Pennsylvania’s license rule.
The short answer
Is wholesaling legal in Allentown?
Allentown follows Pennsylvania law. Wholesaling is licensed activity since January 2025. You need a license, or a licensed partner.
Read the Pennsylvania wholesaling guide for the full rules.
Allentown at a glance
| Primary county | Lehigh County |
|---|---|
| Typical home value | About $280,000 median sale price (Redfin, Aug 2026) |
| Housing stock | Brick rowhomes and twins from about 1890–1930 in Center City; Victorian and Craftsman homes in the West End; postwar singles on the east and south sides |
| Where to search deeds | Lehigh County Recorder of Deeds (LANDEX online records, 1812 to present) |
| Probate court | Lehigh County Register of Wills and the Orphans’ Court Division of the Court of Common Pleas |
| Who handles closings | Title companies and settlement agents |
The market
Why investors wholesale in Allentown
Allentown sits within commuting range of both New Jersey and the Philadelphia suburbs, and its prices remain well below either, so landlords from those markets compete with local investors for rowhomes and twins. The downtown housing is old and often converted to units, which produces a steady flow of tired properties with deferred maintenance. Because the city inspects rentals and requires presale inspections, many owners of older rentals would rather sell as-is than bring a building up to code.
Center City and Old Allentown
Late-1800s and early-1900s brick rowhomes, many split into apartments; investors buy for rentals and unit conversions at lower price points.
First Ward and Sixth Ward
Dense rowhome blocks near the Lehigh River and downtown with some of the lowest prices in the city; buy-and-hold landlords are the main exit.
West Walnut and Union Terrace
A mix of rowhomes, bungalows and small apartment buildings; a common target for rehabbers doing mid-level renovations.
East Side (Rittersville and Mountainville)
Twins and detached singles from the 1920s–1960s at moderate prices; buyers include landlords and flippers selling to owner-occupants.
West End (West Park, Hamilton Park)
Larger Victorian, Craftsman and brick homes at higher price points; flippers buy estate houses that need updating.
Deal flow
Finding motivated sellers in Allentown
- Estate filings. The Lehigh County Register of Wills in the Allentown courthouse probates wills and grants letters. Long-held rowhomes often pass to heirs who do not want to manage an inspection and repair list.
- Tax claim sales. The Lehigh County Tax Claim Bureau holds an annual upset sale (September 9, 2026) and a judicial sale (October 7, 2026), advertised in local newspapers and the Lehigh Legal Register 30 days ahead, and keeps a repository list of unsold properties.
- Rental and vacant registration. The City of Allentown’s Building Standards and Safety bureau licenses and inspects rental units, keeps a vacant property registry, and runs presale inspections. Owners facing a long violation list are strong leads.
- Sheriff sales. Mortgage foreclosures in Lehigh County end in sheriff sales, and owners on the list can still sell before the sale date.
Your exit
Finding cash buyers in Allentown
Search the Lehigh County Recorder of Deeds through LANDEX for deeds recorded in the last six to twelve months, and filter for LLC grantees and repeat names buying in Center City and the wards. Allentown’s cash buyers are mostly rental investors, including many from New Jersey and New York, plus local rehab crews in the West End and East Side. Ask each buyer whether they will accept a presale inspection report with open items, because that decides which houses they will take. Keep your marketing within Pennsylvania’s licensing rules.
Allentown tip
Get the presale inspection report early
Allentown requires a presale inspection before residential sales; the seller must request it within five business days of listing or offering the property, or the buyer becomes responsible. A buyer can accept open violations by signing a buyer acceptance form, then must begin fixing them within 30 days of taking possession. Share the report with your buyers so repairs are priced in before you sign.
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FAQ
Wholesaling in Allentown: common questions
Is wholesaling legal in Allentown?
Yes, but only as licensed activity. Allentown sits under Pennsylvania’s Act 52 of 2024, which took effect in January 2025 and makes wholesaling licensed real estate activity. The act also requires set disclosures in the contract and gives Lehigh County sellers a 30-day right to cancel that they cannot waive. Work under your own license or with a licensed partner. See our Pennsylvania wholesaling guide.
Do I need to live in Allentown to wholesale there?
No. Lehigh County records, tax claim lists and court dockets can be worked remotely. An out-of-state address changes nothing about licensing: Allentown deals still require a Pennsylvania real estate license or a licensed partner at a brokerage.
How much do houses cost in Allentown?
Redfin reported a median sale price of about $280,000 in August 2026. Rowhomes in Center City and the First and Sixth Wards usually sell below that, while West End homes sell well above it.
Does Allentown require an inspection before a house is sold?
Yes. The city’s presale inspection program covers residential and commercial sales. The report is good for one year, and a buyer can take a property with open violations by signing the city’s buyer acceptance form and agreeing to begin repairs within 30 days of possession.
More markets
Other city guides near Allentown
Compare other markets nearby, or read the full Pennsylvania wholesaling guide.
Wholesaling guides for Allentown investors
Sources. Last reviewed September 2026.
- City of Allentown Code, Article III: Presales Inspection
- Lehigh County Tax Claim Bureau: Upset Sale
- Lehigh County Recorder of Deeds: Records Search
- Lehigh County: Register of Wills
- City of Allentown Code, Article II: Licensing Residential Rental Units
- WFMZ: Allentown City Council approves vacant property registry
- Redfin: Allentown housing market
Your next step
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