2026 taxable assessment $268,300 × 1.3998%. Estimate—not a bill or account balance.
OPA also publishes a 2027 assessment of $296,800; it is not the 2026 billed-year value.
House report
135 Gay St
3 bd · 1 ba · 3 stories · 1,260 sqft · RSA5 · built 1900
Absentee individual · assessed $268K (2026) · 2027 OPA assessment $297K · sold 1×. On the 100 block of Gay St.
Property summary
Assessment$268,3002026 OPA assessment · 2027: $296,800
Last sale$143KRecorded 2020
Est. tax bill$3,756/year2026 taxable assessment × 1.3998%
Tax delinquencyNo 2022 matchNot proof account is current
Permits5Every fetched City permit
Violations0 open1 historical across 1 case
“Open” reflects records available then historical records keep their source dates estimates are labeled
BlockReport AI · cited public records
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Question or correct this record
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Property tax
The estimate, live balance, and back-tax record are different.
BlockReport can calculate the annual tax from the City’s taxable assessment. Payments, credits, interest, and a current amount due live separately in Philadelphia Tax Center.
A Tax Center balance is net of bills, payments, credits, interest, and adjustments. A credit—or an amount due—is not automatically “back taxes.”
OPA 2111420202026 taxable assessment equals the full assessed value.
Historical delinquency sources No current conclusion
This parcel did not match the June 2022 delinquency snapshot. That absence does not confirm the account is current today.
For a purchase, refinance, or closing, request the City’s official Property Payoff statement in Tax Center under “More options.”
What stands out
From the public recordNew construction
Why it mattersbuilt new under a 2020 permit, sold for $143K in 2020.
View supporting records →"Built 1900" is usually a placeholder
Why it mattersPhiladelphia records use 1900 as a stand-in when the real construction year was never documented. Treat the age as unknown, not as 120+ years.
View supporting records →City Property History
Fetched L&I and zoning records
Every row successfully fetched for this report is counted below. Dataset availability and matching can differ from the City's interactive file; use the official link for current detail.
- Recorded owner
- Alex Wong
- Tax mailing address
- 128 FAIRVIEW AVE, BALA CYNWYD PA, 19004
- L&I district
- —
- Building ID (BIN)
- —
- OPA account
- 211142020
Permits5Every dated permit
Violation cases11 violation record · 0 open
Investigations32 failed · 1 passed · 0 closed
Building certifications0Unavailable
Business licenses21 active
Appeals0No match
PermitsPermit number, issued date, work and City status5
New construction, addition, GFA changePermit ZP-2020-006718
Oct 6, 2020 Completed Completed Jan 24, 2023
FOR THE ERECTION OF AN ADDITION AT THE REAR TO AN EXISTING ATTACHED BUILDING (SIZE AND LOCATION AS SHOWN ON PLANS)
Addition and/or AlterationPermit RP-2021-005052
Jul 16, 2021 Completed Completed Jan 24, 2023
For interior alterations throughout, and for the erection of a rear second-story addition over an existing single-story portion of an existing three (3) story attached structure used as Group R-3 (SFD), as per plans; separate permits required for all MEP work; building not required to be sprinklered; see ZP-2020-006718 for zoning approval of addition.
Addition and/or AlterationPermit EP-2021-007558
Jul 22, 2021 Completed Completed Jun 13, 2022
Install 200amp panel, meter rewire (12) lights (12)switches(30)receptacles (6)smoke detector (2)240 v outlet AS PER NEC 2014
New Construction or AdditionsPermit PP-2021-013006
Aug 18, 2021 Completed Completed Jul 16, 2022
Install (1)water closet (1)lavatory (1)bathtub(1)kitchen sink(1)laundry sink
Addition and/or AlterationsPermit MP-2021-008785
Feb 9, 2022 Completed Completed Jul 16, 2022
EZ PERMIT DUCTWORK & WARM-AIR APPLIANCES - For the installation of New Ductwork, Registers/Grilles/Diffusers, and Warm-Air Appliances as per attached standards. Deviations from these standards require submission of construction and site plans. EACH HVAC UNIT TO BE SELF-CONTAINED WITHIN EACH DWELLING UNIT. NO PENETRATIONS OF RATED ASSEMBLIES. (INSTALL 95% GAS FURNACE 60K BTU, 2.5T A/C STRAIGHT COOL A/C , DUCTWORK 6 REGISTERS).
Violation cases1 individual violation record; resolved history remains visible1
Case CF-2025-022044CLOSED
NOTICE OF VIOLATION · Opened Mar 26, 2025 · completed Apr 29, 2025
- RENTAL LICENSE- ONE & TWO FAMILY (R3)Violation VI-2025-016455Mar 26, 2025 COMPLIED
InvestigationsEvery inspector visit, including CLOSED outcomes3
L&I investigationCase CF-2025-022044
Mar 26, 2025 FAILED
L&I investigationCase CF-2025-022044
Apr 10, 2025 FAILED
L&I investigationCase CF-2025-022044
Apr 29, 2025 PASSED
Building certificationsInspection result and filed expiration date by L&I building ID0
This dataset was unavailable when the report was assembled.
Business licensesHistorical and active licenses are both retained2
RentalLicense 506695
HENRY & MIRIAM BARSKY
Revenue code 3202 · First issued Jun 24, 2010 Closed Expiration Feb 28, 2019 Inactive Apr 29, 2019
RentalLicense 0976693
ALEX WONG
Revenue code 3202 · First issued Apr 21, 2025 Active Expiration Apr 20, 2027
AppealsApplication status and decision are separate City fields0
No appeals matched this parcel in the fetched City dataset.
City of Philadelphia OPA, L&I and Zoning Board records, shown as filed. A CLOSED investigation is an outcome label, not a missing visit; an appeal's application status and decision may differ.
Legal due diligence
What this record proves—and what it does not.
These checks are triggered by this property’s actual City rows. They identify the controlling document to verify; they do not declare a use legal, a building safe, or title clear.
4 verify
1 favorable dated record
VerifyA rental license does not transfer with the deed1 active Rental License record matched.
Why it mattersIf dwelling space is rented, the buyer must obtain a new annual Rental License; the seller’s license is not transferable. New applications require proof of ownership and legal occupancy, tax compliance, no open L&I violations, and lead compliance where applicable.
Verify nextPlan the buyer’s replacement license before settlement.
Open the controlling City guidance ↗VerifyTax mail goes outside Philadelphia; owner residence still needs verificationOPA mails the property tax record outside Philadelphia (128 FAIRVIEW AVE, BALA CYNWYD PA, 19004).
Why it mattersA tax mailing destination does not establish where the owner lives. If a rental owner lives outside Philadelphia, the City requires a managing agent with a Philadelphia mailing address; the owner remains legally responsible.
Verify nextVerify the buyer’s residence and, if the buyer will live outside Philadelphia, identify the Philadelphia managing agent on the new license application.
Open the controlling City guidance ↗VerifyLead compliance is a separate recordOPA records a 1900 build year; BlockReport does not receive the Health Department’s unit-level lead certificate file.
Why it mattersPhiladelphia requires covered pre-March-1978 rentals to be certified lead-safe or lead-free for a new or renewed lease and for a new or renewed Rental License. A certificate is unit-specific; a renovation does not by itself create an exemption.
Verify nextRequest the current lead certificate or City exemption for every dwelling unit.
Open the controlling City guidance ↗VerifyFailed inspections are dated events—not the current condition2 failed, 1 passed, and 0 CLOSED investigation outcomes are in the fetched history; the latest dated visit was PASSED on Apr 29, 2025.
Why it mattersA PASSED or FAILED value applies to that inspection visit. CLOSED is a separate source status; none of the three alone proves the parent permit or violation case closed—or describes today’s condition.
Verify nextOpen the parent case/permit for each material failure and confirm its later disposition.
Open the controlling City guidance ↗Favorable dated recordNo open violation; closed history remains relevantThe fetched record shows 0 open and 1 historical violation across 1 case.
Why it mattersA closed case is materially better than an open one, but it does not by itself prove that every altered use, unit, or concealed condition matches today’s approvals.
Verify nextUse the closed cases to target the inspection and occupancy-file review.
Open the controlling City guidance ↗Closing file: checks no public-record summary can replace5 documents/searches to assign before settlement
Property Sales Certification
The seller must obtain Philadelphia’s certificate showing the base zoning, last use in the zoning record, and open violations. The City warns that it does not prove Building Code occupancy or show zoning overlays.
Next: Obtain the fresh certificate and compare it with the CO, permits, and Atlas overlays.
Official guidance ↗Date-effective City Property Payoff
The Tax Center Property Payoff covers Real Estate Tax, Commercial Trash, and L&I abatement-work invoices. Philadelphia says it does not include business-tax debts or liens, water and sewer charges, or fines for code violations.
Next: Request the City statement effective through settlement; read every period and invoice.
Official guidance ↗Professional title and water-lien searches
OPA ownership, deed summaries, and a zero tax balance are not clear title. Mortgages, judgments, municipal claims, water liens, easements, heirs, and other encumbrances require separate searches.
Next: Use a Pennsylvania lawyer/title company and obtain owner’s title insurance; order the separate water search/payoff.
Official guidance ↗Separate water-lien guidance ↗Seller-specific tax relief is not the buyer’s bill
LOOP and low-income or senior Real Estate Tax freezes depend on the qualifying owner and continued program eligibility; a buyer cannot assume the seller’s capped or frozen bill continues. A separately verified property abatement often remains with the property for its remaining term, but program-specific new-owner filing, use, and tax-compliance conditions still must be confirmed—not inferred from the reduced assessment alone.
Next: Have Revenue or OPA identify every current benefit, model the buyer’s bill without seller-specific relief, and confirm any verified abatement in writing.
Official guidance ↗Separate water-lien guidance ↗Seller disclosure and independent inspections
For a covered Pennsylvania residential transfer, obtain the statutory seller disclosure. It reports the seller’s knowledge; it is not a warranty, title search, code review, or substitute for inspections. Because OPA dates this building before 1978, separately obtain the required federal/City lead disclosures and any test results.
Next: Have the agreement and disclosure reviewed for this transaction’s coverage and exceptions.
Official guidance ↗Informational only—not a legal opinion, title report, code inspection, tax payoff, or substitute for a Pennsylvania lawyer, title company, inspector, or tax professional.
What to do with this
The record, translated into moves — what a buyer, the owner, and a landlord would each want to check next under Philadelphia's actual rules.
If you’re buying
Built 1900: lead rules apply
Federal law requires a lead-paint disclosure at sale for any pre-1978 home. If it will be rented, Philadelphia also requires a lead-safe or lead-free certificate before a rental license can issue.
Zoned RSA5: one household by right
Single-family rowhouse (the classic Philly row). Converting to a duplex or apartments needs a use variance the zoning board rarely grants — Pennsylvania courts require a physical hardship of the lot itself, and economics alone do not qualify.
If you’re the landlord
Lead certificate is not optional
Built 1900: every rental unit needs a lead-safe or lead-free certificate on file with the City. Without one: fines up to $2,000/day per unit, tenants may withhold rent, courts can order rent refunded — and no eviction will stand.
Licensed rental — keep it that way
Renewal requires city tax clearance and zero open L&I violations on the property. A lapsed license suspends the right to collect rent or evict.
Derived from the fetched property records and linked City guidance as of 2026. Assessment treatment is not a substitute for an exemption approval, live balance, title report, license, occupancy certificate, or inspection. Informational only — not legal, tax, or investment advice.
The investment read
How this house has moved and where it's pointed: the city's assessed value (not a listing price) over 12 years, charted against its block; appreciation is that history's pace, and the 5-year figure simply extends it. Yield estimates rent-vs-price from area rents. Ask the record to dig into any number.
Assessed value
$268,300
2026 billed-year assessment · 2027: $296,800 · built 1900
Price / sq ft
$236
block $264 · below block
Appreciation
+79%
+6%/yr, city 6.5%
In 5 years (~2031)
~$298K
+6%/yr own pace held 5 yrs — extrapolation, not a forecast
Est. tax bill / yr
$3,756
1.27% effective
Jun 2022 tax snapshot
No match
not proof the account is current
Gross yield
5.2%
≈$1K/mo rent
Times sold
1
licensed rental
Value vs. the block, over time — sales, permits & L&I events marked on the line
This houseBlock median & rangeSaleL&I violationPermit
The paper trail
New constructionbuilt new under a 2020 permit, sold for $143K in 2020.
- 2020 $143KSoldNew construction, addition, GFA changePermit
- 2021 Addition and/or AlterationPermitAddition and/or AlterationPermitNew Construction or AdditionsPermit
- 2022 Addition and/or AlterationsPermit
- 2025 L&I violationL&IL&I: 2 failed, 1 passedL&I visit
Flags: active rental license. Informational only — not investment advice or a consumer report (FCRA).
The property, on paper
The city assessor's field record — the physical spec sheet behind the assessed number.
Bedrooms
3
Bathrooms
1
Stories
3
Interior
1,260 sqft
livable area
Lot
903 sqft
Basement
Full, unfinished
city code C
Heat
Hot water / radiators
city code B
Central air
No
Exterior condition
Average
city code 4
Above averageBelow average
Interior condition
Average
city code 4
Above averageBelow average
Quality grade
C
assessor's grade
ABCDE
Zoning
RSA5
city zoning code
OPA field-assessment attributes. Condition and grade are the assessor's codes, not an inspection.
Where the record looks off
Places where the city's own paperwork disagrees with itself. These are flags on the data — not problems with the property.
"Built 1900" is usually a placeholder
Philadelphia records use 1900 as a stand-in when the real construction year was never documented. Treat the age as unknown, not as 120+ years.
Run the numbers
What owning 135 Gay St takes, at your price and your rate. Taxes start with an annual estimate from the City’s taxable assessment, not a current bill or balance; rent starts at the area median. Assessed value is not an asking price — set the price slider to the real one.
When this house last sold (2020) a 30-year mortgage ran about 3.1% — Freddie Mac's average that year.
Mortgage
—
P&I · 30-yr fixed
All-in monthly
—
+ taxes & insurance
Cash to close
—
down + ~4% costs
Cash flow
—
rent − all costs · /mo
Cap rate
—
NOI ÷ price
Cash-on-cash
—
year-1 return on cash in
Estimates for orientation, not advice. Assumes a 30-year fixed loan, $1,400/yr insurance, 1% of price/yr maintenance; taxes use this parcel's taxable assessment, not a live Tax Center balance.
Block context
135 Gay St sits on the 100 block of Gay St. Open the block report to compare its parcels, ownership and public-record history.
See the whole block →Next door: 133 Gay St · 137 Gay St
Where this comes from
- Assessment, spec sheet & owner — OPA Property Assessments, Office of Property Assessment
- Sales & deed history — Realty Transfer Tax records, Recorder of Deeds
- Permits, violations & inspections — L&I Property History · Atlas
- Tax delinquency snapshot · June 2022 — Real Estate Tax Delinquencies, Dept. of Revenue
- Historical tax ledger & liens · through 2016 — Real Estate Tax Balances, Dept. of Revenue
- Current property-tax balance — Verify with Philadelphia Revenue
- Zoning appeals — L&I & Zoning Board appeals
- Neighborhood income & rents — US Census ACS 5-year estimates
- Historical mortgage rates — Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, annual averages
- Imagery — Street photo © Google · Aerial © Esri, Maxar
Methodology & freshness
This report was assembled Jul 10, 2026, 3:30 AM ET. Available City datasets are queried from OpenDataPhilly (phl.carto.com) and the cited City ArcGIS feeds; record queries paginate rather than silently taking a first page. For this property: Permits: queried · Violations: queried · Investigations: queried · Appeals: queried · Licenses: queried · Building certifications: unavailable. “Unavailable” means the source query failed or was not supplied, not “no record.” Reports re-pull on view after seven days and on an overnight rolling schedule; citywide benchmarks recompute weekly. Source dates still govern: the parcel-level tax-delinquency snapshot is June 2022 and the separate detailed tax ledger ends in 2016, so neither establishes today’s balance. The live balance and date-effective payoff must be verified in Tax Center. AI-written passages are grounded in the assembled record and rejected if they state a number the record does not hold.
Official city record ↗ · L&I history ↗ · See the whole block · Download this record (JSON)