Brooklyn, New York
Selling a home in Bensonhurst
Two-family houses near the D and N trains are the heart of Bensonhurst, and the right price starts with knowing what your building legally is.
Get my free home valueAbout Bensonhurst
Two-families, 18th Avenue and two subway lines
Bensonhurst runs from the edge of Dyker Heights east toward Gravesend, and down to Gravesend Bay, where Bensonhurst Park meets the Belt Parkway. Eighteenth Avenue and 86th Street are its main shopping streets, with 86th Street running under the elevated D train. Its side streets mix attached brick houses, detached homes and walk-up apartment buildings, with Bath Beach and the Shore Parkway promenade along the bay just to the southwest.
Two subway lines cross the neighborhood. The D train runs along New Utrecht Avenue and 86th Street, and the N train runs through the middle of the neighborhood on the Sea Beach line, with stops including 18th Avenue, 20th Avenue, Bay Parkway and 86th Street. That makes most blocks a reasonable walk from a train, which buyers notice.
Homes in Bensonhurst
What sellers should know
Bensonhurst is built mostly of attached and semi-detached two- and three-family brick houses, with detached homes on some side streets, prewar walk-up apartment buildings, and a growing number of newer condo buildings. For a multi-family house, rent rolls, leases and the legal unit count drive the price. For a newer condo, buyers will look at common charges and any tax abatement and when it ends.
Gather leases and rent records
If you rent out a unit, buyers will ask for current leases and rent amounts. Organized records make a two-family easier to finance and sell.
Match the listing to the C of O
A house used as three units but legal for two will raise questions at the bank. Check your certificate of occupancy with the Department of Buildings first.
Know your condo's tax abatement
Many newer Bensonhurst condos carry a tax abatement. Find its end date on the Department of Finance records so buyers can plan for their future tax bill.
Point out the train
Say which station is closest, the D on 86th Street or New Utrecht Avenue or the N on the Sea Beach line. Buyers search by commute.
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Selling a home in Bensonhurst: questions
Do I need to vacate a rented unit before I sell?
Not always. Many two-family houses sell with a tenant in place, but a buyer who wants both units empty will want a clear timeline. Talk with your attorney about your lease terms before you list.
What transfer taxes apply when I sell?
New York City's Real Property Transfer Tax on a one- to three-family house, condo or co-op is 1% of the price up to $500,000 and 1.425% above. New York State's transfer tax is also usually paid by the seller.
Is my block in a flood zone?
Blocks near Gravesend Bay and the Belt Parkway are lower than the rest of the neighborhood. Look up your address on FloodHelpNY or the FEMA flood map before you list, because buyers and their insurers will.