Marlowe Property
Apartment Sales in New York: the agent who tells you the real number on day one
Apartment sales in New York move fast, and the biggest mistake either side makes is trusting the wrong number at the start.
Marlowe Property handles the sale from the first walk-through to the closing table, whether you're buying your first co-op in Brooklyn or selling a walk-up you inherited and never wanted to deal with.
You get one person telling you what's true, not what's easy to hear.
Buying an Apartment in New York: Co-ops, Condos, and What Actually Changes Between Boroughs
A co-op and a condo are not the same purchase, and treating them the same is how buyers get surprised. A condo sale is closer to buying property anywhere else: you own real property, the board mostly rubber-stamps the transfer, and the process is quicker. A co-op means you're buying shares in a corporation, and the board can reject you outright, no reason given. That board package, with financials, reference letters and an interview, can add three to six weeks to a deal that looked simple on paper.
Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx and Staten Island each have their own rhythm. Manhattan inventory skews toward co-ops and older buildings with stricter boards. Brooklyn and Queens mix walk-ups, newer condo developments and co-ops, with more room to negotiate outside the most competitive pockets. Staten Island runs slower and less competitive than the rest, which suits buyers who don't want a bidding war.
If you're buying to live in it, we look at commute, building financials and how much the maintenance or common charges will actually cost you monthly. If you're buying as an investment, we look at rental demand in that building and block, because not every co-op even allows subletting.
Selling Your Apartment: Pricing It Right the First Time
Most agents will quote you a high number to win the listing, then chip away at your expectations every couple of weeks once the apartment sits unsold. That's how a seller ends up accepting less than if they'd priced it correctly from day one, because buyers start assuming something's wrong with a place that's been on the market too long. We tell you the real number based on recent comparable sales in your building or block, even when that number costs us the listing to another agent who'll promise you more.
Once we agree on price, we handle the cleanout if the apartment needs it, professional photography, and getting the listing live on the MLS and the major portals. Open houses get scheduled for the windows when your building and neighborhood actually draw foot traffic, not just whenever it's convenient for us.
A lot of our sellers are people who inherited a walk-up from a parent or relative and have no idea where to start. We've cleared out apartments full of decades of belongings, coordinated with estate attorneys, and gotten places market-ready that hadn't been touched in years. You don't need to fly in from out of state to manage any of it.
The Purchase Process: Offer, Board Approval, Mortgage, Closing
Once you find the apartment, we help you put together an offer that's competitive without overpaying, based on what's actually closed nearby, not just what's listed. If it's accepted, your attorney does the contract review, which in New York happens after the offer, not before, so lining up a real estate attorney early matters.
For a co-op, this is where the board package comes together: financial statements, tax returns, reference letters and a board interview. Expect that stage alone to take several weeks. For a condo, the equivalent step is usually just paperwork, no interview, and it moves faster.
Mortgage approval runs in parallel with all of this. Get pre-approved before you start seriously looking; boards and sellers both take a pre-approved buyer more seriously, and it avoids a deal falling apart at the finish line over financing. Closing itself, once everything's approved, is usually a single day at the attorney's office or title company.
Costs Buyers and Sellers Forget: Transfer Tax, Mansion Tax, and Attorney Fees
New York has a few taxes that catch first-time buyers and sellers off guard. Sellers typically pay the New York City and New York State transfer tax at closing. Buyers purchasing above one million dollars pay the mansion tax, which applies to the full purchase price, not just the amount over the threshold, so it's a bigger number than people expect.
On top of that, both sides need their own attorney for the contract review and closing, since New York deals go through attorney review rather than being handled solely by the agents. We flag these costs early, in the first conversation about pricing or making an offer, so nobody's blindsided by a closing statement.
We're not accountants or attorneys, and we won't pretend to be. When a question crosses into tax strategy or legal structuring, we tell you straight and point you to the right professional, the same way we'd want it done for us.
Representing Buyers and Sellers Across New York's Boroughs
Whether you're a first-time buyer, an investor building a portfolio, or a family selling an apartment you inherited, the process runs differently depending on which side of the table you're on, and we represent both. As your listing agent, our job is getting you the best achievable price without the place sitting stale on the market. As your buyer's agent, our job is making sure you don't overpay and that nothing in the board package or building financials comes back to bite you later.
Two agents work alongside me on active listings and showings, so buyers aren't waiting days for a callback and sellers get consistent coverage on open houses across boroughs.
Why Buyers and Sellers Choose Marlowe Property for Apartment Sales in New York
A real number from day one
You get the actual market price based on comparable sales, not an inflated figure meant to win the listing and get walked back later.
Full handling of inherited apartments
Cleanout, photography, listing and showings are handled for you, so you don't need to manage a sale from out of state or from scratch.
Coverage across all five boroughs
Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx and Staten Island each get priced and marketed according to how that specific market actually moves.
Straight talk on co-op board risk
You know upfront what a board package involves and how long it usually takes, instead of finding out mid-deal.
Frequently asked questions about apartment sales
How does apartment pricing actually work when selling in New York?
We pull recent closed sales in your building or block, not just active listings, and give you a number based on that. If it costs us the listing to another agent quoting higher, that's the risk we'd rather take than string you along for months.
How long does a typical apartment sale take in New York?
A condo sale can close in as little as six to eight weeks once you're under contract. A co-op usually takes longer because of board approval, often adding several more weeks on top. Financing timelines and attorney review also factor in on both sides.
What's the real difference between buying a co-op and a condo in New York?
A condo is real property with a lighter approval process. A co-op is shares in a corporation with a board that can reject a buyer outright and typically requires a full financial package and interview. Co-ops are often cheaper per square foot, but the approval process takes real time.
Do I need an attorney to buy or sell an apartment in New York?
Yes. New York deals go through attorney review rather than being handled by agents alone, and you'll want your own attorney, separate from the other side's, for the contract and closing.
What does apartment sales in New York cost beyond the purchase price?
Sellers typically cover transfer tax at closing. Buyers above one million dollars pay the mansion tax on the full price. Both sides pay their own attorney. We walk through these numbers with you early, before you're deep into a deal.
Can you help me sell an apartment I inherited but haven't been able to deal with?
This is a lot of what we do. We coordinate the cleanout, get it photographed and listed, and handle showings, so you're not managing it alone on top of everything else.