Yonkers Property Records Lookup

Yonkers property records are maintained by Westchester County and the City of Yonkers Assessor's Office. As the fourth largest city in New York State with about 200,000 residents, Yonkers sits just north of the Bronx along the Hudson River. Property records for Yonkers include deeds, mortgages, liens, assessment data, and tax maps. The Westchester County Clerk records all land documents for Yonkers properties. The city's Assessor handles property valuations, publishes the assessment roll, and processes tax exemption applications. Free online search tools make it easy to research Yonkers property records from home.

Westchester County Handles Yonkers Property Records

Property recording for Yonkers goes through Westchester County. The Westchester County Clerk's Office at 110 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, White Plains, NY 10601 records deeds, mortgages, and liens. Phone: (914) 995-3080. The office handles all real estate instruments for Yonkers properties. Public access terminals are available. eRecording through authorized vendors allows electronic document submission.

Westchester County is the second most populous county in New York outside the five boroughs. Historical records are maintained by the Clerk. Copy fees are $1 per page. The office also handles court filings, judgment liens, and other civil records that may affect property titles. All instruments must meet state formatting requirements and carry proper notary acknowledgments. Documents need to be on 8.5 by 11 or 8.5 by 14 inch pages with legible text and proper margins. The Clerk endorses each recorded document with the date, time, book and page number as required by Real Property Law Section 319.

How to Search Yonkers Property Records

The Westchester County Land Records Online portal provides free access to recorded documents for Yonkers properties. Search by name, document type, or date range. Document images are viewable and can be printed or downloaded. The system is available 24/7. Records cover the 1980s to present. Grantor and grantee indexes let you trace ownership chains. Free registration may be needed for some features.

The Westchester County Real Estate Tax Department maintains tax maps and assessment rolls for all municipalities in the county, including Yonkers. Online property search tools display assessments, exemptions, and parcel information. Equalization rates and sales data are published annually. The office supports local assessors throughout Westchester.

The City of Yonkers Assessor's Office determines property values for all Yonkers parcels. The Assessor publishes the tentative assessment roll and accepts exemption applications. STAR, veterans, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities can apply for tax exemptions here. The Board of Assessment Review hears complaints from property owners about their assessments. Property inventory and sales data are maintained. Assessment information is available online through the city website.

Exemption applications in Yonkers are due by March 1st each year. Basic STAR is for primary residences with owner income of $500,000 or less. Enhanced STAR serves homeowners 65 and older with income under $92,000. The Tax Department now upgrades eligible Basic STAR recipients to Enhanced STAR automatically at age 65. Veterans exemptions and disability exemptions are also available. Property inventory records show building characteristics, construction details, and lot dimensions that factor into the assessed value. The Assessor uses mass appraisal techniques and monitors sales data to ensure values reflect the current Yonkers real estate market. The final assessment roll is the basis for tax billing by the city, county, and school district.

Recording Fees for Yonkers Properties

Recording a deed for a Yonkers property costs $45 base plus $5 per page at the Westchester County Clerk. The TP-584 form fee is $5. RP-5217 costs $125 for residential or farm property and $250 for others. Transfer tax is $4 per $1,000 of consideration. Residential deeds have an extra $10 fee. eRecording through authorized vendors provides 24/7 submission.

Mortgage recording tax includes the state rate of $0.50 per $100 of debt. Westchester County is in the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District, so MCTD tax also applies. Form MT-15 must be filed with each recorded mortgage. The mortgage recording tax page shows current rates. Documents must have original signatures and proper acknowledgments per Real Property Law Section 294. The real estate transfer tax must be paid at the time of recording.

Legal Framework for Yonkers Property Records

Yonkers property records are governed by New York's Real Property Law Article 9. Section 292 makes unrecorded conveyances void against later good faith buyers who file first. Section 293 gives constructive notice through recording. Section 291 requires the County Clerk to keep alphabetical indexes of grantors and grantees. These rules protect buyers and sellers of Yonkers real estate.

The Freedom of Information Law guarantees public access to Yonkers property records. Agencies must respond to written requests within five business days. FOIL copy fees top out at 25 cents per page. The STAR program provides school tax relief. Basic STAR is for primary residences. Enhanced STAR helps seniors 65 and older. The Real Property Tax Law governs assessment procedures and tax collection.

The NYS Unified Court System handles property litigation for Yonkers in the 9th Judicial District. Supreme Court foreclosure proceedings, quiet title actions, and partition cases can be tracked through eCourts at no cost. The Office of Real Property Tax Services publishes municipal profiles and equalization rates for Yonkers. The NYS GIS Clearinghouse offers parcel data for mapping and boundary research. Property owners in Yonkers can also set up Transfer on Death Deeds under Section 424 of the Real Property Law, effective July 19, 2024, which lets them name beneficiaries who receive the property directly without probate proceedings.

Nearby Qualifying Cities

Westchester County Property Records

For the full county-level view of property records covering Yonkers, visit the Westchester County property records page.