Nearly half of all U.S. farmland is expected to change hands in the next 20 years, according to AgAmerica. Still, only 1 in 4 farmers has a formal succession plan in place. As a result, much of the nation’s farmland is at risk of being absorbed by outside investors rather than passed down to the next generation of farmers. 

In 2025, farmland values hit an average of $4,350 per acre. In a state where farming and agriculture are abundant, what does the future of farmland look like in Pennsylvania? 

How often are farms sold? 

“I work with farm properties regularly, though much of my experience is with smaller farmettes rather than large-scale farming operations,” Tim Keller, a member of the Lancaster County Association of Realtors®, shares. “In our region, it is very common for farm properties, both full farms and smaller acreage parcels, to be sold at auction, especially when they are part of an estate or generational transition.” 

“That approach creates a transparent and competitive environment, which tends to bring out serious buyers, whether they are local farmers, neighbors or individuals looking for a rural lifestyle property.” 

Greg Herb, a member of Tri-County Suburban Realtors®, notes that he works with farmland properties in Montgomery, Berks, Chester and parts of Lehigh counties. He does not see a big turnover of these properties, as they have typically been held for decades and passed down to the next generation, contributing to a lack of inventory. Many times, they are only listed if the property owner is retiring and doesn’t have a succession plan.

What does the current market look like? 

“The market for farm properties continues to be strong, but it is also very nuanced,” Keller says. “Well-located, high-quality farmland, especially with good soils and strong tillable acreage, still commands significant interest and competitive pricing. At the same time, we are seeing a wider mix of buyers than ever before, including neighboring farmers, investors and, in some cases, lifestyle buyers.” 

“Interest rates and commodity prices do play a role, but in our area, the long-term value of land tends to keep demand steady,” he adds. “When marketed properly, especially in a competitive environment like an auction, we often see very strong participation.” 

“In our market, there’s a lack of inventory and less turnover of farm properties,” Herb reiterates. 

The Future of Farmland in Pennsylvania 

As more data centers, warehouses and other development projects pop up in rural areas across the country, the threat to farmland increases. What does the future of farmland look like in Pennsylvania? 

“One of the encouraging things we see is that a large percentage of farmland ends up staying in agricultural use,” Keller says. “Many times, it is purchased by neighboring farmers or families who have a vested interest in continuing to work the land. Even when it is an investment buyer, the land is typically leased back to a local farmer, so it remains productive.” 

He notes that while there are certainly transactions that result in other uses, in his experience in Lancaster County, there remains a strong commitment to preserving farmland and keeping it active for future generations. 

“In a place like Lancaster County, farmland is more than just real estate,” Keller adds. “It is a part of our heritage and our future. What we consistently see is that when these properties are brought to market in a transparent and competitive way, they often find their way into the hands of people who truly value and care for the land. That is something our community takes seriously, and it continues to shape how these properties are bought and sold.” 

Farmland Preservation Options 

Herb shares that for farmers who don’t have a plan to pass their land down, there are preservation options.  

In these cases, developers may try to buy the land, which is worth significantly more than if the farmer were to sell the property as a farm. In Pennsylvania, there are some programs that allow farmers to sell their property for preservation instead, and the program will pay the difference between the price they would’ve gotten from developers and the price they would’ve gotten as a farm. These programs vary by municipality and township. 

“These programs have helped preserve a lot of farms in our area,” Herb explains, especially in cases where farmland succession is not the plan because it is not financially feasible.  

Herb also notes that farmers can sometimes receive tax reductions when they agree for their property to stay as farms or preserved land, especially under the Clean and Green Act 319.  

He shares some additional preservation resources for farmland properties: 

• Pennsylvania Easement Purchases 
• Lancaster Farmland Trust
• Montgomery County Farmland Preservation Program 
• Berks County Conservation Easement 

 This summer, 45% of Americans plan to take a vacation that requires a flight and/or paid lodging, according to NerdWallet. On average, they expect to pay $3,940. 

That comes out to more than 120 million travelers spending over $475 billion on flights and lodging alone. 

But how will they pay for their vacations? The large majority will charge their credit cards in some capacity. 

1. Credit cards (84%) 
2. Cash on hand (59%) 
3. Money from savings (43%) 
4. Buy now, pay later services (17%) 
5. Cash advance app (13%) 

Using credit cards for travel can have its benefits, but NerdWallet reveals that only 26% of summer vacationers who put their travel expenses on a credit card paid off that balance with the first statement last summer. The remaining 74% likely incurred or are still incurring interest on their vacation, and 35% still hadn’t paid off their balances at the time of the survey (February 2026). 

With flight and lodging expenses high, 89% said they plan to take actions to save money while traveling this summer, including: 

1. Driving instead of flying (35%)
2. Choosing lodging based on price instead of amenities (33%) 
3. Using credit card points/miles to cover expenses (32%) 
4. Choosing a vacation rental over a hotel/resort (29%) 
5. Choosing a flight based on price instead of convenience (28%) 

Still, 42% said they would rather skip vacation altogether than book budget travel – a sentiment held more by younger Americans than older ones.  

In 2025, 92% of homeowners paid out of pocket for unexpected repairs, according to a survey by Hippo Home Insurance. The most common unexpected repairs were: 

1. Plumbing issues (34%) 
2. Appliance breakdown (32%) 
3. Critical system issue (23%0 
4. Window or door issues (20%) 

Overall, 36% of homeowners reported spending $3,000 or more on unplanned repairs, and 27% said they spent $1,000 or less. Thirty-four percent went over their planned home maintenance budget. 

Because home repairs are often unplanned, 50% of homeowners surveyed said they would advise first-time buyers to budget for regular home maintenance, unplanned repairs and home emergencies. 

Unsure how much to set aside? 

“As a rule of thumb, consider saving at least 1% of your home’s value each year for maintenance and repairs,” Hippo recommends, noting that this benchmark is a helpful starting point.  

Other factors to consider when planning how much to save include: 

• Home age. Newer homes are less likely to have problems common to older homes, like rusty pipes or leaky roofs. 
• Repair prioritization. New homeowners should prioritize badly damaged or vital features first (like HVAC, electricity, plumbing, foundation, roof, etc.) and budget accordingly.  
• Consider later repairs. If a home inspection reveals that certain repairs will be needed later (for example, the roof will need to be replaced in two years), start saving now. Ask around for estimates to use as a rough savings goal.   

A prior JustListed article offered cautions about using AI-generated work product. Today, we’ll address another common concern: should you trust even a single [bleep]ing word you get back when you ask AI questions about your transactions?  

My advice? No. No, you shouldn’t. At least not without doing a lot more research. 

At this point in its evolution, AI is ridiculously bad at addressing many legal-type queries. Attorneys all over the country (including here in Pennsylvania) are being sanctioned for making legal arguments and submitting briefs based on AI research “hallucinations” that basically just make up case citations and legal arguments that don’t exist in real life. Similarly, PAR is fielding more and more legal hotline calls from agents whose AI-generated answers to their transactional questions offer objectively incorrect answers … which agents have sometimes already passed on to their clients before they call. 

Let’s look at some of the pitfalls and landmines you need to be aware of, and how you can try to use this resource more responsibly. 

What’s the REAL question? 

The question/prompt that starts an inquiry is critical. Let’s say you want to figure out the deadline for a buyer to terminate a contract. Asking, “How are days counted in a contract?” is very different from asking, “How are days counted in the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors® Agreement of Sale?”  

The first question is almost guaranteed to get you a wrong answer, because the most common response to that question is likely to be based on things like published court rules or general legal treatises. The second question is better, but may still deliver an incorrect answer, both because the AI model you’re using may or may not know anything about PAR forms content, and because there is so much random bad information out there on the internet that might get picked up as part of the response.  

Taking the time to craft a detailed initial query will go a long way to getting better answers, but it’s only a first step. 

Don’t give away the farm … or the form. 

A number of recent callers have disputed hotline answers with something like, “Well, I copied that section of the form into AI, and it gave me a different answer.”  

Don’t do that.  

For one thing, analyzing small sections of a form will often provide incorrect or incomplete answers, with or without AI, since many provisions rely on a combination of factors within and outside the document. For example, any agreement of sale clause that establishes a deadline for a party to take some action will be incomplete without also knowing things like how PAR contract days are counted (which is in a different paragraph) and the execution date of the contract (which will obviously be different for every contract). 

But on a more global scale, remember that when you query an AI model, you are usually contributing all of your own words and activities for future use by the AI provider. Uploading chunks of PAR forms when you ask your questions might get you a slightly better answer, but it also means that the AI will have PAR forms content to use for future queries. And the next user might be, say, an unrepresented consumer who asks AI to draft them a real estate purchase agreement so they don’t have to use a broker for their transaction. PAR forms are valuable intellectual property copyrighted by PAR, and we don’t want that information just handed over to AI models and the public to use as they please.  

Don’t Trust – Verify. 

Many/most AI models offer some sort of citations to their sources as part of the response. 

Click. Those. Links. 

Then you need to actually read some of the source materials to see if they make sense. Heck, you might even need to click more links in the source materials to figure out if the source itself is valid.  
 
A real-life recent hotline example (without the actual bad information): 

A caller’s voicemail said, “I see that a buyer can terminate their contract when [something-something, seller disclosure], so I need to know how that works.” Based on the question, we replicated an AI search that produced a very detailed answer with almost those exact words, which cited back to source articles on the website of a Pennsylvania-based law firm. Clicking through to those articles produced a clear and authoritative explanation of the supposed rule … that was 100% completely wrong, because no such termination right exists under Pennsylvania law. In fact, those articles cited several statutory sections that didn’t support the conclusion, including one that said the opposite. 
 
How did that happen, you might wonder? In correspondence with that law firm, it turns out that the original articles on their site had been AI-generated and not fully reviewed with appropriate HI before posting. So, AI-generated articles with incorrect information were posted without a thorough human review and then picked up by a different AI platform that cited them as authority. Nothing scary about that, except that an agent who got that result and didn’t call us first might have given incorrect advice that put their client in default of the contract. (Side note: Though the relevant articles were quickly updated with correct information after our initial contact, that search query still returns an incorrect answer because the original version of the articles is still rattling around somewhere inside that AI model.) 

Use Existing Resources 

PAR collects and reviews data on what members are asking, and we try to produce JustListed articles and resource pages that tackle those questions. Several times a week, we can answer hotline calls with a simple conversation or email that just says, “I’ll send you an article that answers that question.”  

How to count days? Returning disputed deposits? Signing forms on behalf of an estate? Qualified associations? Step-by-step form instructions (login required)? We’ve got you covered for all that and more! Plus, since the articles are written with our own in-house PAR AI (that’s “attorney intelligence”), the odds are pretty good that the answers are actually correct. So, before your next random search query, take a spin on PARealtors.org to see if the answer is already there. 

Each year, Jennifer DeLawter lends a helping hand to her community by organizing and running two donation drives to help neighbors in need.  

“In the spring, I run a prom dress drive so girls who might not otherwise have that moment get to feel beautiful and confident on prom night,” DeLawter, a member of the Bucks County Association of Realtors®, says. “This year, we helped over 20 girls find their dresses, and it was the best feeling.” 

“In November, my Blessing Baskets initiative helps make sure local families can sit down together and actually celebrate Thanksgiving. A family donates a full Thanksgiving meal along with a $25 gift card so the receiving family can pick up their own turkey. Last year, we helped 195 families. It was our third year.” 

She adds that Blessing Baskets is part of a larger initiative in which agents across the country participate, and that she has been involved with the project for about six years.  

This past spring, she also collected over 100 Easter baskets for children in her community, “because every kid deserves a little magic on Easter morning.” 

“Being a Realtor® puts me in the middle of this community every single day,” DeLawter shares. “I am constantly meeting people, hearing what they need and connecting the dots. Sometimes that is helping someone find a home, and sometimes it is just knowing who to call or where to send someone. It goes so far beyond a transaction for me, and I think that is what makes it so meaningful.” 

What advice does she have for other Realtors® who want to get involved in their own communities? 

“Just start,” she says. “Pick one thing you actually care about, make it doable and be consistent. You do not have to do everything. When you lead with heart, people notice, and they want to be part of it. The smallest efforts can grow into something really beautiful when you just show up.” 

Summer is about to be in full swing, which means many Americans across the country will soon be leaving their homes to go on vacation. But leaving for an extended period of time can raise worries about home safety. 

Safety Worries Prevent Relaxation 

For most, vacation is a time for relaxation and an escape from everyday life. However, a 2024 survey from Schlange found that of 2,000 homeowners, 31% reported that it takes them at least half a day (or even a full day for 18%) to fully relax and unwind due to home safety concerns.  

Empty Homes Are More Vulnerable to Burglary 

There’s a reason vacationing homeowners are concerned about leaving: studies show that vacant homes are more likely to be burglarized. 

“Above all, burglars look for a house with nobody home,” says home security company Vivint. “They typically approach a property (both to survey the location and to commit the potentially violent crime) during the day, with a number of burglaries occurring between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., when people are most likely to be out of the home.” 

Overall, residential properties account for over 50% of burglary offenses, according to ADT. A home burglary occurs once every 25.7 seconds, with the most occurring during the summer.   

How to Prevent Home Burglary While Away 

June isn’t just the kickoff to prime vacation season – it’s also National Safety Month. Here are seven ways to keep your home safe while away, whether it’s summertime or any other time of year. 

1. Make your home look occupied. 

Burglars are more likely to be deterred if it looks like someone is home. Leaving some lights on inside and parking a car in the driveway can help it look like the home is occupied when it’s not. 

2. Avoid posting about vacation online. 

It may be tempting to post travel plans or vacation photos, but waiting until after the trip is over is often best. Posting these things tells criminals that your home is empty, making it a target for burglary. 

3. Lock all doors and windows. 

This may seem like a no-brainer, but ADT reports that 25% of homeowners in an insurance study admitted they left their doors unlocked at least once while away, and 35% admitted to leaving a first-floor window unlatched. Additionally, 25% of thieves gain access from the open front or back door.  

Before leaving, make sure to lock all points of entry, including front and back doors, windows, garage doors and sheds. 

4. Don’t leave spare keys in obvious places. 

Many homeowners keep a spare key under a doormat, in a nearby potted plant, inside a fake rock and in other common hiding places. These are well-known spots for burglars, making their crimes easier to commit. 

5. Install a security system. 

ADT reports that in one study, 50% of burglars would stop their crime when confronted with a security system, but only 34% of people had one. Even a simple, visible security system can go a long way in deterring home crimes. 

6. Keep valuables out of sight. 

Burglars are more likely to target a home that has valuables out in plain sight. If possible, store away valuable items like small electronics, jewelry, art, etc., so they’re not visible from windows. 

Additionally, ADT recommends keeping lawnmowers, grills, bicycles and other large items out of the front yard. 

7. Have someone check in. 

Of the homeowners polled by Schlange, 65% said they have at least one person visit their home while they’re away, whether that’s a dedicated house sitter or just a trusted neighbor.  

This person can help make the home look occupied by getting the mail and packages (package theft is another concern when away), taking trash cans to the curb/bringing them back, mowing the lawn, clearing flyers off doors and more. They can also keep an eye on the home overall, making sure everything is okay and alerting owners quickly if anything looks amiss. 

What housing market trends have been present in the first half of 2026, and what can we expect for the rest of the year? Dr. Lisa Sturtevant, chief economist with Bright MLS, shared a mid-year housing update on yesterday’s PAR webinar. 

Home Prices and Inventory 

Sturtevant, who has over 20 years of experience in economic, demographic and housing market research, noted that across the country, home prices are continuing to rise, but are doing so more slowly in many markets. 

Inventory is still below 2019 levels and remains very tight in many markets in Pennsylvania, especially in central Pennsylvania. To the east, the Philly metro area is beginning to see more inventory. 

“Compared to where we were last year, May is the first time, frankly, that we’re seeing a little bit of signs of life in the housing market,” she observed. “I think people are starting to come to terms with mortgage rates in the 6.5% range. Buyers are having a little bit more room for negotiation. Sellers are pricing a little bit more conservatively. And if that continues, we should see pretty steady housing market growth through the summer.” 

She added that the high end of the market is doing just fine, as high-income buyers are less interest-rate-sensitive. In contrast, first-time buyers and moderate-income move-up buyers are struggling more with making the numbers work at a 6.5% mortgage rate. 

Job Growth 

Nationwide, the job market is seeing steady growth, Sturtevant shared. However, in Pennsylvania, it’s a bit bumpier. The commonwealth is seeing a bit of a slow down, but it’s still seeing positive job growth and a low unemployment rate.  

Inflation and Consumer Sentiment 

Inflation is on the rise again, primarily driven by fuel prices and conflict in the Middle East. Last month, it was at 4.2%. 

Increasing inflation and uncertainty about the current international/geopolitical scene are contributing factors to low consumer sentiment, Sturtevant added, as consumers feel hesitant and stressed about the current economic state. 

Forecast for 2026 and 2027 

“There is significant pent-up demand in the Pennsylvania housing market and in the national housing market,” she said, explaining that the reason there are slower sales isn’t that people are desiring homeownership less, but because of headwinds like higher mortgage rates, economic uncertainty and affordability challenges. 

“So, in my mind, the rest of 2026, and frankly into 2027, is really going to be a tug of war between pent-up demand and some of those other headwinds.” 

Moreover, Sturtevant said she did not see lower mortgage rates happening anytime soon, forecasting a 6.5% range, nor did she project prices falling in major markets in 2026 or 2027.  

“For 2026, I’m expecting there to be more home sales than there were in 2025, but definitely not back to long-term averages. This is still a resetting year – 2027 is going to be a resetting year as well. We’re forecasting sales of 4.9% YOY in the Philly metro area and sales up a little bit less in central Pennsylvania – again, primarily because inventory is so low – and then home prices suggesting softer home price growth than we’ve seen.” 

How can Realtors® help? 

“The best thing I think you can do is to continue to be the local expert to help answer questions and to help your buyer and seller clients navigate this very tricky market,” Sturtevant told Realtors®. 

She encouraged them to come equipped with local data to share with buyer/seller clients so that they can set their expectations with what’s going on in the market, not with what they’re hearing about the national housing market. She emphasized the importance of Realtors® knowing their local markets and having the data to back it up. 

Additionally, Sturtevant recommended Realtors® help sellers price appropriately and help buyers understand that they still need to act quickly. They should also know that their clients are dealing with a lot of economic uncertainty right now, and they may be getting incorrect answers from AI. 

Learn More 

Sturtevant also touched on the new Federal Reserve chair, data centers, buyers vs. sellers markets, pickleball courts and amenities, new construction activity and more. View the webinar recording to learn more. 

Reach out to Sturtevant at Research@BrightMLS.com for more data and other resources. 

Pennsylvania is continuing to see strong home prices this year.

The spring housing market hit another high this year when the Pennsylvania median home sales price hit $320,000 in May, up from $315,000 the previous month, according to the latest housing report prepared for the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors®. The statewide housing market has continued to see prices increase since the beginning of the year. The median home price was up about 5% from $305,000 compared to May 2025.

The National Association of Realtors® reported earlier this month that the median price in the Northeast was up 4.2% from May 2025 reaching $534,900. Nationwide, the median sales price in May was $429,300, according to NAR.

Dr. Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, noted last week at the NAR Legislative Meetings that the Northeast is currently a weird market because consumers say the market is hot with multiple offers, while Realtors® say the market is slow because there aren’t enough sales.

Pennsylvania’s rising home prices reflect the sustained demand for homes, and the growing inventory provides consumers with more opportunities and choices. These trends are creating a healthier and more balanced market for buyers and sellers alike.

The number of homes on the market jumped about 12% from April to May, going from about 40,000 listings in April to more than 44,800 in May. Listings were down 5% compared to the same time last year.

As the inventory increases, we see the greatest number of homes on the market are priced above $500,000. The smallest inventory levels are homes priced $125,000 to $374,999.

Sales were also up month-over-month, hitting nearly 10,900 in May, compared to about 9,400 in April. However, the number of sales was down about 5.5% compared to May 2025.

As Realtors®, it’s important to remind homebuyers to approach today’s housing market with patience and preparation. While increased inventory is providing more options, competition remains strong in many local areas. We know the advantages for both buyers and sellers to work with a trusted real estate professional who will help keep them informed and position them to make confident decisions in this changing market.

The regulatory cost burdens of home building have increased 40% from 2021 to 2026, according to the National Association of Home Builders. 

“On average, regulations imposed by government at all levels account for $131,734, or 26.4% of the final price of a new single-family home built for sale,” NAHB notes. “Of this amount, $46,795 is due to a higher price for the finished lot, attributable to regulations imposed during the lot’s development.” 

“The remaining $84,939 is the result of regulatory costs imposed on the builder during construction, after the builder purchases the finished lot.” 

“Unfortunately, the situation is worse in Pennsylvania,” notes Andrew Kaye with Stephenson Home Builders, who works in the five-county area in Southeast Pennsylvania. “The Pennsylvania Builders Association recently completed a study that showed 29.5% of a newly constructed home can be attributed to regulatory requirements. This 29.5% of the cost of a new single-family home in Pennsylvania is attributable to regulation and translates to approximately $212,700 in costs.” 

Kaye, a past president of the PBA, says, “This far exceeds the latest NAHB findings that indicate 26.4% or approximately $131,000 of new single-family home costs nationally are attributable to regulation.” 

Gov. Josh Shapiro recognized this excessive regulation and noted in the Pennsylvania Housing Plan, “Without reform, these regulatory challenges will continue to suppress our housing supply, delay new units from coming online and adversely impact Pennsylvania’s ability to compete for capital and investment.” 

The NAHB data shows that the cost of regulation has climbed significantly in the last 15 years, with the average costs nationwide since 2011 being: 

• 2026: $131,734 
• 2021: $93,871 
• 2016: $84,671 
• 2011: $65,244 

“Regulatory costs are one of several factors, including record increases of tariff rates on building materials, ongoing skilled labor shortage, a dearth of available lots and tighter lending conditions, currently limiting the supply of housing – particularly housing for the entry-level market, where additional inventory is most needed,” NAHB says. 

In Q4 2025, Pennsylvania spent $7.7 billion on remodeling, accounting for 2.7% of the state’s market share, according to the National Association of Home Builders. This number showed a 3.4% growth rate YOY. 

As homes in the U.S. get older, older Americans age in place and more homeowners choose to stay put due to elevated mortgage rates, NAHB forecasts that the remodeling sector will continue to grow both in the short and long terms. 

States in the mid-Atlantic region also saw high remodeling spending, including neighbors New York (ranked no. 4 with $11 billion) and Ohio (ranked no. 9 with $7.4 billion). The top 10 states accounted for over 40% of total remodeling spending for the quarter.  

NAHB recently debuted its State Projections of Remodeling, which will provide a quarterly, state-level estimation of the market share and total dollar value of remodeling spending one month after the release of its Remodeling Market Index.