New York Pied-a-terre Tax: Rates, Thresholds, Who Pays and How Much
New York City’s new tax on second homes will more than double property taxes owed by many wealthy luxury apartment owners, according to tax experts.
State lawmakers passed the tax on nonprimary residences to help close the city’s budget gap. The so-called pied-a-terre tax will be imposed on second homes valued at $1 million or more, and is expected to raise $500 million in revenue.
How the pied-a-terre tax is phased in
According to details obtained by CNBC, the property tax would take effect in two different phases. In the first two years, the tax years 2026-2027 and 2027-2028, condos and co-ops valued at more than $1 million by the city’s Department of Finance will be subject to the tax.
Properties worth $1 million to $3 million face a 4% annual tax. Properties valued at $3 million to $5 million face a 5.25% tax. Those above $5 million face a 6.5% tax.
Why the rates may feel higher than the assessed values
Experts say the city’s antiquated assessment and valuation system can dramatically undervalue properties, reducing the burden. City valuations can often be 10% or less of the true market value.
Instead of overhauling the system immediately, the city will gradually update valuations and the tax according to budget documents. Starting in the 2028-2029 tax year, property values will be based on comparable sales. Since valuations are expected to rise, tax rates are set to fall to compensate.
After valuation adjustments, properties worth $5 million to $15 million would be taxed at 0.8%. Properties between $15 million and $25 million would face a 1.05% rate, while properties over $25 million would be taxed at 1.3%, according to the budget plan.
Who is affected: Ken Griffin’s example
Robert Pollack, a New York property tax attorney with Marcus and Pollack LLP, said the plan is “incredibly complicated.”
Billionaire and Citadel CEO Ken Griffin became the face of the tax after New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani posted a video in front of Griffin’s penthouse apartment announcing the tax. Griffin responded by threatening to pull back business and jobs from New York in the future.
Under the new tax, Griffin, who is a tax resident of Florida, would see his Manhattan property tax bill more than triple, according to CNBC calculations.
Griffin bought his 24,000-square-foot penthouse at 220 Central Park South in 2019 for $238 million. However, government records value the apartment at just $15.5 million. Griffin’s property tax bill for the 2026-2027 tax year is $858,332, according to city records.
In the first two years of the pied-a-terre tax, Griffin’s property tax bill would more than double to $1.87 million, according to Pollack. Starting in the 2028-2029 tax year, it would increase to just under $4 million.
Griffin also purchased two apartments at 740 Park Ave. for a total of $83 million, according to reports. The tax on those units would be $1.1 million starting in 2028, bringing his total Manhattan property tax bill for all his properties to more than $5 million.
Market reaction: concern about tax “sticker shock”
While city politicians say wealthy owners can afford it, real estate brokers and tax attorneys say the impact could be significant. Pollack said, “All my clients already feel like they pay too much,” adding that the numbers are significant regardless of how wealthy someone is.
