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.

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 (verified 2026-08-01)

Frequently Asked Questions