One last point about Philly and potentially buying/improving property in Philly.
As you guys know – my husband is an architect. So he obviously had to deal with various governing authorities to get permits/inspections – etc. One of the reasons he doesn’t do residential is because of the graft involved. (It’s a bit more on the up and up for commercial jobs.)
Bribery is COMMON.
It’s not always cash – it could be in political access… Philly is made up of wards rather than precincts – and ward bosses control what happens in their community… you get on the wrong side of a ward boss and you face challenges you never thought of. You want a permit for something – you better be on the very best friend basis with the clerk at L&I, the ward leader, etc.
My husband had a heck of a time getting an illegally placed power box on his neighbors house moved. It was put up without a permit and encroached on hubby’s lot – the neighbors building was at the property line – so this big electrical box and power lines were 100% on hubby’s lot. The way the box was placed it made it difficult to get in/out of the garage. It was clearly in violation – but getting it resolved was challenging. He tried to get the inspectors involved to make the neighbor move it… Wasn’t happening till he figured out the system. The law on his side wasn’t enough… flattery, donuts, sweet talk (everything short of money changing hands) was absolutely required. And he had to do this for his ward boss, as well as the L&I clerk, as well as the inspector from L&I.
Don’t expect rational behavior and compliance with the law as the default when dealing with the city of Philadelphia.
Also – if you’re planning on owning rental property or running a business – talk to an accountant about the nightmare that filing Phila city taxes. They make the IRS tax forms look simple.