House report
2055 E Birch St
3 bd · 1 ba · 2 stories · 756 sqft · RSA5 · built 1920
Owner-occupied · assessed $103K · sold 1×. On the 2000 block of E Birch St.
Reading this house's deeds, permits and assessments…
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 analyst below to dig into any number.
Value vs. the block, over time
built new (tax-abated), sold for $8K in 2003.
- 2003 $8KSold
Flags: tax-abated — the bill lags real value · $10K back taxes (2000–2014, $5K of it interest & penalties, lien filed). Informational only — not investment advice or a consumer report (FCRA).
The abatement clock
This house pays about $46/yr under a 10-year tax abatement. In 2029 the bill reaches its full ~$1,446/yr — a step up of $1,400/yr, 2 assessment years out. Drag the slider.
Estimated from this parcel's assessment record (taxable vs. exempt split) at the 1.3998% millage and today's assessed value — reassessments will move it. Program inferred from when the exemption first appears (2019: pre-2022 flat 100% program). After expiry an owner-occupant can claim the Homestead Exemption (~$1,400/yr off); an abated home can't hold both.
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
Today's $46/yr reflects a 10-year abatement. It jumps to about $1,446/yr in 2029 — $1,400/yr more. Price the full bill, not the current one.
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.
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
An abated home cannot also take the Homestead Exemption. From 2029 it can — knocking about $1,400/yr off the full bill.
Interest and penalties keep compounding until a Revenue payment agreement is in place, and a lien is already filed — an owner-occupant agreement also stops the sheriff-sale track.
Derived from this house's public records and the city's rules as of 2026 (abatement ordinance, Homestead, rental licensing, lead certification, L&I process, excavation protections). Informational only — not legal, tax, or investment advice.
The house, on paper
The city assessor's field record — the physical spec sheet behind the assessed number.
OPA field-assessment attributes. Condition and grade are the assessor's codes, not an inspection.
Run the numbers
What owning 2055 E Birch St takes, at your price and your rate. Taxes are this house's actual bill from the city record; rent starts at the area median. Assessed value is not an asking price — set the price slider to the real one.
Estimates for orientation, not advice. Assumes a 30-year fixed loan, $1,400/yr insurance, 1% of price/yr maintenance; taxes from this parcel's record (with the abatement toggle above).
Next door: 2053 E Birch St · 2057 E Birch 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
- Back taxes & liens — Real Estate Tax Balances, Dept. of 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
City datasets are fetched live from OpenDataPhilly (phl.carto.com) and cached briefly. AI-written passages are generated from these records only and rejected if they state a number the record doesn't hold.
Official city record ↗ · L&I history ↗ · See the whole block · Download this record (JSON)