What the listing does not show
537 Knickerbocker Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11221Walk-up apartment buildingHigh risk
Listed at $1,824,900. The listing does not mention what city records show: 48 open housing violations, 25 of them immediately hazardous. A buyer can put that on the table before contract. A seller should expect the question.
- Asking
- $1,824,900
- Beds
- 16 beds
- Baths
- 8 baths
- Size
- 9,000 ft²
- Building
- Walk-up apartment building
- Built
- 1905
- Open housing violations
- 48
- Immediately hazardous
- 25
- Open building violations
- 3
- Unresolved penalties
- 0
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.
- 0125 open Class C (immediately hazardous) housing violations a buyer can raise, and a seller should be ready to explain.
- 023 open Buildings Department violations, which can slow a closing.
- 03Checked: no unresolved penalties on file.
- 04The housing registration lists the owner as absentee.
- 054 tax lien documents on record.
02 / Building
The building
Department of Finance class C1: Walk-up apartments.
- Type
- Walk-up apartment building
- Year built
- 1905
- Floors
- 4
- Units
- 88 residential
- Building area
- 9,000 ft²
- Residential / commercial
- 9,000 / 0 ft²
- Lot
- 3,000 ft²30 × 100 ft
- Assessed value
- $675,900Tax assessment, not market value
- Assessed land
- $8,550
- Tax exemption
- None
03 / Zoning
What the lot allows
Zoned R6. Floor area ratio is how much building the lot can legally hold. Listings rarely spell this out.
Unused residential floor area
0ft²
Built at 123% of allowed
The building already exceeds today's allowed residential floor area.
- Commercial FAR allowed
- 0.00
- Community facility FAR
- 4.80
- Affordable housing bonus FAR
- 3.90
- Zoning district
- R6
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)
48
open violations
25 immediately hazardous, 16 hazardous, 5 non-hazardous, 2 informational.
Registration recently lapsed, ended Sep 1, 2026. Owner state CA.
Buildings (DOB)
3
open violations
3 safety-related. Most recent open filing Nov 14, 2025.
Permits, unsafe structures, boilers, elevators, facades.
Penalties (ECB)
0
unresolved
No unresolved penalties on file.
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.
59 recorded documents · 3 sales of $10,000 or more · Last sale 2025 · Last mortgage 2019
Unlock the recorded amounts for 537 Knickerbocker Avenue
After you register, the paid report includes who owns the building, plus the amounts below from the city file.
- Owner details
- Last sale price
- Mortgage amount
- Recorded document amounts
Paid report
The rest of 537 Knickerbocker Avenue 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
- Last sale price
- Mortgage amount
- Recorded document amounts
06 / FAQ
Questions
How many open violations does 537 Knickerbocker Avenue have?
As of Oct 21, 2026, the building at 537 Knickerbocker Avenue has 48 open HPD violations (25 Class C, 16 Class B, 5 Class A, 2 Class I), 3 open DOB violations, 0 unresolved ECB penalties. These are building records, so they apply to this listing.
What is the zoning of 537 Knickerbocker Avenue?
The lot is zoned R6. The building is built at a floor area ratio of 3.00 against 2.43 allowed for residential use, leaving about 0 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 537 Knickerbocker Avenue?
Owner details are in the paid report, available after you register. Last sale price, 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 21, 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.