2026 taxable assessment $383,200 × 1.3998%. Estimate—not a bill or account balance.
OPA also publishes a 2027 assessment of $486,000; it is not the 2026 billed-year value.
House report
1438 E Columbia Ave
5 bd · 1 ba · 2 stories · 2,112 sqft · RSA5 · built 1920
Owner-occupied · assessed $483K (2026) · 2027 OPA assessment $486K · sold 2×. On the 1400 block of E Columbia Ave.
Property summary
Assessment$483,2002026 OPA assessment · 2027: $486,000
Last sale$515KRecorded 2025
Est. tax bill$5,364/year2026 OPA · Homestead-adjusted
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
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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 1810994002026 OPA removes $100,000 from the taxable assessment through the owner-occupant exemption.
Historical delinquency sources Record found
This parcel did not match the June 2022 delinquency snapshot. That absence does not confirm the account is current today.
A separate historical parcel ledger ending in 2016 records $4,184.92 and a lien entry. It is shown as historical context only.
2015$2,036.16 total · $1,561.03 principal · $163.91 interest · $109.27 penalty2016$2,148.76 total · $1,893.10 principal · $28.40 interest · $18.93 penalty
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 recordRenovated & sold on
Why it mattersBought for $150K in 2014, alteration permit in 2014, sold for $515K in 2025 (+243%).
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
- Stephen Saxton & Amy Saxton
- Tax mailing address
- 1438 E COLUMBIA AVE, PHILADELPHIA PA, 19125
- L&I district
- CENTRAL EAST
- Building ID (BIN)
- —
- OPA account
- 181099400
Permits5Every dated permit
Violation cases11 violation record · 0 open
Investigations10 failed · 0 passed · 0 closed
Building certifications0No match
Business licenses10 active
Appeals0No match
PermitsPermit number, issued date, work and City status5
AlterationPermit 572957
Nov 7, 2014 COMPLETED Completed Mar 26, 2015
INSTALLATION OF 6 SQUARES OF VINYL SIDING. SIDING ON THE REAR OF THE HOUSE.
Addition and/or AlterationPermit EP-2025-004884
May 30, 2025 Completed Completed Jun 18, 2025
- New 200-amp service taps - New 200-amp service wire - New 200-amp meter socket - New 200-amp 40-space 80-circuit main breaker panel - All new connectors - All new circuit breakers - Installation of a new GFI outlet next to the main panel - Installation of a new location ground rod with #4 grounding wire from the main panel to both the existing ground rod and the new one - Installation of a new #4 grounding wire to the gas main to bond the gas
Addition and/or AlterationsPermit MP-2025-002883
Jul 17, 2025 Completed Completed Aug 1, 2025
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. Install 3:1 Daikin ductless system (3 indoor, 1 outdoor)
Addition and/or AlterationPermit RP-2025-007388
Aug 1, 2025 Expired Completed Jan 28, 2026
For alterations to a Single Family Dwelling Property as per attached standard. Deviations from this standard will result in permit revocation and require submission of construction plans. Structural alteration or repair is expressly PROHIBITED under this permit. Prohibited structural work includes but not limited to any modification to exterior walls, party wall, floor/roof framing and foundations, including underpinning, excavation and removal of foundation slab. *** NO WORK MAY BE PERFORMED IN THE BASEMENT OR CELLAR.*** Separate permits required for Mechanical, Electric and Plumbing.
Addition and/or AlterationPermit RP-2026-006275
Jun 8, 2026 Issued
- For alterations to an Existing One Family Dwelling as per attached standard. Deviations from this standard will result in permit revocation and require submission of construction plans. Separate permits are required for plumbing and electrical work and the installation of heating/cooling appliances. STRUCTURAL ALTERATION OR REPAIR IS EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED UNDER THIS PERMIT. PROHIBITED STRUCTURAL WORK INCLUDES ANY MODIFICATION TO EXTERIOR WALLS, PARTY WALLS, FLOOR/ROOF FRAMING OR FOUNDATIONS; INCLUDING UNDERPINNING, EXCAVATION, AND REMOVAL OF FOUNDATION SLAB. ***NO WORK MAY BE PERFORMED IN THE BASEMENT OR CELLAR.*** Separate permits required for Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing work
Violation cases1 individual violation record; resolved history remains visible1
Case CF-2025-075354CLOSED
SITE VIOLATION NOTICE · Opened Jul 24, 2025 · completed Apr 2, 2026
- FAILURE TO NOTIFY PRIOR TO START Violation VI-2025-054641Jul 24, 2025 SVN ISSUED
InvestigationsEvery inspector visit, including CLOSED outcomes1
L&I investigationCase CF-2025-075354
Jul 24, 2025
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 654558
CHARLES VALENTINE DEBORAH MCCOLLOCH
Revenue code 3202 · First issued Feb 24, 2015 Inactive Expiration Apr 30, 2016 Inactive Jun 29, 2016
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
1 verify
1 favorable dated record
Resolve before relyingA permit row needs file-level verification2 permits not marked completed: RP-2025-007388 (Expired), RP-2026-006275 (Issued). At least one row also carries a completion date, so the City fields conflict.
Why it mattersIssued work is not the same as approved final work. L&I uses final inspections and required certifications to close construction permits; expired, withdrawn, and completed are different City statuses.
Verify nextOpen the permit file and confirm final inspections, holds, and any resulting occupancy certificate.
Open the controlling City guidance ↗VerifyHomestead is tied to owner occupancy and the deedOPA shows the Homestead Exemption.
Why it mattersPhiladelphia limits Homestead to an owner’s primary residence. The City says a deed change can require a new application or update.
Verify nextA buyer should apply in their own name and not assume the seller’s benefit continues.
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.
Records to verify together
Rule-based groupings across this property's dated public records. Each flag shows the records that belong in the same verification step and where the inference stops.
Post-purchase work pattern
A recorded purchase followed by 4 permit events matches the early part of a renovate-and-resell sequence.
Evidence: purchase recorded in 2025 · permit activity in 2025, 2026
Limit: This does not show that the property is listed or that a sale is planned.
Transparent record rules, not a score or forecast. Each flag is a prompt to verify the cited records, not a prediction or allegation.
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 1920: 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 own it
$4,185 in the historical tax ledger through 2016
Historical context only, not a current payoff figure; that ledger also contains a lien entry. Verify today's balance and lien status directly with Philadelphia Revenue before relying on it.
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
$483,200
2026 billed-year assessment · 2027: $486,000 · built 1920
Price / sq ft
$230
block $264 · below block
Appreciation
+105%
+7%/yr, city 6.5%
In 5 years (~2031)
~$488K
+7%/yr own pace held 5 yrs — extrapolation, not a forecast
Est. tax bill / yr
$5,364
1.1% effective
Jun 2022 tax snapshot
No match
not proof the account is current
Gross yield
4.8%
≈$2K/mo rent
Times sold
2
Value vs. the block, over time — sales, permits & L&I events marked on the line
This houseBlock median & rangeSalePermit
The paper trail
Renovated & sold onBought for $150K in 2014, alteration permit in 2014, sold for $515K in 2025 (+243%).
- 2014 $150KSoldAlterationPermit
- 2025 $515KSoldAddition and/or AlterationPermitL&I violationL&IAddition and/or AlterationsPermitAddition and/or AlterationPermit
- 2026 Addition and/or AlterationPermit
Flags: historical tax ledger through 2016 recorded $4K with a lien entry. 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
5
Bathrooms
1
Stories
2
Interior
2,112 sqft
livable area
Lot
1,530 sqft
Basement
Full
city code D
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
B-
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 1438 E Columbia 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 the area median. Assessed value is not an asking price — set the price slider to the real one.
When this house last sold (2025) a 30-year mortgage ran about 6.6% — 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
1438 E Columbia Ave sits on the 1400 block of E Columbia Ave. Open the block report to compare its parcels, ownership and public-record history.
See the whole block →Next door: 1436 E Columbia Ave · 1440 E Columbia 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, 2:13 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)