Top 15 Off-Market NYC Properties to Watch — May 2026
If you are searching for NYC off-market properties 2026, the most useful watchlists usually start with public distress signals before a broker memo exists. We pulled the latest 90-day NYC data from PropRadar on May 8, 2026 and ranked the properties below by active violations, permit recency, and signal overlap to build a sharper shortlist for any New York distressed properties investor looking for NYC real estate investment leads.
How this NYC watchlist was built
This May 2026 post is based on live rows from nyc_distress.properties joined to recent DOB events. The current NYC feed is heavily skewed toward either violation stacks or permit churn, with only one property showing both an active violation and a tracked permit flag in the same 90-day window. That is why this list blends severe code pressure with repeated permit activity instead of pretending the market is full of clean multi-signal overlaps.
Ranking inputs
- Active DOB violation count in the last 90 days
- Recent demolition or major alteration permit filings
- Repeat permit renewals that suggest project churn
- Signal overlap when both permits and violations appear
NYC off-market properties 2026 watchlist
These 15 properties are not guaranteed sellers. They are the addresses where current NYC distress signals are concentrated enough to deserve investor attention before a listing cycle starts.
| Rank | Address | Borough | Signal type | Why it is interesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1236 A East Gun Hill Road Last activity Mar 6, 2026 | Bronx | Fire-damage violation stack 17 active DOB violations in 90 days | DOB notes charred roof framing, partial collapse, and an open, unsecured structure. It is the clearest Bronx distress case in the current feed. |
| 2 | 866 51 Street Last activity Mar 19, 2026 | Brooklyn | Emergency work violations 7 active DOB violations in 90 days | Recent DOB records say emergency demolition work was performed contrary to plans, with corrective calculations and a compliance plan still required. |
| 3 | 132-05 Avery Avenue Last activity Mar 23, 2026 | Queens | Demolition watch 5 active DOB violations in 90 days | The latest remedy in the record is direct: demolish, grade, and fence. That kind of instruction is one of the strongest Queens distress signals in the dataset. |
| 4 | 175 East 79 Street Last activity Mar 17, 2026 | Manhattan | Facade and collapse exposure 5 active DOB violations in 90 days | Recent Manhattan records reference a loose-brick collapse zone at the rear yard line, which makes this an obvious Upper East Side watchlist property. |
| 5 | 105-31 171 Place Last activity Mar 6, 2026 | Queens | Fire-damage distress 5 active DOB violations in 90 days | DOB records cite fire damage, an open roof, compromised rafters, and repair drawings still needed after the event. |
| 6 | 116-13 101 Avenue Last activity Feb 18, 2026 | Queens | Emergency collapse order 5 active DOB violations in 90 days | Inspectors logged a partial mezzanine collapse and emergency work requirements, the kind of event that can force a faster owner decision. |
| 7 | 346 Coney Island Avenue Last activity Mar 27, 2026 | Brooklyn | Facade and balcony failure 4 active DOB violations in 90 days | DOB flagged cracked balcony glass and a collapsed balcony underside, then ordered a hands-on facade evaluation. |
| 8 | 33-12 89 Street Last activity Mar 31, 2026 | Queens | Vacancy and secure-building order 4 active DOB violations in 90 days | The most recent DOB remedy is to seal the building, which often signals a property that is no longer in stable operating condition. |
| 9 | 6 West 20th Street Last activity Mar 26, 2026 | Manhattan | Mixed signal 1 active violation plus 1 major alteration permit | This is the only NYC property in the current 90-day feed with both an active violation and a tracked permit flag, making it one of the more interesting Manhattan watch items. |
| 10 | 149 Pulaski Street Last activity Mar 31, 2026 | Brooklyn | Demolition permit churn 2 demolition-related permit renewals | Two demolition-flagged permit renewals landed in late March. Even without paired violations, repeat demolition activity is a strong Brooklyn watchlist signal. |
| 11 | 375 Pearl Street Last activity Apr 1, 2026 | Manhattan | Recent major alteration renewals 2 major alteration permit renewals | Two fresh April 1 alteration renewals keep this Manhattan asset near the top of the permit-churn list for May 2026. |
| 12 | 24-55 Brooklyn Queens Expressway West Last activity Mar 26, 2026 | Queens | Heavy permit churn 3 permit renewals in 90 days | Three DOB renewals hit inside the same window. That volume can indicate an active repositioning effort or a job that is dragging longer than planned. |
| 13 | 24 East 10th Street Last activity Mar 24, 2026 | Manhattan | Village permit cluster 3 permit renewals in 90 days | Three separate renewals in one quarter suggest this project is still moving through DOB, which keeps it on an off-market investor watchlist. |
| 14 | 365 36 Street Last activity Mar 17, 2026 | Brooklyn | Plumbing and equipment permit cluster 3 permit renewals in 90 days | Brooklyn filings show repeated plumbing and equipment renewals, the kind of project churn that can surface motivated owners. |
| 15 | 755 Rhinelander Avenue Last activity Mar 4, 2026 | Bronx | Bronx permit cluster 3 permit renewals in 90 days | Three Bronx permit renewals arrived in early March, enough repeat activity to keep this property on a New York distressed properties investor radar. |
#1 • Bronx
1236 A East Gun Hill Road
Fire-damage violation stack
17 active DOB violations in 90 days
DOB notes charred roof framing, partial collapse, and an open, unsecured structure. It is the clearest Bronx distress case in the current feed.
Last activity Mar 6, 2026
#2 • Brooklyn
866 51 Street
Emergency work violations
7 active DOB violations in 90 days
Recent DOB records say emergency demolition work was performed contrary to plans, with corrective calculations and a compliance plan still required.
Last activity Mar 19, 2026
#3 • Queens
132-05 Avery Avenue
Demolition watch
5 active DOB violations in 90 days
The latest remedy in the record is direct: demolish, grade, and fence. That kind of instruction is one of the strongest Queens distress signals in the dataset.
Last activity Mar 23, 2026
#4 • Manhattan
175 East 79 Street
Facade and collapse exposure
5 active DOB violations in 90 days
Recent Manhattan records reference a loose-brick collapse zone at the rear yard line, which makes this an obvious Upper East Side watchlist property.
Last activity Mar 17, 2026
#5 • Queens
105-31 171 Place
Fire-damage distress
5 active DOB violations in 90 days
DOB records cite fire damage, an open roof, compromised rafters, and repair drawings still needed after the event.
Last activity Mar 6, 2026
#6 • Queens
116-13 101 Avenue
Emergency collapse order
5 active DOB violations in 90 days
Inspectors logged a partial mezzanine collapse and emergency work requirements, the kind of event that can force a faster owner decision.
Last activity Feb 18, 2026
#7 • Brooklyn
346 Coney Island Avenue
Facade and balcony failure
4 active DOB violations in 90 days
DOB flagged cracked balcony glass and a collapsed balcony underside, then ordered a hands-on facade evaluation.
Last activity Mar 27, 2026
#8 • Queens
33-12 89 Street
Vacancy and secure-building order
4 active DOB violations in 90 days
The most recent DOB remedy is to seal the building, which often signals a property that is no longer in stable operating condition.
Last activity Mar 31, 2026
#9 • Manhattan
6 West 20th Street
Mixed signal
1 active violation plus 1 major alteration permit
This is the only NYC property in the current 90-day feed with both an active violation and a tracked permit flag, making it one of the more interesting Manhattan watch items.
Last activity Mar 26, 2026
#10 • Brooklyn
149 Pulaski Street
Demolition permit churn
2 demolition-related permit renewals
Two demolition-flagged permit renewals landed in late March. Even without paired violations, repeat demolition activity is a strong Brooklyn watchlist signal.
Last activity Mar 31, 2026
#11 • Manhattan
375 Pearl Street
Recent major alteration renewals
2 major alteration permit renewals
Two fresh April 1 alteration renewals keep this Manhattan asset near the top of the permit-churn list for May 2026.
Last activity Apr 1, 2026
#12 • Queens
24-55 Brooklyn Queens Expressway West
Heavy permit churn
3 permit renewals in 90 days
Three DOB renewals hit inside the same window. That volume can indicate an active repositioning effort or a job that is dragging longer than planned.
Last activity Mar 26, 2026
#13 • Manhattan
24 East 10th Street
Village permit cluster
3 permit renewals in 90 days
Three separate renewals in one quarter suggest this project is still moving through DOB, which keeps it on an off-market investor watchlist.
Last activity Mar 24, 2026
#14 • Brooklyn
365 36 Street
Plumbing and equipment permit cluster
3 permit renewals in 90 days
Brooklyn filings show repeated plumbing and equipment renewals, the kind of project churn that can surface motivated owners.
Last activity Mar 17, 2026
#15 • Bronx
755 Rhinelander Avenue
Bronx permit cluster
3 permit renewals in 90 days
Three Bronx permit renewals arrived in early March, enough repeat activity to keep this property on a New York distressed properties investor radar.
Last activity Mar 4, 2026
Closing CTA
Want more than a monthly watchlist?
This article gives you a snapshot. The full PropRadar report gives you a broader pipeline of NYC real estate investment leads across New York City and Chicago, with permits, violations, and other off-market signals in one place.