Real Estate Lawyers in New York

About Real Estate in New York

Real estate contract and title disputes in New York are generally filed in Supreme Court.

A written real estate contract dispute in New York generally falls under the six-year limitations period for contract actions.

New York's Real Property Actions and Proceedings Law recognizes adverse possession where an occupant holds property adversely, under claim of right, for a continuous period tied to the state's ten-year real property limitations period.

A New York seller of residential real property generally must complete and deliver a property condition disclosure statement to the buyer before the buyer signs a binding purchase contract, based on the seller's actual knowledge, without any obligation to inspect or investigate the property.

A contractor or supplier seeking to file a mechanic's lien on New York private property generally must do so within eight months of completing the work, or within four months if the project involves a single-family dwelling.

The city's ACRIS system lets anyone search recorded deeds, mortgages, and other property documents — plus find a property's borough-block-lot number — for Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx back to 1966. Staten Island is the exception: its land records are kept separately by the Richmond County Clerk, not through ACRIS or the City Register. A lawyer researching a Staten Island property must use a different official source.

NYC building permit, inspection, and violation records are currently split between two Department of Buildings systems. The newer DOB NOW Public Portal shows only filings made directly in DOB NOW, while older filings — including those made in person or through eFiling — remain in the legacy Buildings Information System (BIS) until DOB NOW fully replaces it. A complete property history check may require searching both.

New York City offers a free Notice of Recorded Document program that emails or mails an alert whenever a deed, mortgage, or related document is recorded against a registered property. Owners in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, or the Bronx register through the City Register; Staten Island owners register through the Richmond County Clerk instead. Registration does not replace legal review of any document received.

The Queens County Clerk's Block and Lot Property Lien office at 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard accepts notices of pendency and private-improvement mechanic's liens and requires the property's block and lot numbers for property-lien filings.

Queens Supreme Court's Residential Foreclosure Part is based at the Queens County Supreme Courthouse at 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard in Jamaica, and the court publishes a dedicated foreclosure contact and part information.

Queens Housing Court is at 89-17 Sutphin Boulevard in Jamaica and includes a Landlord and Tenant Clerk's Office and a Help Center.

The Kings County Clerk directs filings and copy requests for notices of pendency, mechanic's liens, building loan agreements, and other block-and-lot lien documents to its office at 360 Adams Street.

The Brooklyn City Register office is at 210 Joralemon Street and offers document submission and pickup, certified-copy, and records-research services; full City Register services are available only at the Manhattan office.

Kings County Supreme Court's Foreclosure Office is at 360 Adams Street in Brooklyn and publishes dedicated foreclosure settlement-part contacts and forms.

Brooklyn Housing Court is at 141 Livingston Street and includes a Landlord and Tenant Clerk's Office and a Help Center.

The New York County Clerk's Judgment Docket and Lien Section at 60 Centre Street provides searches by name or block and lot and handles judgment and lien docket records for New York County.

The Manhattan City Register office at 66 John Street is the only borough office offering the full range of City Register services; the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens offices provide a limited set of submission, pickup, certified-copy, and research services.

New York County Civil and Housing Court operates at 111 Centre Street in Manhattan, where the court's Help Center provides procedural information and forms for people without lawyers.

Sources: New York CPLR § 213, New York Real Property Actions and Proceedings Law § 501, New York Real Property Law § 462, New York Lien Law § 10, NYC Department of Finance, Office of the City Register, NYC Department of Buildings, NYC Department of Finance, New York State Unified Court System, Queens County Clerk, New York State Unified Court System, Queens Supreme Court Civil Term, New York State Unified Court System, Queens Housing Court, New York State Unified Court System, Kings County Clerk, NYC Department of Finance, In-Person Services, New York State Unified Court System, Kings County Supreme Court Civil Term, New York State Unified Court System, Brooklyn Housing Court, New York State Unified Court System, New York County Clerk, New York State Unified Court System, New York County Civil and Housing Court Help Center (verified 2026-08-25)

Frequently Asked Questions