3938 E Douglas Ave, Des Moines, IA 50317 Property Records

Polk County property record for 3938 E Douglas Ave, Des Moines, IA 50317

Property Summary

Property Type	Single Family Home
Details	3 bd · 1 ba · 1,418 sqft · built 1931
Lot Size	0.402 acres (17,550 sqft)
Owner	2 Individual Names on File
Last Sale	$185,000 (Feb 2021)
Tax Bill	$4,038 (2024)
Deeds & Mortgages	Mar 2021 Sale & Mortgage
Flood Zone	Zone X (minimal risk)
APN	`7923-21-353-023`

Property Details

APN / Parcel Number

Primary APN	`7923-21-353-023`
Alternative APN	`060/07808-000-000`

Interior

Bedrooms	3 Beds
Full Baths	1 Bath
Total Rooms	5 Rooms
Stories	1 Story
Building Area	1,418 sqft Living Area
Gross Area	1,821 sqft
1st Floor Area	962 sqft
Attic Area	456 sqft
Basement Area	403 sqft
Fireplaces	1 Fireplace
Fireplace	Fireplace

Exterior

Year Built	Built 1931
Architectural Style	Conventional
Exterior Material	Brick
Construction Type	Wood Frame
Foundation Type	Masonry
Roof Type	Gable/Hip
Roof Material	Wood
Lot Area	17,550 sqft (0.402 acres)
Lot Dimensions	150 ft deep x 117 ft wide
Garage Type	Detached
Garage Area	952 sqft
Parking Spaces	4 Parking Spaces
Porch	Open Porch
Porch Area	60 sqft
Deck Area	323 sqft

Utilities, Heating & Cooling

Cooling System	HVAC
Heating System	Forced Air
Sewer	Connected

Location & Zoning

Street Address	3938 E DOUGLAS AVE
City	DES MOINES
State	IA
Zip	50317-4565
Property Category	Residential
Property Type	Residential > Single Family > Home
Legal Description	LOT 1 SAMMON HEIGHTS
Legal Range	23W
Legal Township	79N
Legal Section	21
Legal Subdivision	SAMMON HEIGHTS
Legal Lot Number	1
Jurisdiction	POLK IA
Township / Civil Division	LEE
Census Block Group	1
Census Block	1011
Census Tract	101

Owner

3938 E Douglas Ave is owned and occupied by two individuals who bought it in February 2021.

Source: Polk County records, as of October 15, 2025

Owner of Record	2 Individual Names on File
Co-owner	Co-owner on File
Mailing Address	3938 E DOUGLAS AVE, DES MOINES, IA 50317-4565
Occupancy	Owner Occupied
Owner Type	Individual

Owner names and exact recorded amounts are on file and can be viewed instantly on this page with a free 10-day trial.

Deeds, Mortgages & Sale History

Assessor's Deed Record

Deed Names	2 Names on Deed
Last Sale	Feb 23, 2021 · Amount on File
Deed Sale	Feb 23, 2021 · Amount on File
Prior Sale	Dec 3, 2004 · Amount on File
Deed Document Number	0018393284
Deed Book / Page	12782 / 0621
Prior Transfer Date	Sep 19, 2008
Prior Transfer Doc	2009-00019748
Record Updated	Jun 8, 2026

March 2021: Warranty Deed, Transfer

Document Type	Warranty Deed
Jurisdiction	POLK IA
Recording Date	Mar 3, 2021
Property Address	3938 E DOUGLAS AVE, DES MOINES, IA 50317-4565
Document Number	202100022167
Book / Page	18393 / 284
Instrument Date	Feb 23, 2021
Instrument	2021-00022167
Transaction Type	Transfer
Record Updated	Oct 19, 2021

Transaction

Amount	Amount on Record
Downpayment	Downpayment on Record
Loan-to-Value (LTV)	LTV on Record
Tax	$295.20
Amount Accuracy	Rounded by County
Additional	Arm's Length

Transferred From (Grantor/Seller)

Name	Verified Name

Transferred To (Grantee/Buyer)

Name	Verified Name
Relationship	Joint Tenants with Right of Survivorship
Address	3938 E DOUGLAS AVE, DES MOINES, IA 50317-4565

Mortgage

Document Number	202100022169
Date	Mar 3, 2021
Instrument	2021-00022169

Lender

Name	NOVUS HOME MORTGAGE
Type	Mortgage Company

Agreement

Type	FHA Mortgage
Amount	Amount on Record
Term	360 Months
Due	Mar 1, 2051

Tax Assessment & Valuation

Source: Polk County assessment roll, as of May 1, 2025

Property Jurisdictions

Type	Name
State	Iowa
County	Polk County
Municipality	Des Moines City
Unified School District	Des Moines Independent Community School District (PK - 12)

Tax Bill & Assessment History

Year	Tax Bill	Assessed Value	Assessed Market Value
2025		$240,400 Land $50,400 Building $190,000	$240,400 Land $50,400 Building $190,000
2024	$4,038.00
2023		$211,400 Land $44,000 Building $167,400	$211,400 Land $44,000 Building $167,400
2020	$3,648.00

Assessed value and assessed market value are set for property tax purposes and are not market price estimates.

Flood

FEMA maps place 3938 E Douglas Ave in Zone X, an area of minimal flood risk, though there have been 32 flood claims nearby since 2010.

Source: FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer, effective August 17, 2025 · OpenFEMA NFIP redacted claims and policies, as of September 2026

FEMA Flood Zone	Zone X minimal risk
Flood Insurance Requirement	Not required lenders may require it
Flood Insurance Cost	Premium on File median of 14 policies
Community Rating System	Class 5 (25% premium discount)
Nearby Flood Policies	14 in force
Nearby Flood Claims	32 (2010–2026)
Claims Outside the SFHA	13 of 32
Most Recent Claim	Jul 2026 · Severe Storms And Flooding
Claims by Event	Severe Storms And Flooding, Jul 2026 · 12 claims Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding, Jul 2018 · 17 claims Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes, Aug 2010 · 3 claims

Values are read at the parcel center point; flood claims are located to the census block group, not this parcel; lenders make the official flood determination.

Wildfire

The area around 3938 E Douglas Ave has no burnable land within ember reach, so its wildfire risk is not rated.

Source: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (2nd edition), as of 2024

Wildfire Risk	Not rated no burnable land within ember reach

Values cover an area roughly 900 ft across, not the parcel itself; insurers use their own ratings.

Drinking Water

Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System, as of September 2026

Water System	DES MOINES WATER WORKS serves 246,055 people · EPA ID IA7727031
Water Source	Purchased surface water from CIWW (DMWW)
Last State Inspection	May 2024
Lead	Under 1 ppb (2022–2024) action level 15 ppb

Violations Reported to EPA

Water Quality	Treatment failure resolved · May 2017
Treatment and Procedure	None last 10 years
Monitoring and Reporting	None last 3 years

Results are for the whole water system, not water tested at this address; lead at the tap also depends on the building's own pipes.

Internet Providers

Source: FCC Broadband Data Collection, based on 505 locations within half a mile, as of December 31, 2025

Provider	Max Down / Up (Mbps)
Metronet Fiber	5,120 / 5,120
Mediacom Xtream Cable · Fiber in parts of the area	2,000 / 1,000
CenturyLink DSL · Fiber in parts of the area	140 / 20
AT&T Fixed Wireless	100 / 20

May also be available: Google Fiber, Verizon.

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