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.

Joseph Scorese · Answer

It's a good practice to check L&I records regularly—not just when you're buying or selling a property.

For Philadelphia investors, I recommend reviewing each property's L&I history at least quarterly and always before refinancing, listing for sale, or beginning a renovation. It's not uncommon to uncover open violations, expired permits, or licensing issues that have been sitting unnoticed for months or even years.

A simple periodic review can prevent closing delays, unexpected repair requirements, insurance complications, and financing issues. As with underwriting a deal, proactive due diligence is almost always less expensive than reacting to a problem later.

Successful investors build systems that identify issues before they become costly surprises.

Ajayi Bukola · Answer

This is very true.

A lot of investors only look at L and I  when something is already going wrong, but by then it usually costs more time and money to fix.

Quarterly checks is a smart habit, especially in Philly where violations can sit for a long time without owners even knowing.

Also agree on the timing you mentioned—before refinancing, listing, or starting renovations is where it really matters. That’s usually where hidden issues show up.

Prevention always wins in real estate.

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?