Pottsville named one of the country’s most affordable areas

According to realtor.com®, Pottsville is the third most affordable metro in the U.S.

With a median home price of less than $70,000, the Schuylkill County city is a great choice for those looking to purchase a home without breaking the bank.

“I believe the Pottsville area is attractive to buyers because of its location,” said Jonathan Coles, Schuylkill County Board of Realtors® president. “It is located along Route 61 in Schuylkill County and is convenient to many things. It is just 45 minutes to an hour to the Lehigh Valley, Reading, Harrisburg, Lancaster and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton areas. The first thing people think of is location and Pottsville has it.”

Coles said the area is affordable thanks to being just on the outskirts of larger cities. Additionally, many of the properties are older, which gives them charm, but some do need some work, making them less expensive.

However, “the biggest challenge for homebuyers in the area is the updating of some houses. Depending upon previous owner’s upkeep, the house may not qualify for FHA or VA financing. I was in a house a few weeks ago that still had a fuse box. There are some houses that haven’t been touched since they were built and in excellent condition, but are in need of systems, such as plumbing, heating and electrical,” he said. “There are benefits to buyers in this area. They can get some really good deals on homes, if they aren’t afraid to do a little work. There are some beautiful homes wrapped in history that just need a little elbow grease to bring them back to life.”

“It has a great location and the old, small-town feel,” he added. “I’ve had a number of buyers who work in NYC, Washington, D.C. and  Philadelphia and don’t mind the commute, just so they can be out of the hustle and bustle of the cities.”