CHESTER COUNTY, PA — Chester County’s housing market remained resilient in November 2025, showing steady prices and fast sales even as national trends highlight a growing financial barrier preventing homeowners from moving.
Active inventory climbed to about 743 listings, continuing a gradual recovery in supply after years of scarcity. New listings totaled roughly 419 for the month. Despite the increase, homes continued to move quickly, with a median of just 10 days to pending, signaling that buyer demand remains strong.
Prices have stabilized at elevated levels. The median sale price in October was approximately $512,750, while the median list price in November rose to about $568,300. Homes largely sold at asking price, with the sale-to-list ratio hovering around 1.000, reflecting limited negotiation room in most transactions.
Local conditions contrast with national affordability pressures outlined in a recent Realtor.com report. Nationwide, the so-called mortgage “lock-in effect” is discouraging homeowners from selling. The typical U.S. mortgage holder pays about $1,300 a month in principal and interest, while buying a median-priced home today would require a payment near $2,236 — a jump of more than 70%. That gap has frozen mobility and kept inventory lean across many markets.
Chester County feels the impact indirectly. While household incomes near $120,000 help support demand, higher mortgage rates and elevated prices still limit who can move or trade up. The result is a market that is less frantic than the boom years of 2021 and 2022, but still competitive.
Nationally, lower-cost markets such as Pittsburgh and Baltimore show smaller lock-in effects, while high-priced metros face the steepest penalties for moving. Chester County sits between those extremes, benefiting from proximity to major employment hubs while remaining exposed to broader affordability constraints.
Looking ahead to 2026, analysts expect a modestly warmer housing environment as mortgage rates stabilize and inventory continues to expand. For Chester County, that likely means more balanced conditions, moderate price appreciation, and slightly more breathing room for buyers, without a sharp pullback in values.
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