What the listing does not show
685 Essex Street
Brooklyn, NY 11208Two-family houseModerate risk
Listed at $1,075,000. The listing does not mention what city records show: 7 open housing violations and 1 unresolved penalty. Read them before you offer, and be ready to explain them if you are selling.
- Asking
- $1,075,000
- Beds
- 5 beds
- Baths
- 2 baths
- Building
- Two-family house
- Built
- 1930
- Open housing violations
- 7
- Immediately hazardous
- 1
- Open building violations
- 0
- Unresolved penalties
- 1
01 / Findings
What to ask about
City records a buyer can raise and a seller should be ready to explain. A reading of open filings, not a forecast.
- 011 open Class C (immediately hazardous) housing violation a buyer can raise, and a seller should be ready to explain.
- 02Checked: no open Buildings Department violations.
- 031 unresolved penalty (0 hazardous) that can follow the property into the sale.
- 04About 1,625 ft² of unused residential floor area the listing does not mention.
02 / Building
The building
Department of Finance class B1: Two-family house.
- Type
- Two-family house
- Year built
- 1930
- Floors
- 2
- Units
- 22 residential
- Building area
- 2,120 ft²
- Residential / commercial
- 2,120 / 0 ft²
- Lot
- 2,500 ft²25 × 100 ft
- Assessed value
- $53,460Tax assessment, not market value
- Assessed land
- $12,900
- Tax exemption
- None
03 / Zoning
What the lot allows
Zoned R5. Floor area ratio is how much building the lot can legally hold. Listings rarely spell this out.
Unused residential floor area
1,625ft²
Built at 57% of allowed
Zoning would still allow this much more housing on the lot.
- Commercial FAR allowed
- 0.00
- Community facility FAR
- 2.00
- Affordable housing bonus FAR
- 2.00
- Zoning district
- R5
04 / Checked
What was checked
A zero means the file exists and is clear. A dash means the city has no file for this address, which is not the same thing.
Housing (HPD)
7
open violations
1 immediately hazardous, 6 hazardous, 0 non-hazardous, 0 informational.
Registration not registered.
Buildings (DOB)
0
open violations
No open building violations on file.
Permits, unsafe structures, boilers, elevators, facades.
Penalties (ECB)
1
unresolved
0 hazardous. $800 imposed, last issued Sep 25, 2002.
05 / Full report
Not on the listing
Sale prices, mortgage amounts and document amounts the city has on file. The listing does not include them.
47 recorded documents · 0 sales of $10,000 or more · Last sale none · Last mortgage 2023
Unlock the recorded amounts for 685 Essex Street
After you register, the paid report includes who owns the building, plus the amounts below from the city file.
- Owner details
- Mortgage amount
- Recorded document amounts
Paid report
The rest of 685 Essex Street is not on the listing
After you register, the paid report names the owner. It also includes the city-file amounts the listing leaves out.
- Owner details
- Mortgage amount
- Recorded document amounts
06 / FAQ
Questions
How many open violations does 685 Essex Street have?
As of Oct 6, 2026, the building at 685 Essex Street has 7 open HPD violations (1 Class C, 6 Class B, 0 Class A, 0 Class I), 0 open DOB violations, 1 unresolved ECB penalties. These are building records, so they apply to this listing.
What is the zoning of 685 Essex Street?
The lot is zoned R5. The building is built at a floor area ratio of 0.85 against 1.50 allowed for residential use, leaving about 1,625 ft² of unused residential floor area.
Is this property in a flood zone?
No. The lot is not inside a FEMA 100-year flood zone on the 2007 or 2015 maps.
What amounts are recorded for 685 Essex Street?
Owner details are in the paid report, available after you register. Mortgage amount, Recorded document amounts are in the city file and included there too.
Where does this data come from?
Records are combined from NYC DCP PLUTO (tax lot, zoning, FAR); NYC HPD (housing violations and registrations); NYC DOB and ECB (building violations and penalties); NYC ACRIS (recorded deeds, mortgages and satisfactions); Active for-sale listings. PLUTO version 26v2.
Sources
NYC DCP PLUTO (tax lot, zoning, FAR) · NYC HPD (housing violations and registrations) · NYC DOB and ECB (building violations and penalties) · NYC ACRIS (recorded deeds, mortgages and satisfactions) · Active for-sale listings
PLUTO 26v2, refreshed Oct 6, 2026. Written for people buying or selling this property. Not legal, tax, or appraisal advice. Confirm the details with the city before you offer or list.