How often do you check L&I records for your properties

Question

Curious how other Philadelphia investors handle this.

Do you regularly check L&I records for your properties, or only when an issue comes up?

Have you ever discovered a violation, permit, or property-related issue that had been sitting there longer than you realized?

Interested to hear what systems experienced investors use to stay on top of things.

Sheryl Sitman · Answer

@Ajayi Bukola this is great point - and probably other markets should pay attention too. In Philly it is easy to access a great deal of info about a property, including violations - which owners often are unaware exist. I know someone who discovered at settlement the city sued him for an outstanding violation and the "fine" reached $60k - later negotiated down by an attorney. IMO it should be a monthly routine check or for the more sophisticated folks something you have an AI agent do. But caveat - not every violation appears on line since Philly likes to keep it interesting :-) There is a community of landlords i run that shares a lot of info about issues like this and surprise violations and fines comes up a lot especially with newer and remote investors.

Ajayi Bukola · Answer

That's a great insight, especially the point about newer and remote investors.

The $60k example is exactly the kind of situation many owners probably never expect until they're in the middle of a transaction.

I also agree that Philadelphia provides a lot of information publicly, but knowing where to look and remembering to check consistently are two different things.

I'd be interested to learn more about the patterns you've seen in your community. Are surprise violations one of the more common issues that come up, or are there other property-related surprises investors run into just as often?