Buying in Kensington: the questions with sourced answers
Each answer below cites where it comes from — the Census, the office that holds the permits, the state code, or Lou’s own reports.
How old are the houses in Kensington?
The Census puts the median year built for homes in zip code 11218 at 1942, and about 47% of the 27,403 housing units there were built before 1940. An older house is not a worse house, but its wiring, plumbing and roof were installed under different rules and replaced piecemeal, which is exactly what the inspection looks for. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates, tables B25035 and B25034, ZCTA 11218.
What kind of housing is Kensington: single-family, two-family or apartments?
Of 27,403 housing units in zip 11218, about 7% are detached single-family houses, 13% are two-unit buildings, and 38% of occupied homes are owner-occupied. A two-family or a co-op is a different inspection from a detached house: shared systems, common areas and what the board or the other unit controls. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2019–2023 5-year, tables B25024 and B25003, ZCTA 11218.
Who holds the building permits and certificate of occupancy for a house in Kensington?
NYC Department of Buildings handles permits and certificates of occupancy for every address in the borough. Permits and COs are kept by the municipality, not the inspector; checking them is a records search, usually through your attorney. The inspection reports the condition of what is there and flags work that typically needs a permit — a finished basement, a dormer, a moved panel — so you know what to ask about. NYC Department of Buildings. Lookups: BIS https://a810-bisweb.nyc.gov/bisweb/bispi00.jsp; DOB NOW Public Portal https://a810-dobnow.nyc.gov/publish/#!/
Which building code applies in Kensington?
Brooklyn is governed by the New York City Construction Codes enforced by the NYC Department of Buildings; the State Uniform Code does not apply inside New York City. Source: www.nyc.gov.
Public water and sewer, or well and cesspool, in Kensington?
NYC DEP supplies the borough with more than 1 billion gallons a day from upstate reservoirs, serving about nine million customers; there is no private-well supply. NYC DEP runs the sewer system (over 6,000 miles of sewers) and 14 wastewater resource recovery facilities treating 1.3 billion gallons a day; homes are on city sewer, not septic. The inspection reports what the house actually has and its visible condition; a cesspool or septic system needs its own evaluation. Source: www.nyc.gov.
Is Kensington in a flood zone?
Flood zones follow the address, not the town. OpenFEMA holds 6,319 NFIP claim records for Kings County (FIPS 36047). NYC notes FEMA's city flood maps have not been significantly updated since 1983 and insurance rates still rest on the 2007 Effective FIRMs. Look the address up on FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center before you sign. Source: www.fema.gov.
Should I test for radon in Kensington?
Brooklyn is in EPA Zone 3 (low potential) — Zone 3 counties have a predicted average indoor radon screening level below 2 pCi/L; EPA still recommends testing every home. NYSDOH's borough estimate (Feb 2007, 339 homes measured) is 1.3% of living areas and 7% of basements above 4 pCi/L. Radon is a separate, optional test arranged alongside the inspection. Source: www.epa.gov.
Is there a local rule in Brooklyn a buyer should know about?
Co-op and condo units are sold under an offering plan reviewed by the NY Attorney General's Real Estate Finance Bureau under the Martin Act; the AG advises reading the whole plan and consulting an attorney before signing. Source: ag.ny.gov.
What did Lou’s Kensington inspections actually turn up?
Across his reports in Kensington, the summaries listed 22 repair-or-replace items, most of them under the electrical system, plumbing and the roof, chimney and attic. Every one is in the written report with a photograph; see what a report looks like.
How much does a home inspection in Kensington cost, and how fast is the report?
Lou quotes the actual property, not a flat rate — what drives the price is size, age and what is included. The written report arrives the same day as a rule; a large or complex house can run to the next morning. Call or text 516-330-3870.
