Wondering “can I sell my house in New York with a renter there?” Here’s how a cash sale works and what the law keeps the same.

Yes. A tenant generally won’t block a cash sale in NYC, and the lease doesn’t vanish at closing. The buyer takes over as landlord.

So what counts as tenant-occupied?

Someone other than you lives there and pays rent, on a lease or month to month.

A cash buyer doesn’t need a bank loan, so no lender slows things down. The tenant rules are the same for any buyer. Plenty of companies that advertise “we buy houses for cash” will buy with a renter inside.

Will my tenant’s lease still count after I sell?

Usually, and the buyer takes the house subject to it. Month-to-month is different. A landlord can end it with proper written termination notice under RPL 232-a, plus a lawful reason if Good Cause covers the unit.

Rent-stabilized unit? Does that change anything?

Stabilized tenants get capped increases and renewal rights. In the city, that’s mostly buildings with six-plus apartments built before 1974, and some smaller ones that took 421-a or J-51 tax breaks. A typical one- or two-family house usually isn’t. Not sure? Ask NY Homes and Community Renewal (HCR).

If it is, those rules pass to the buyer.

Where does Good Cause Eviction fit in?

New York’s Good Cause law has been on the books since April 20, 2024, and covers many NYC market-rate renters. It doesn’t reach every rental. Exclusions include certain small landlords (10 or fewer units), qualifying owner-occupied buildings, rent-regulated apartments, and units renting above 245% of the applicable HUD fair market rent.

The catch: that exemption depends on who owns the unit. If your buyer owns more than 10 units, the law may cover your tenant after closing even if it didn’t cover you.

Who ends up holding the security deposit?

The buyer. General Obligations Law 7-105 has you hand it over at closing or within five days, then mail the tenant (registered or certified) the new owner’s name and address. Skipping this is a misdemeanor. Since the 2019 HSTPA, GOL 7-108 caps most deposits at one month’s rent.

Can I make the tenant leave before closing?

You can ask.

New locks, belongings on the curb, heat shut off: that’s an illegal lockout once they have a lease or 30 days in the unit. Removing a tenant takes a case in NYC Housing Court.

Not renewing a market-rate lease, or raising rent 5% or more? Real Property Law 226-c says give written notice. That’s 30, 60, or 90 days (under one year, one to two, two-plus), by occupancy or lease term, whichever is longer. If Good Cause covers the unit, you’ll also need a lawful reason.

What about paying the tenant to leave?

A buyout can be lawful if it’s truly voluntary. NYC requires a buyout offer to state in writing that it’s from the owner and why, and that they can refuse and stay, see a lawyer, and ask for no contact for 180 days. It must also list the community district’s median asking rent. Lean on them with threats or lie to them, and that’s tenant harassment.

How might this play out?

You own a two-family in Queens. Upstairs, the renter has eight months left and a $2,000 deposit.

A cash buyer reads the lease and buys anyway. At closing, the $2,000 moves over, you send the certified letter, and rent keeps coming, to a new landlord.

What are the steps?

1. Dig out the lease, your rent ledger, and the deposit paperwork.
2. Figure out whether stabilization or Good Cause applies to the unit.
3. Get offers only from buyers who’ll close with the tenant there.
4. Set up the deposit transfer and certified tenant letter for closing.
5. Have a New York real estate attorney check the contract.

Investors and other people who buy houses often say “we buy houses in any condition,” useful if the unit needs work or you want to sell a fire-damaged house.

Should you wait for the tenant to move out?

Not necessarily. If you’re asking how to sell my house in New York with a renter, cash works, as long as the lease, deposit, and tenant rights carry over properly. Buyers may price the lease into offers.

Google “we buy houses New York” or “we buy houses cash” and you’ll see a long list. A good house buying company asks about your lease early. Want a cash for home New York offer? Elite Properties NY can look at your property, tenant and all.

FAQ’s

1. Do I need my tenant’s OK to sell?

   Usually no. Just stick to whatever the lease says about letting people in.

2. Can the buyer raise the rent right away?

   Not mid-lease. At renewal, a stabilized rent follows the Rent Guidelines Board order, plus other lawful adjustments. Under Good Cause, an increase above 8.38% (the 2026 NYC figure) is rebuttably presumed unreasonable, not capped outright.

3. What if the buyer wants to live in a stabilized unit?

   For NYC stabilized units, only narrowly: one unit, with an immediate and compelling need. Tenants 62+, tenants with disabilities, and anyone there 15+ years are protected unless offered a comparable nearby unit. Ask an attorney.