2026 taxable assessment $320,000 × 1.3998%. Estimate—not a bill or account balance.
OPA also publishes a 2027 assessment of $344,300; it is not the 2026 billed-year value.
Multi-family report
3211 Cottman Ave
2 stories · 1,348 sqft · RSA5 · built 1953
Absentee individual · assessed $320K (2026) · 2027 OPA assessment $344K · 2 licensed units · sold 1×. On the 3200 block of Cottman Ave.
Property summary
Assessment$320,0002026 OPA assessment · 2027: $344,300
Last sale$145KRecorded 2012
Est. tax bill$4,479/year2026 taxable assessment × 1.3998%
Tax delinquencyNo 2022 matchNot proof account is current
Permits1Every fetched City permit
Violations0 open20 historical across 10 cases
“Open” reflects records available then historical records keep their source dates estimates are labeled
BlockReport AI · cited public records
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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 6411497002026 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 recordImproved
Why it mattersBought for $145K in 2012. Owner pulled a alterations permit in 2025.
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
- Huang Chen
- Tax mailing address
- 2960 DAVIDWOOD WAY, SAN JOSE CA, 95148
- L&I district
- EAST
- Building ID (BIN)
- —
- OPA account
- 641149700
Permits1Every dated permit
Violation cases1020 violation records · 0 open
Investigations84 failed · 4 passed · 0 closed
Building certifications0No match
Business licenses11 active
Appeals0No match
PermitsPermit number, issued date, work and City status1
AlterationsPermit PP-2025-002602
Feb 28, 2025 Completed Completed Mar 17, 2025
Ht and FAI replacement
Violation cases20 individual violation records; resolved history remains visible10
Case 128560CLOSED
STANDARD · Opened Sep 18, 2007 · completed Oct 24, 2007
- CLIP VIOLATION NOTICEViolation 682162Sep 18, 2007 COMPLIED
- HIGH WEEDS-CUTViolation 682163Sep 18, 2007 COMPLIED
Case 129735CLOSED
STANDARD · Opened Sep 27, 2007 · completed Oct 12, 2007
- HIGH WEEDS-CUTViolation 691109Sep 27, 2007 COMPLIED
- CLIP VIOLATION NOTICEViolation 691108Sep 27, 2007 COMPLIED
Case 451923CLOSED
STANDARD · Opened Sep 10, 2014 · completed Feb 4, 2016
- HIGH WEEDS-CUTViolation 3322442Sep 10, 2014 COMPLIED
- CLIP VIOLATION NOTICEViolation 3322441Sep 10, 2014 COMPLIED
- VEHICLES UNREGISTEREDViolation 3322443Sep 10, 2014 COMPLIED
Case 490517CLOSED
STANDARD · Opened Jul 9, 2015 · completed Jul 27, 2015
- CLIP VIOLATION NOTICEViolation 3629798Jul 9, 2015 COMPLIED
- HIGH WEEDS-CUTViolation 3629799Jul 9, 2015 COMPLIED
Case 504864CLOSED
STANDARD · Opened Oct 2, 2015 · completed Oct 23, 2015
- HIGH WEEDS-CUTViolation 3728652Oct 2, 2015 COMPLIED
- CLIP VIOLATION NOTICEViolation 3728651Oct 2, 2015 COMPLIED
Case 506795CLOSED
STANDARD · Opened Oct 16, 2015 · completed Feb 4, 2016
- VEHICLES UNREGISTEREDViolation 3742705Oct 16, 2015 COMPLIED
- CLIP VIOLATION NOTICEViolation 3742704Oct 16, 2015 COMPLIED
Case 544952CLOSED
STANDARD · Opened Jul 19, 2016 · completed Aug 25, 2016
- HIGH WEEDS-CUTViolation 4013836Jul 19, 2016 COMPLIED
- CLIP VIOLATION NOTICEViolation 4013835Jul 19, 2016 COMPLIED
Case 580743CLOSED
STANDARD · Opened Apr 27, 2017 · completed May 16, 2017
- HIGH WEEDS-CUTViolation 4292866Apr 27, 2017 COMPLIED
- CLIP VIOLATION NOTICEViolation 4292865Apr 27, 2017 COMPLIED
Case 655590CLOSED
STANDARD · Opened Sep 19, 2018 · completed Oct 4, 2018
- HIGH WEEDS-CUTViolation 4815904Sep 19, 2018 COMPLIED
- CLIP VIOLATION NOTICEViolation 4815903Sep 19, 2018 COMPLIED
Case CF-2026-037044CLOSED
NOTICE OF VIOLATION · Opened Apr 17, 2026 · completed May 22, 2026
- EXTERIOR AREA WEEDSViolation VI-2026-022521Apr 17, 2026 COMPLIED
InvestigationsEvery inspector visit, including CLOSED outcomes8
HCEU INSPCase 54027
Jan 5, 2006 FAILED
HCEU INSPCase 128560
Sep 18, 2007 FAILED
HCEU INSPCase 129735
Sep 27, 2007 FAILED
HCEU INSPCase 129735
Oct 12, 2007 PASSED
HCEU INSPCase 128560
Oct 24, 2007 PASSED
HCEU INSPCase 54027
Dec 10, 2008 PASSED
L&I investigationCase CF-2026-037044
Apr 17, 2026 FAILED
L&I investigationCase CF-2026-037044
May 22, 2026 PASSED
Building certificationsInspection result and filed expiration date by L&I building ID0
No building certifications matched this parcel in the fetched City dataset.
Business licensesHistorical and active licenses are both retained1
RentalLicense 568339
CHEN HUANG
Revenue code 3202 · First issued Jul 9, 2012 Active Expiration Feb 28, 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.
1 resolve before relying
5 verify
1 favorable dated record
Resolve before relyingZoning approval is not the occupancy fileThe record identifies more than one dwelling/use.
Why it mattersPhiladelphia says a zoning approval or Property Sales Certification can identify a use without proving that it was established under the Building Code. A change of use, unit count, exits, or fire rating can require a Building Permit and Certificate of Occupancy.
Verify nextVerify the lawful use, unit count, associated construction permits, and Certificate of Occupancy with L&I.
Open the controlling City guidance ↗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 (2960 DAVIDWOOD WAY, SAN JOSE CA, 95148).
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 1953 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 condition4 failed, 4 passed, and 0 CLOSED investigation outcomes are in the fetched history; the latest dated visit was PASSED on May 22, 2026.
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 ↗VerifyA separate Commercial Trash account may applyOPA classifies the parcel as multi-family. BlockReport does not receive a current Commercial Trash account balance.
Why it mattersPhiladelphia charges qualifying small commercial, mixed-use, and multi-unit properties that use City collection; exemptions and private collection can change applicability. A use category alone does not prove a fee is due.
Verify nextCheck the Commercial Trash account inside the date-effective Property Payoff.
Open the controlling City guidance ↗Favorable dated recordNo open violation; closed history remains relevantThe fetched record shows 0 open and 20 historical violations across 10 cases.
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 1953: 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.
2 units and RSA5 zoning need reconciliation
The assessment or license record describes multiple units while the zoning district is generally single-family. That does not establish whether the use is lawful, nonconforming, abandoned, or incorrectly coded. Verify the registered use and Certificate of Occupancy with L&I before pricing multiple rents.
If you’re the landlord
Lead certificate is not optional
Built 1953: 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 building 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
$320,000
2026 billed-year assessment · 2027: $344,300 · built 1953
Price / sq ft
$255
block $192 · above block
Appreciation
+122%
+8%/yr, city 6.5%
In 5 years (~2031)
~$346K
+8%/yr own pace held 5 yrs — extrapolation, not a forecast
Est. tax bill / yr
$4,479
1.3% effective
Jun 2022 tax snapshot
No match
not proof the account is current
Gross yield
5.7%
≈$2K/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 & rangeL&I violationPermit
The paper trail
ImprovedBought for $145K in 2012. Owner pulled a alterations permit in 2025.
- 2006 Inspection failedL&I visit
- 2007 L&I: 2 failed, 2 passedL&I visit
- 2008 Inspection passedL&I visit
- 2012 $145KSold
- 2016 2 L&I violationsL&I
- 2017 2 L&I violationsL&I
- 2018 2 L&I violationsL&I
- 2025 AlterationsPermit
- 2026 L&I violationL&IL&I: 1 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.
Stories
2
Interior
1,348 sqft
livable area
Lot
2,425 sqft
Basement
Partial, semi-finished
city code F
Central air
No
Garage
1 space
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.
Run the numbers
What owning 3211 Cottman Ave 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 2 licensed units × ~85% of the area's median unit rent — the whole building's income, not one unit's. Assessed value is not an asking price — set the price slider to the real one.
When this house last sold (2012) a 30-year mortgage ran about 3.66% — 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
3211 Cottman Ave sits on the 3200 block of Cottman Ave. Open the block report to compare its parcels, ownership and public-record history.
See the whole block →Next door: 3209 Cottman Ave · 3207 Cottman Ave
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, 6:53 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: queried. “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)