Sell your house fast in Claymont, DE
Claymont is the first stop in Delaware coming down I-95 or the Philadelphia Pike, and one of the nearest corners of the state to our South Jersey office. We buy its twins, ranches, older Pike-side homes and townhouses as they are, usually with a cash figure within a day and a Delaware attorney settlement whenever you are ready.
A small place with a county government
Claymont has no mayor and no town hall. It is an unincorporated community, a census-designated place in the Census Bureau’s terms, so New Castle County handles everything a town would: permits, code enforcement, rental registration and property taxes. For a seller that keeps things simple. There is one tax bill, one code office and no municipal settlement paperwork.
The county’s own planning documents treat Claymont as the whole 19703 ZIP code, about 4.2 square miles between the Pennsylvania line, the Delaware River and Brandywine Hundred. Northbound Home Buyers works out of Swedesboro, New Jersey, just across the river. We have no Delaware office; we come over to see the house, pay from our own funds, and settle through a Delaware attorney, as every sale in this state must.
Start with the address above or call (856) 226-4289.
Claymont by the numbers
- 9,895people in the 2020 census, up from 8,253 in 2010
- 55.9%owner-occupied rate, Census QuickFacts 2020–2024
- $326KZillow’s Claymont index, August 31, 2026 update ($325,879)
- 2023year full rail service began at the new Claymont transportation center
Claymont grew by about 1,600 people between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, and a lot of that came from rebuilding rather than new land. The Brookview Garden Apartments, a 68-acre complex, were replaced by Darley Green, a mix of townhomes, apartments and shops whose first homes were finished in 2009. Overlook Colony, a planned community the General Chemical company built for its workers before the First World War, still stands, and a local nonprofit has been renovating some of its homes for owner buyers. Along the Pike, the stone Naaman’s Creek School, known locally as the Claymont Stone School, dates in part to around 1805 and is on the National Register.
Two big projects are changing the area. The state dedicated the $90 million Claymont transportation center in late 2023, with full SEPTA Regional Rail service starting December 4 of that year and more than 800 parking spaces. Next to it, the former steel mill property along the river is being redeveloped as First State Crossing, planned for homes, offices, shops and light industry. And since the county adopted the Claymont Hometown Overlay, 396 acres along the Philadelphia Pike have had their own zoning aimed at redevelopment and at protecting the older neighborhoods.
The housing a seller usually calls us about is the older stock: brick twins and small singles from the first half of the last century, postwar ranches and Cape Cods, and townhouses that have been rentals for years. Typical issues are original electrical service, aging oil or gas heat, flat or tired roofs and basements that need waterproofing.
Reasons Claymont owners reach out
Moving on after many years. An owner who bought decades ago, now ready for something smaller or closer to family, and not interested in a long list of pre-listing repairs.
A rental that needs too much. Claymont has plenty of rented twins and townhouses. If yours needs a new furnace and the tenant is behind, the tenant can stay while we buy it.
Inherited houses. Heirs in Pennsylvania or New Jersey with a Claymont house to settle through the Register of Wills in Wilmington. We can take it with the furniture inside.
Money trouble. A missed mortgage payment, a county tax bill heading toward a monition, or a repair you cannot finance. Earlier is better.
Northbound home buyers were excellent they took care of everything and gave me a good price for my home. Dylan was great. I would recommend them to anyone.
Who you deal with in Claymont
With no town government, every office is either at the county’s Reads Way complex near New Castle or in the City/County Building in Wilmington. Your utilities are separate companies.
| Task | Where | Why a seller cares |
|---|---|---|
| Property and school taxes | County Office of Finance, 87 Reads Way, (302) 395-5340 | Your only property tax bill; school tax for the Brandywine district is on it. |
| Code, permits, rentals | County Department of Land Use; code 302-395-5555, permits 302-395-5400 | Open violations, unpermitted work, rental and vacant property registration. |
| Deed and transfer tax | Recorder of Deeds, 800 N. French Street, Wilmington | Records the sale; the attorney pays the transfer tax there. |
| Estates | Register of Wills, 800 N. French Street, Wilmington | Appoints the person who can sign for a late owner. |
| Water | Veolia Water Delaware serves many Claymont homes; check the name on your bill | Ask the provider for a final reading for settlement day. |
Taxes on a Claymont house
This year’s bill is late: due December 31, 2026New Castle County normally wants payment by September 30, but state legislation moved this year’s bills to a mid-November mailing and a December 31 deadline. Plan for a September 30 due date again in 2027.
Because Claymont is unincorporated, the county bill is the whole story: county property tax plus the Brandywine School District’s tax, collected together. If it goes unpaid, the county adds 6 percent to the property portion and 1 percent to the school portion in the first late month, and 1 percent a month after that. Continued nonpayment can end in a monition, where the sheriff posts a notice on the house and the property can be auctioned at the county’s monthly sale. See behind on property taxes for the choices before it gets that far.
The transfer tax is just as straightforward. Unincorporated New Castle County charges 1.5 percent and the state 2.5 percent, so 4 percent of the price in total, divided evenly between seller and buyer under Delaware law. On a $320,000 sale, your half would be $6,400, and we would pay the matching $6,400.
Rentals, vacancies and code complaints
Rentals. County law requires every rental in unincorporated areas to be registered. It is free, but the registration has to be updated by May 1 of each odd-numbered year, and since January 2025 an owner must also show that trash collection is provided. If keeping up with that has become a chore, our tired landlord page explains a sale with tenants in place.
Empty houses. A Claymont house that becomes vacant has to be registered with the county within 90 days. The fees went up under a 2025 ordinance, and a building empty five years in a row now gets an inspection. The vacant house guide covers the insurance and break-in risks too.
Code notices. Complaints about overgrown yards, trash, unsafe structures or work without permits go through the county’s code enforcement office. We can buy with a notice open and handle it afterward.
Flood risk. Naamans Creek runs through the area and the riverfront edge is low. We did not find an official county-wide flood summary for Claymont, so look up your lot on FEMA’s flood map service before you rely on anyone’s word about it.
If the mortgage is behind
Foreclosing on a Claymont home takes a court case, filed in Wilmington at the Superior Court. Owner-occupants first get a 45-day notice of intent, then automatic mediation with the lender once the case is filed. If no deal comes out of it, the New Castle County sheriff auctions the house on the second Tuesday of a month at the City/County Building, and the court confirms the sale the following month. You can sell at any point before confirmation. Start with the Attorney General’s free mediation hotline at (800) 220-5424; our foreclosure guide covers how a sale fits in.
Claymont prices
Zillow’s Claymont index was $325,879 at its August 31, 2026 update, 1.6 percent higher than a year earlier. The Census Bureau reports a $276,600 median for owner-occupied homes and a $1,306 median gross rent over 2020–2024; its value figure comes from owners’ own estimates averaged over five years, so it trails the market.
A refreshed townhouse in Darley Green and a 1940s twin that still has its first wiring are in different markets, whatever the averages say. If yours is move-in ready, an agent may well get you more. If it needs serious work, is rented, or has to be sold by a certain date, compare our number with what a listing would net after repairs, commission and months of carrying costs.
Free help for Claymont homeowners
- Attorney General’s foreclosure mediation hotline, (800) 220-5424.
- HUD-approved counselors serving New Castle County: HOND (302-429-0794), Neighborhood House (302-658-5404), Interfaith Community Housing of Delaware (302-652-3991) and YWCA Delaware (302-224-4060).
- Community Legal Aid Society in Wilmington, 302-575-0660.
- Aging and Disability Resource Center, 1-800-223-9074, for older owners planning a move.
- County Office of Finance, (302) 395-5340, for a tax payoff or payment plan.
Claymont questions
Is Claymont its own town?
No, Claymont is an unincorporated community governed directly by New Castle County. That means no town tax bill and no town code office; the county handles permits, code enforcement and rentals.
Do you buy houses in Claymont?
Yes, we buy houses anywhere in the 19703 ZIP code, including twins, townhouses, small singles and rentals with tenants. We buy as-is, so nothing needs fixing or cleaning first.
When are property taxes due for a Claymont home?
This year the New Castle County bill is due December 31, 2026, with bills mailed in November. The usual September 30 deadline is expected to return in 2027.
What transfer tax applies to a Claymont sale?
4 percent in total: 2.5 percent to the state and 1.5 percent to New Castle County. Delaware law splits it evenly between seller and buyer, which is how we split it with Claymont sellers.
Do I need to register my Claymont rental?
Yes, every rental in unincorporated New Castle County must be registered with the county, at no charge, and updated by May 1 of each odd-numbered year. Owners also have to verify trash service.
What if my Claymont house has been empty for months?
County code requires you to register a vacant property no more than 90 days after it is left empty, and fees rose under a 2025 ordinance. Selling it ends the registration and the fees.
Which school district serves Claymont?
The Brandywine School District, which runs Claymont Elementary on Green Street. Its school tax appears on the county property tax bill.
How quickly can you close on a Claymont house?
Often about a week after a clear title search, through a Delaware settlement attorney. An estate, liens or a foreclosure case can add time, and pushing the date out is fine too.
Has the new train station changed Claymont home values?
We cannot point to a published study that measures it. What the public data show is that Zillow’s Claymont index rose 1.6 percent in the year to August 2026, and the station has offered full SEPTA service since December 2023.
Nearby and related
Just south is Wilmington, and our page for New Castle County deals with everything else.
- Tired landlordSelling a rented twin or townhouse without evicting anyone first.
- DownsizingLeaving a longtime home without months of repairs and showings.
- Inherited houseOut-of-state heirs, an estate in Wilmington and a house to clear.
- House needs repairsOld wiring, tired heat and wet basements, priced into one number.