2026 taxable assessment $173,900 × 1.3998%. Estimate—not a bill or account balance.
OPA also publishes a 2027 assessment of $207,100; it is not the 2026 billed-year value.
Mixed-use report
4038 Ridge Ave
3 stories · 2,180 sqft · ICMX · built 1930
Owner-occupied · assessed $174K (2026) · 2027 OPA assessment $207K · 2 licensed units · sold 2×. On the 4000 block of Ridge Ave.
Property summary
Assessment$173,9002026 OPA assessment · 2027: $207,100
Last sale$550KRecorded 2025
Est. tax bill$2,434/year2026 taxable assessment × 1.3998%
Tax delinquency—Snapshot unavailable
Permits6Dated events in report
Violations0 openNo historical match in fetched records
“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 8711760002026 taxable assessment equals the full assessed value.
Historical delinquency sources No current conclusion
The June 2022 delinquency snapshot was not verifiably available in this cached report. No conclusion about a match—or today’s balance—can be drawn from that absence.
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 $88K in 2011, use permit in 2011, sold for $550K in 2025 (+529%).
View supporting records →Assessment and sale price disagree hard
Why it mattersAssessed at $207K, but it traded for $550,000 in 2025 — a 2.7× gap. Could be a non-market deed the record doesn't label, or an assessment that hasn't caught up.
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
- John Howie
- Tax mailing address
- 4038 RIDGE AVE, PHILADELPHIA PA, 19129
- L&I district
- —
- Building ID (BIN)
- —
- OPA account
- 871176000
Permits0Unavailable
Violation cases0Unavailable
Investigations0Unavailable
Building certifications0Unavailable
Business licenses0Unavailable
Appeals2CLOSED · Granted
PermitsPermit number, issued date, work and City status0
No permits matched this parcel in the fetched City dataset.
Violation cases0 individual violation records; resolved history remains visible0
No violation cases matched this parcel in the fetched City dataset.
InvestigationsEvery inspector visit, including CLOSED outcomes0
No investigations matched this parcel in the fetched City dataset.
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 retained0
No business licenses matched this parcel in the fetched City dataset.
AppealsApplication status and decision are separate City fields2
Zoning board appealAppeal 14390
May 17, 2011 CLOSED Granted with conditions
PERMIT FOR A TAKE-OUT RESTAURANT WITH SEATING ON THE FIRST FLOOR AND FOR A TOW FAMILY DWELLING.
Zoning board appealAppeal 21968
Feb 5, 2014 CLOSED Granted
SPECIAL EXCEPTION FOR THE ERECTION OF ONE (1) ACCESSOY FLATWALL SIGN AND THE ERECTION OF ONE (1) ACCESSOY PROJECTING SIGN. SIZE AND LOCATION AS SHOWN ON PLANS. FOR USE FOR BODY ART SERVICES.
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
4 verify
Resolve before relyingZoning approval is not the occupancy fileAppeal #14390: CLOSED · Granted with conditions.
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 ↗VerifyResidential and business space run on separate compliance tracksOPA classifies this parcel as mixed-use.
Why it mattersThe zoning/use and occupancy file must cover the actual residential and commercial spaces. Dwelling units can require Rental Licenses and lead compliance; the operator can separately need an Activity License and sector license; installed fire systems can require annual certification.
Verify nextMatch every dwelling and business use to the zoning permit, CO, current operator licenses, and life-safety filings.
Open the controlling City guidance ↗VerifyA rental license does not transfer with the deedThe parcel summary indicates an active Rental License; a detailed license row is not present in this payload.
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 ↗VerifyLead compliance is a separate recordOPA records a 1930 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 ↗VerifyA separate Commercial Trash account may applyOPA classifies the parcel as mixed-use. 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 ↗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 1930: 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.
If you own it
$1,399/yr may be unclaimed
This home reads owner-occupied but shows no Homestead Exemption, which removes $100,000 from the taxable assessment (worth up to $1,399/yr). Applying through the City is free and takes minutes.
If you’re the landlord
Lead certificate is not optional
Built 1930: 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
$173,900
2026 billed-year assessment · 2027: $207,100 · built 1930
Price / sq ft
$95
block $142 · below block
Appreciation
-5%
0%/yr, city 6.5%
In 5 years (~2031)
~$207K
0%/yr own pace held 5 yrs — extrapolation, not a forecast
Est. tax bill / yr
$2,434
1.18% effective
Jun 2022 tax snapshot
—
Gross yield
9.6%
≈$2K/mo rent
Times sold
2
licensed rental
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 $88K in 2011, use permit in 2011, sold for $550K in 2025 (+529%).
- 2011 $88KSoldAppeal granted with conditionsZoningUsePermitMajor alterationPermitPlumbingPermitMechanicalPermitElectricalPermit
- 2014 Appeal grantedZoningZoning/usePermit
- 2025 $550KSold
Flags: active rental license · 2 zoning/board appeals on record. 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
3
Interior
2,180 sqft
livable area
Lot
1,850 sqft
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
ICMX
city zoning code
Zoning appeals
2
CLOSED · Granted · 2014
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.
Assessment and sale price disagree hard
Assessed at $207K, but it traded for $550,000 in 2025 — a 2.7× gap. Could be a non-market deed the record doesn't label, or an assessment that hasn't caught up.
Run the numbers
What owning 4038 Ridge 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 (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
4038 Ridge Ave sits on the 4000 block of Ridge Ave. Open the block report to compare its parcels, ownership and public-record history.
See the whole block →Next door: 4036 Ridge Ave · 4040 Ridge 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 9, 2026, 7:37 PM 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. “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)