The Difference Between Buying a Condo & Co-op in NYC—Explained in Inches

Many buyers are surprised by the sheer amount of paperwork involved in purchasing a co-op or condominium apartment in New York City.

As a real estate broker in Manhattan for over 20 years, I’ve personally completed and reviewed more than 1,000 condo and co-op purchase applications.

Having photographed some of these applications, I can visually demonstrate a striking difference between buying a co-op and a condo.

What Every Person Should Know Before Buying a NYC Co-op Apt

The New York Times has called NYC co-op board packages “infamous” and “dreaded,” and for good reason.

NYC co-op board packages usually comprises hundreds of pages and preparing a NYC co-op application is oftentimes the most challenging and labor intensive part of purchasing a co-op apartment.