Is now a good time to sell my house in Malvern?

For most Malvern owners, the calendar that matters is their own. A sale works best when it fits your next move, your finances and the condition of the house.

The Malvern numbers worth watching are time to contract, price cuts and what similar homes closed at, all of which a local agent or the public sale records can supply.

More in How Do I Know When It’s Time to Sell My House?

Should I sell my Malvern house as-is or fix it up first?

Fix only what will add more to the price than it costs. Sell as-is when the work would be large, slow or uncertain.

Newer homes dominate Malvern. Only one of the four homes in our sample were built in 1980 or earlier, so an older house stands out, and buyers will set it against move-in-ready neighbors. Older homes there also sell at a wider discount to new construction than the Pennsylvania median, 23.5 percent against 24.1 percent.

More in Should I Sell My House As-Is or Fix It Up First?

What are the benefits of selling my Malvern house off-market?

Privacy, no repairs and a closing date you choose.

  • Privacy. The house is never listed for sale, and there are no showings or open houses.
  • No preparation. No repairs, staging or deep cleaning before you sell.
  • Certainty on timing. You choose the closing date at the start, not after the inspection.
  • A simpler negotiation. One buyer and one conversation, from offer to closing.

What you give up is reach. A listing shows the house to every active buyer at once, which can lift the price in a strong market. Should I Sell My House Off-Market? sets out both sides.

How fast can I sell my house in Malvern?

As fast as the title work allows, if you sell privately. You and the buyer set the closing date, and the title search and Pennsylvania’s closing documents set the floor.

A listed sale usually takes longer, because the house has to be prepared, shown and negotiated, and the buyer’s inspection, appraisal and loan approval can still undo the deal late in the process.

If you are relocating, read How Do I Sell My House Fast When I’m Moving for Work?

What does it cost to sell a house in Malvern?

Commission first, then transfer taxes, title and closing fees, and the repairs or credits a buyer asks for after inspection. Address District charges no commission.

On federal taxes, the IRS says an owner who owned and lived in the house as a main home for two of the five years before the sale may exclude up to $250,000 of gain, or $500,000 for a married couple filing jointly.

Line by line in How Much Does It Cost to Sell a House?

How does selling my Malvern house off-market work?

In four steps, with no listing and no showings.

  1. You tell us about the house, by the offer form or by contacting us.
  2. Someone on our team reviews the house and the neighborhood and may ask to see it.
  3. You get an offer, with no obligation to accept it.
  4. If you accept, a title company or closing attorney handles the closing on the date you choose.

Before you sign anything, we tell you in writing who the buyer is.

How does Malvern compare with nearby neighborhoods?

Paoli, 3 miles away, has one older home among the one we sampled. Berwyn, 4 miles away, counts five older homes among the seven we sampled. Chester Springs, 7 miles away, shows one older home among the one we sampled. Malvern ranks tied for 690th nationally for older homes, behind one of them.

Every neighborhood in the index has its own page, and the Pennsylvania page lists all 20 in the state.

Do older homes in Malvern sell for less than new construction?

In our sample, yes. The one older home in the 19355 sample sold for 23.5 percent of the average price of new construction in the same ZIP code. The Pennsylvania median is 24.1 percent, and the index median is 23.1 percent. With one older home behind it, treat the figure as a rough guide.

The gap reflects size, lot and condition as much as age, so price an older house against recent sales of other older houses nearby, not against new construction.

Malvern by the numbers

Older homes
1
of 4 homes sampled, built 1980 or earlier
Share of older homes
25.0%
Pennsylvania 57.7%. Index 49.0%.
Older vs new
23.5%
Older home price as a share of new construction
National rank
#690 (tie)
of 1,192 ZIP codes
State rank
#6
of 20 in Pennsylvania
Minimum lot
15,179 sq ft
As recorded in the source data

Of the four homes in the Address District sample for Malvern (19355), one was built in 1980 or earlier, a share of 25.0 percent. That places 19355 tied for 690th of 1,192 ZIP codes nationally for the number of older homes, and sixth of 20 in Pennsylvania.

Across the 20 Pennsylvania ZIP codes in the index, 57.7 percent of the homes sampled were built in 1980 or earlier, against 49.0 percent across all 1,192 ZIP codes.

With four homes in the sample, read these figures as a snapshot of the homes sampled rather than a measure of the whole ZIP code.

How 19355 compares

Share of older homes

Homes in the sample built in 1980 or earlier

19355 Malvern25.0%
Pennsylvania57.7%
All ZIP codes in the index49.0%

Older home prices against new construction

Average older home price as a share of new construction

19355 Malvern23.5%
Pennsylvania median24.1%
Index median23.1%

Nearby neighborhoods in the index

ZIPPlaceDistanceRankShare
19301PaoliChester County, PA3 mi883100.0%
19312BerwynChester County, PA4 mi20871.4%
19425Chester SpringsChester County, PA7 mi883100.0%
19087WayneChester County, PA7 mi19655.6%
19010Bryn MawrDelaware County, PA11 mi550100.0%
19063MediaDelaware County, PA11 mi76250.0%
19035GladwyneMontgomery County, PA13 mi883100.0%
19096WynnewoodMontgomery County, PA14 mi76250.0%

The top of Pennsylvania

State rankZIPPlaceHomesOlder homesShare
119087WayneChester County, PA9555.6%
219312BerwynChester County, PA7571.4%
319010Bryn MawrDelaware County, PA22100.0%
319072NarberthMontgomery County, PA22100.0%
518940NewtownBucks County, PA6116.7%
719002AmblerMontgomery County, PA3133.3%
815005BadenBeaver County, PA2150.0%
816046MarsButler County, PA2150.0%
818947PipersvilleBucks County, PA2150.0%
819063MediaDelaware County, PA2150.0%

All 20 Pennsylvania ZIP codes in the index ›

About the data. Older homes are homes built in 1980 or earlier. Rank orders ZIP codes by the number of older homes in the sample, then by the number of homes. Full methodology and the complete index. Nothing on this page is legal, tax or financial advice.