Allentown building safety and permits
The Bureau of Building Standards and Safety handles building permits and trade inspections. Call 610-437-7592 with fire-related repair or alteration questions.
Allentown, PA seller help · Fire-damaged property
Selling a Fire-Damaged House in Allentown, PA
You keep the insurance money and don't have to worry about the house anymore — we'll take care of it.
USA Home Buyers buys houses as-is, in any condition — no repairs, no cleaning, no cleanout required to sell to us. We buy fire-damaged houses in Allentown and Lehigh County exactly as they stand, without cleanup, repairs, or debris hauling.
Call USA Home Buyers at 888-274-5006 to talk through the house, or use the form below to ask about a cash offer.
What we take on
You do not have to clean, repair, or haul fire debris before selling to us. We talk through the damage, safe access, and what remains; we buy the house as it stands.
You can start with what you know. We buy the property as-is; deciding whether to rebuild or clean it up is not a condition of asking about a sale.
Insurance proceeds and mortgage requirements
We buy the house exactly as it stands, and you keep your insurance proceeds.
In a municipality that adopted the required ordinance, a municipal certificate is required before the insurer pays a fire-loss claim over $7,500. The certificate can list certain unpaid municipal taxes or charges and costs the municipality has already incurred to repair, remove, or secure the structure; listed amounts may be paid from the proceeds. Separately, if you and the insurer agree the loss is at least 60% of the combined limits of the fire policies, a municipality that adopted the required ordinance can require an additional repair-or-removal set-aside — $2,000 for each $15,000 or part of the claim, or a lower amount if a signed contractor estimate is submitted with the loss report. The additional holdback is not automatic in every municipality, but it can mean some insurance money is held before you receive the remaining balance. Read the Pennsylvania Fire Insurance Escrow Act (40 P.S. § 638). The Pennsylvania DCED maintains a fire-escrow ordinance list. Not sure? Call us — we'll sort it out with you. A mortgage servicer — the company that handles your mortgage payments — may also have requirements. If you still have a mortgage, your lender may have a say in how that check is used — we'll walk through it with you.
What happens next
We talk through the damage and access with you, and discuss who owns the house, whether anyone lives there, and any mortgage payoff. You get a written offer and written terms before you commit, and we close through a title company if you choose to sell.
Close as fast as 7 days when title and closing details allow.
Local building safety and permit help
If fire or building officials have restricted entry, or the house may be unsafe, stay out and follow their directions. Before repairs or demolition, check with the local building office about safety requirements and permits.
For a property inside Allentown city limits, the City handles building permits, trade inspections, and presale inspections. An Allentown mailing address outside city limits may be served by another Lehigh County municipality; the County's municipality list helps identify the right local office.
Allentown presale inspections
The City requires a presale safety and maintenance inspection for properties it covers; an as-is sale does not automatically skip that process. If violations are found, the buyer may agree to address them using the City's Acceptance Form. Rental Registration and Presale Inspections: 610-437-7694.
Closing costs and transfer tax
No fees. No agent commissions when you sell to us. When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs. When you sell to us, we pay the transfer tax. Your mortgage, liens, back taxes, and your share of current property taxes are separate.
The City of Allentown's notice states that taxable city-property transfers recorded from January 1, 2026 use a 2.5% total realty transfer tax unless exempt; the Pennsylvania portion is 1%. Read the Allentown transfer-tax notice and the Pennsylvania Revenue transfer-tax overview.
Compare rebuilding with selling as-is
If you are weighing a rebuild, consider repair and debris costs and the cost of keeping the house alongside the written sale terms. Insurance and mortgage requirements can also affect the decision. The calculator uses your assumptions to estimate sale proceeds; it is not a fire-repair estimate or an insurance-payment estimate.
Open the Allentown home-sale net proceeds calculator →Enter your own sale or written-offer number, mortgage payoff, repairs, holding costs, and selling-cost assumptions. Just an estimate — the actual number could be more or less depending on the home's condition.What our sellers say
“The house had some foundation issues and hadn't been updated since the 80s. I got quotes from contractors and the repair costs were going to eat everything I'd make listing it. USA Home Buyers bought it as-is. I'm glad I called.”
“My renters skipped out in the middle of my rental property needed 20k in work sold it to these guys instead good people”
“bought a fixer upper in akron and ran out of money place was torn down to the studs they took it off my hands and saved my credit highly recommend”
Questions about selling a fire-damaged house in Allentown
Can I sell a fire-damaged house in Allentown, PA?
Yes. USA Home Buyers buys houses as-is in Allentown and Lehigh County. We buy fire-damaged houses exactly as they stand — no cleanup, no repairs, no hauling debris.
Do I have to clean, repair, or haul debris before selling?
No. We buy fire-damaged houses exactly as they stand — no cleanup, no repairs, no hauling debris. You do not have to take on cleanup, repairs, or debris hauling before selling to us.
What happens to insurance proceeds and mortgage requirements?
We buy the house exactly as it stands, and you keep your insurance proceeds. In a municipality that adopted the required ordinance, a municipal certificate is required before the insurer pays a fire-loss claim over $7,500. The certificate can list certain unpaid municipal taxes or charges and costs the municipality has already incurred to repair, remove, or secure the structure; listed amounts may be paid from the proceeds. Separately, if you and the insurer agree the loss is at least 60% of the combined limits of the fire policies, a municipality that adopted the required ordinance can require an additional repair-or-removal set-aside — $2,000 for each $15,000 or part of the claim, or a lower amount if a signed contractor estimate is submitted with the loss report. The additional holdback is not automatic in every municipality, but it can mean some insurance money is held before you receive the remaining balance. If you still have a mortgage, your lender may have a say in how that check is used — we'll walk through it with you.
Can I enter the house or start repairs after a fire?
If officials have restricted access or the structure may be unsafe, stay out and follow directions from the fire or building officials and utility providers. Before repair or demolition work, ask the municipality responsible for the address what safety requirements, permits, or inspections apply.
Does an as-is sale skip Allentown’s presale inspection?
For properties inside Allentown city limits, the city requires a presale safety and maintenance inspection, including for as-is sales. If violations are found, the buyer may agree to address them using the city’s Acceptance Form.
What happens after I ask about selling?
We talk through the damage and access with you. You get a written offer and written terms before you commit, and we close through a title company if you choose to sell.
Who pays closing costs and transfer tax when I sell to you?
No fees. No agent commissions when you sell to us. When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs. When you sell to us, we pay the transfer tax. Your mortgage, liens, back taxes, and share of current property taxes are separate.
How can I compare rebuilding with selling as-is?
Compare written repair or rebuilding estimates, debris costs, the cost of keeping the house, insurance and mortgage requirements, and the written sale terms. Use your own numbers in the Allentown home-sale net proceeds calculator; it estimates sale proceeds, not fire repairs or an insurance payment.
Talk with us about the house
Call 888-274-5006 or use the form to share the address and what you know about the damage and access. You can start with what you know.
We give written cash offers in 24 hours.
Share the address and what you know about the damage and access.