We Buy Homes, Multifamily Buildings & Development Sites in Borough Park

Housing Stock

Borough Park Housing Stock: Brick Homes, Frame Houses and Enlargements

Borough Park lies in southwest-central Brooklyn, roughly between Fort Hamilton Parkway and McDonald Avenue on the north and east, and toward Bensonhurst and Dyker Heights on the south and west, with 13th Avenue at its commercial heart. Much of the neighborhood was built up in the first decades of the twentieth century, after rail service arrived, and its residential blocks reflect that: attached and semi-detached brick one- and two-family homes, with detached frame houses scattered throughout.

Over the past several decades, Borough Park has become one of the most actively enlarged residential areas in the city. Large families and strong community ties drive demand for bigger homes close to schools, synagogues and shopping, so many houses have been extended to the rear or upward, and many older homes have been replaced with larger new buildings. You will also find prewar walk-ups along wider streets and newer multi-family buildings and condominiums throughout.

That makes Borough Park a neighborhood where the lot often matters as much as the house, and where an experienced developer can see value that a typical buyer might miss.

Zoning

Borough Park Zoning and Development Potential

Borough Park’s residential blocks are largely zoned for low- and medium-density housing, with commercial overlays on the shopping avenues such as 13th Avenue and parts of 16th and 18th Avenues. Allowable floor area, height limits, yard requirements and the number of permitted units vary from block to block. Many homes have already used much of their allowable floor area through past enlargements, while others, especially older detached houses, may still have room to grow.

City of Yes for Housing Opportunity, adopted in December 2024, introduced new options on some lots, including additional floor area for projects that include affordable housing, relaxed parking requirements and accessory dwelling units on qualifying one- and two-family lots. For a family-oriented neighborhood with high demand for space, these changes can be meaningful on the right lot.

What we review on every Borough Park property

• Zoning district, overlays and remaining floor area
• Lot width, depth and existing building footprint
• Certificate of occupancy, permits and any stop-work orders
• Open DOB, ECB and HPD violations

Borough Park is not covered by a historic district, so exterior changes generally do not require Landmarks approval, though DOB approvals and zoning compliance still apply.

Rent Regulation

Rent-Stabilized and 421-a Buildings in Borough Park

Borough Park’s older walk-ups along its wider streets often include rent-stabilized apartments, especially in buildings built before 1974 with six or more units. Since the 2019 rent law changes, owners have far fewer ways to recover improvement costs, and many long-time landlords prefer to sell. We buy those buildings with tenants in place and leases intact. See our page on how to sell a rent-stabilized building for more.

Some newer Borough Park multi-family buildings were developed with 421-a benefits, which carry affordability and registration obligations. The program ended for new projects in 2022 and was succeeded by 485-x in 2024, and existing 421-a buildings remain bound by their original terms. Read our guide to selling a 421-a building. As always, consult your own attorney and tax advisor before selling a regulated building.

Where We Buy

Borough Park Streets and Corridors We Focus On

We buy throughout Borough Park, from the blocks near Fort Hamilton Parkway in the 40s down toward the 60s.

• 13th Avenue, the neighborhood’s main shopping street
• 16th Avenue and 18th Avenue commercial corridors
• Fort Hamilton Parkway and the blocks around Maimonides Medical Center
• New Utrecht Avenue beneath the elevated D train
• Residential side streets from the 40s through the 60s, and blocks near McDonald Avenue

Transit is solid. The D runs elevated over New Utrecht Avenue with stops at Fort Hamilton Parkway, 50th Street, 55th Street and 62nd Street, where it connects to the N. The F runs along McDonald Avenue on the eastern edge with stops at Ditmas Avenue and 18th Avenue. Borough Park borders Kensington, Sunset Park, Bensonhurst and Dyker Heights, and we buy in all of them.

Why Owners Sell

Common Reasons Borough Park Owners Sell Directly

Every sale has its own story, but a few patterns come up often in Borough Park.

• Inherited homes where several heirs need to agree on a clean sale
• Older houses that need extensive repair or modernization
• Enlargements or new construction left unfinished, with open permits or stop-work orders
• Walk-ups with rent-stabilized tenants and rising costs
• Properties with accumulating DOB, ECB or HPD violations
• Families relocating or partners dividing their holdings

A direct, as-is sale avoids the hardest parts. You do not need to finish construction, resolve violations, empty the property or open it to showings. You agree on terms and choose the closing date, and many owners appreciate a process that stays private.

Possibilities

What Your Borough Park Property Could Become

A detached frame house on a wider lot may support a significantly larger one- or two-family home, or a small multi-family building where zoning allows. An attached brick home that has not been enlarged may have room for a rear or vertical addition. A stalled project can be brought through DOB, completed and occupied. A garage or low building on an avenue may become a mixed-use building with stores below and apartments above.

City of Yes may add options on some lots, such as accessory dwelling units, but the details always depend on the exact district and lot. Our offer reflects what your property can realistically become under the rules that apply today.

You can see every property type we buy across Brooklyn on our what we buy page.

Your Options

Selling to a Developer vs. Listing vs. Building Yourself

Listing with a broker can be the right path for a finished, vacant, easily financed home where retail price is the priority. It becomes much harder with tenants, violations, open permits or an unfinished enlargement, because many buyers cannot finance those properties.

Developing or enlarging the property yourself can produce more value, but it means design, DOB approvals, contractors, financing and the risk of delays that are common in residential construction.

A direct sale to a developer gives you certainty, privacy and an as-is closing on your timeline. We encourage owners to compare a broker’s estimate with our written offer, and to review everything with their own attorney and tax advisor.

How It Works

How Selling Your Borough Park Property Works

The process is simple and discreet.

• Send us the address and a few details on occupancy and condition
• We review zoning, permits, violations and any rent roll
• We walk the property once, at a time that works for you
• You receive a clear written offer, typically all-cash and as-is
• Your attorney handles the contract and you set the closing date

We respond within one business day and can be flexible on closing dates around holidays, school calendars and family needs. Start on our sell your property page or send us the address using the form below.

Market Context

Borough Park in Context: A Close-Knit Neighborhood With Deep Demand

Borough Park is home to one of the largest Orthodox Jewish communities in the United States, and the neighborhood’s growth is tied closely to its families, institutions and commercial avenues. That steady demand for larger homes near the community has made Borough Park one of Brooklyn’s most active neighborhoods for enlargements and new residential construction.

Because demand is so focused, the value of a property often comes down to its lot, its zoning and how much of its potential has already been used. A buyer who understands construction and DOB approvals can see that clearly. Owners here also compare their options with nearby markets such as Midwood and Kensington, and a direct sale is one practical way to reach a decision without disruption.

Micro-Neighborhoods

Mapleton

At Borough Park’s southern edge, the blocks below the Sea Beach trench feel different from the dense core around 13th Avenue. That area is Mapleton.

Mapleton

Mapleton sits where Borough Park meets Bensonhurst and Midwood, generally described as running from 16th Avenue to Dahill Road and from about 57th Street to 65th Street, though some accounts push its northern edge higher. It was farmland in the old Town of New Utrecht until the early 1910s, when the Sea Beach subway line opened in 1915 and developers subdivided the land for houses. The eastern section was marketed as Mapleton Park, a name that survives through Young Israel of Mapleton Park. The N train runs in an open cut along the southwest edge with stops at 18th Avenue, 20th Avenue and Bay Parkway, and the F runs along McDonald Avenue to the east. Washington Cemetery, Gravesend Park and the Mapleton library branch on 60th Street are local landmarks.

The housing stock is mostly low-density: detached and semi-detached one- and two-family homes, many with driveways, plus some newer multifamily and mixed-use buildings on wider lots. The neighborhood is a mix of Italian American, Jewish and Chinese American families, many of whom have owned for decades. We buy Mapleton houses all-cash and as-is, including older homes that need full renovation, properties with expired permits or open violations from past additions, inherited homes, and lots or tear-downs that suit a new build. Zoning varies block to block, so confirm what a lot allows with a zoning professional. See what we buy and our Bensonhurst page for the blocks to the south.