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Policy & Guidelines

The NYTimes.com real estate listings policy & guidelines.

We can help you get the most out of your property listing on NYTimes.com.

  • 1. How do I search for a property?

    To search our listings database, start with the property search box at the top of any Real Estate page. Select an option to indicate whether you want to search properties for sale or for rent. You can then search for properties in a variety of ways, including the following:

    • By city, county, state, neighborhood or region (For more information, see How are neighborhoods defined? and Can I search by a geographic region?)
    • By property address (For more information, see How do I search for a specific address?)
    • By valid ZIP code (For more information, see How do I search by ZIP code?)
    • By property ID (For more information, see How do I search by a listing's ID?)

    You can narrow your search results by selecting a property price and number of bedrooms. From the search bar, property searches can also be filtered in the following ways:

    • "For sale" properties can be filtered to include only those with open house information, only new developments (new construction), only for sale by owner properties, only properties with price reductions or only new/recently posted properties. Select the appropriate check box in the search bar.
    • "For rent" properties can be filtered by these options: No Fee, Open House, Price Reductions, New (last 7 days) or Vacation Rentals. Select the appropriate check box in the search bar.

    You can add multiple cities, states or neighborhoods on any search results page (or by clicking Advanced Search in the property search box), and you'll be able to continue to refine your search criteria to ensure that you're getting the results that best match your property needs.

  • 2. Why do locations appear in the search box as I'm typing?

    When you type characters in the search box, matching locations and ZIP codes appear as suggestions to help you quickly complete your search. If multiple locations match the characters you've entered, they will be sorted as follows:

    • New York state, Connecticut and New Jersey (neighborhoods will appear before cities, cities before counties, and counties before states)
    • All other locations, sorted alphabetically (cities will appear before counties, counties before neighborhoods, and neighborhoods before states)
  • 3. How do I search for properties in multiple cities or neighborhoods?

    Click Advanced Search in the property search box at the top of any Real Estate page. Or use the sidebar on the left side of any search results to expand your search, change your search, or search in multiple cities or neighborhoods

    Selecting Multiple Cities: Click Add Cities at the top of the left sidebar on the search results page. Select additional cities with the check boxes in the pop-up that appears. Once you've made your selections, click Search Selected to proceed.

    Selecting Multiple Neighborhoods: Click the Select Neighborhoods link below the appropriate location in the left sidebar on the search results page. Select additional neighborhoods with the check boxes in the pop-up that appears. Once you've made your selections, click Search Selected to proceed.

    Note: We display cities or neighborhoods (if we have listings in those areas) within a 30-mile radius from the original location searched.

  • 4. Can I search by keyword for things like a garage, pool or patio?

    Yes! Click Advanced Search in the property search box at the top of any Real Estate page. Or, scroll to the bottom of the left sidebar on any results page to find the area marked Keyword. Enter any terms you'd like here to search for any specific keywords (e.g., mansion, pool, sunny, etc.) in the body of the matching listings. You can also search for an exact phrase (e.g., "heated pool" or "open space") by surrounding the phrase with quotation marks.

  • 5. How do I refine my search results by specific property features?

    Once you reach a search results page that lists properties, you can refine your initial search in a variety of ways. Select any of the following parameters located in the sidebar on the left side of the results page:

    • Price Range: Set your minimum and maximum price range by dragging each price slider to the left or right
    • Number of Bedrooms
    • Number of Bathrooms
    • Square Feet
    • Property Type (Condo, Co-op, single family house, etc.)
    • Listing Type (New Construction, Open House, etc.)
    • Popular Features (Elevator, Doorman, Pool, Fireplace, Fitness Center, etc.)
    • Location Amenities (Retirement Community, Metro Area, etc.)
    • Pet Policy
    • Parking
    • Date Listed
    • Heating/Cooling (Electric, Gas, etc.)
    • Basement (Finished, Unfinished, etc.)
    • Lot Acreage
    • Style (Victorian, Colonial, etc.)
    • Construction Type (Stone, Stucco, etc.)
    • School (District, Elementary School, etc.)

    Note: These parameters are dynamic: they are displayed only if a listing in our database is available based on your selected search criteria. Some listings do not include these parameters--it is up to the listing agent to add these fields. Any of these parameters can be removed from your search criteria at any time; clear or reset them on the left side of the search results page.

  • 6. What determines the default order in which listings are displayed?

    In an effort to provide our readers with high-quality and geographically precise listings, we encourage all brokers and agents to provide us with the listing address so the property can appear on maps. In the case of New York City, the address is also considered in the sort order: listings that include an address will appear above listings without addresses.

    Property listings on NYTimes.com are sorted in the following manner:

    • In New York City properties for sale/rent, we return results that have an exact and validated street address first. Then we sort by price (descending). We validate street addresses through a program that compares listings to the City of New York's records.
    • Outside of New York City, we return results sorted by price (descending).

    Note: You can change the sort order at any time by using the "Sort By" drop-down menu on the top right side of the search results page.

  • 7. How are neighborhoods defined?

    To make it possible for you to search for properties in neighborhoods throughout New York City and its five boroughs, we have defined specific geographic areas and linked them to commonly used neighborhood names (e.g., Upper West Side, Flatiron, Hell's Kitchen, Clinton Hill, Park Slope, Brooklyn Heights, etc.). Our definitions of these neighborhoods may not match a broker's definition or the definitions on another Web site. Neighborhoods are difficult to define because they change over time and are subjective in many ways.

    That said, we have tried to take an unbiased, user-friendly approach to neighborhood assignments. Additionally, the boundaries used for property searches reflect the same neighborhood definitions used by the Times editorial staff for articles about those areas. This correlation will make it possible for us to integrate NYTimes.com editorial content with property search results. For advertisers, this neighborhood boundary consistency improves the accuracy of your listings and will more closely align listings with relevant editorial content.

    Please also keep in mind that neighborhood definitions only affect readers who choose to search by a specific neighborhood. Neighborhood assignments do not have any impact on property searches conducted by ZIP code, city, town, and so on. We are continuing to evaluate new ways of communicating neighborhood boundaries to our readers. Our goal is to create the best possible property search experience; accordingly, we may periodically redefine New York City neighborhoods in order to provide the most accurate and comprehensive search results.

    Note: When we are provided with the exact address for a property, we assign a neighborhood based on our geographic definitions. When we do not have an exact address, we assign a neighborhood (if one exists) based on the geographic center point of the listing's ZIP code.

  • 8. How do I search for a specific address?

    In the property search box (available at the top of every Real Estate Page), type a street name or street number and name (e.g., 68th Street). Click Go or press Enter. All matching properties will be returned. Click a listing for details.

    Note: Some brokers do not supply us with addresses. If you search by address, only listings that include an address will be returned.

  • 9. How do I search by ZIP code?

    In the property search box (available at the top of every Real Estate Page), type a valid ZIP or postal code (United States and Canada only). All matching properties will be returned. Click a listing for details.

  • 10. How do I search by a listing’s ID?

    If you know the ID used by brokers for a particular listing, or if the listing has been assigned an ID by The Times (e.g., properties that are for sale by owner), type the ID in the search box (available at the top of every Real Estate Page) or in the keyword search box that appears on the Advanced Search page and on search result pages.

  • 11. Can I search by a geographic region?

    Yes! Here are some examples of geographic regions you can search for:

    • Adirondacks, NY
    • The Hamptons and North Fork, NY
    • Martha's Vineyard, MA
    • Cape Cod, MA
    • New Jersey Shore, NJ
    • Wine Country, CA

    Please note that we will continue to add new regions to our location taxonomy.

  • 12. Can I search by navigating the map instead of by entering specific locations?

    Yes! Once you reach a search results page that lists properties, you can use the map to search for properties. Click the Search by Map option above the map, on the right side of the page. You can also click Expand Map to view properties on the map more easily.

    Click and drag the map in any direction you like. As you move the map, the page will be populated with listings based on the current map location. The numeric pinpoints on the map correspond to the results listed on the page.

    Note: Clicking a city or neighborhood icon on the map will automatically return you to a traditional list-based search.

  • 13. Can I view photos, floor plans and video tours associated with listings?

    Yes! Property sellers and renters can include photos and floor plans. To view a larger version of a photo, click a thumbnail image. Click the right or left arrow next to the thumbnails to view additional photos. Click a large photo to zoom in further.

    To view a floor plan or video tour, click the appropriate tab below the thumbnail images.

    Note: Photos, floor plans and video tours will be displayed only if provided by the property seller or renter.

  • 14. Can I view sales activity data and nearby schools associated with a specific listing?

    Yes! Once you reach a listing detail page that lists information about a specific property, you will see the following recent sales data and nearby school information:

    • Sales Activity: For searches in New York City, we return results from the Department of Finance. Results include the date of transaction, address of the property, available property details (# beds, # baths, square footage), property type (e.g., condo, co-op) and sold price, providing market insight. We do not display sales activity data outside of New York City at this time.
    • Nearby Schools: We return results from the New York State Education Department for all schools in New York State and we return results from the National Center for Education Statistics for all schools outside of New York State.
  • 15. What information is contained within the "Current Market Snapshot" data module?

    The "Current Market Snapshot" data module displays New York City real estate market trends, such as Total Inventory, Average Time on Market, Median Price, and so on. These trends are based on real estate sales property listings that were or are active on NYTimes.com. The data is broken out by month, NYC borough, neighborhood and bedroom count. The data columns are defined as follows (you can also view these definitions by hovering over the appropriate column heading in the data module):

    • Beds: The total number of bedrooms listed in a given set of properties.
    • Total Inventory: The total number of listings in a neighborhood at a given bedroom count, as of the last day of the month.
    • Average Days on Market: The average time that listings are on the market in a given neighborhood.
    • Median Price: The median listing price in a neighborhood at a given bedroom count, as of the last day of the month.*
    • # of Reductions: The total number of listings that had price reductions within a designated month.
    • Average Reduction: Of the listings with price reductions, this is the average drop in price by dollar amount.*
    • # of Increases: The total number of listings that had price increases within a designated month.
    • Average Increase: Of the listings with price increases, this is the average rise in price by dollar amount.*
  • 16. What determines the nearby cities and neighborhoods that are displayed on listings detail pages?

    Once you reach a listing detail page that lists information about a specific property, you will see a list of nearby cities and neighborhoods. Click a city or neighborhood to add it to your search (you will be returned to the search results page).

    Nearby cities and neighborhoods are defined as follows:

    • Nearby Cities: This list shows the six closest cities, within a 10-mile radius.
    • Nearby Neighborhoods: This list shows the six closest neighborhoods, within a 10-mile radius.
  • 17. What listing tools are available?

    Many! We offer a number of tools on both search result pages and listing detail pages:

    • Saved Listings: Save up to 50 listings. They will be saved in your account for future reference.
    • Saved Searches: Save up to 10 searches. All search refinements will be saved for the next time you visit our site.
    • Add Private Notes: Append private notes to any property listing.
    • Add Private Photos: Associate up to 10 private photos with any property listing.
    • E-Mail Alerts: Get notified by e-mail when a new listing matches your search criteria, an open house is scheduled or a price reduction is advertised.
    • RSS Feeds: Use an RSS reader to keep up with listings that match your search criteria.
    • Send to Mobile: Send listings to your mobile device — take listings (including photos) with you on the go.
    • Mortgage Calculator: Calculate an approximate monthly payment based on asking price, down payment, loan term and annual interest rate.
    • E-Mail a Friend: Send listings to your friends.
    • Print: View the page in a layout optimized for printing.
    • E-Mail Agent: E-mail the listing broker directly.
    • Broker site links: View the current listing on the broker's site or all listings on the broker site.

    Note: You must create a real estate account in order to take advantage of saved listings, searches, private photos, private notes and e-mail alerts. Click "Sign Up" on a Real Estate Page to create an account.