Argo Real Estate
Managing agent — unlicensed in New York State
160 buildings. 1,098 Class C violations. No state license.
PORTFOLIO GEOGRAPHY
160 buildings.
THE PATTERN
Mid-range violation rate.
At 6.9 Class C violations per building, Argo Real Estate sits in the middle of the firms we've scored — the median of the pack. The firm is the HPD managing agent of record for 160 buildings carrying 1,098 total Class C violations. Not the worst — but in an unregulated industry, average is not a defense.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR BUYERS
Considering a building managed by Argo?
Argo Real Estate's 6.9 Class C violations per building sits in the middle of the firms we've scored — but averages obscure the real story. Look at their top buildings: 137-01 83 Avenue in Queens carries 59 Class C violations alone. That single building accounts for more hazardous conditions than most firms' entire portfolios. When a managing agent lets one building accumulate that many life-safety violations, the question is not whether they have bad buildings — it is whether they have a system for catching problems before they become crises.
Argo's footprint spans all five boroughs — 81 buildings in Manhattan, 46 in Brooklyn, 31 in Queens, and 2 in the Bronx. But its worst-performing buildings cluster in Queens: six of the top ten violators sit in that borough. Outer-borough building stock tends to be older, more diverse in construction type, and less likely to attract the premium-service attention that Manhattan co-ops demand. If you are buying in an Argo-managed Queens building, you are statistically more likely to encounter deferred maintenance.
Before purchasing in any Argo-managed building, demand the most recent reserve fund study, the last three years of audited financials, and a complete HPD violation history. Ask specifically about Local Law 11 facade inspection status and whether any open DOB violations exist. These are basic due-diligence steps — but in an unregulated industry, nobody requires the managing agent to provide them.
Look up your specific building in our Building Reports database.
See our guide on offering plan red flags.
Use our 10 questions checklist.
THE REGULATORY VOID
No license. No exam. No oversight.
Argo Real Estate is the HPD managing agent of record for 160 buildings containing roughly 9,977 residential units — and needs no state license to do so. In Florida, a Community Association Manager must pass a state exam, carry a bond, and complete continuing education. In New York, there is no equivalent requirement.
This means there is no government body you can complain to about Argo's management. No disciplinary board. No public complaint registry. No performance standards. The 1,098 Class C violations across their portfolio — conditions HPD classifies as immediately hazardous to life and health — trigger no regulatory consequence for the managing agent. HPD can fine the building. The AG can investigate fraud. But the entity actually running the building day-to-day operates in a regulatory vacuum.
TOP 25 BUILDINGS
Ranked by Class C violations.
| # | Address | Borough | Class C |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 Spring Street | Manhattan | 59 |
| 2 | 137-01 83 Avenue | Queens | 59 |
| 3 | 65-05 Yellowstone Blvd | Queens | 51 |
| 4 | 135-30 82 Drive | Queens | 46 |
| 5 | 186 Bleecker Street | Manhattan | 42 |
| 6 | 67-07 Yellowstone Blvd | Queens | 35 |
| 7 | 184 Stanton Street | Manhattan | 32 |
| 8 | 140-18 Burden Crescent | Queens | 31 |
| 9 | 82-41 Hoover Avenue | Queens | 29 |
| 10 | 360 Central Park West | Manhattan | 29 |
| 11 | 163 Ocean Avenue | Brooklyn | 28 |
| 12 | 35-38 75 Street | Queens | 28 |
| 13 | 82-05 134 Street | Queens | 26 |
| 14 | 519 East 6 Street | Manhattan | 25 |
| 15 | 3060 Ocean Avenue | Brooklyn | 23 |
| 16 | 26 Gramercy Park South | Manhattan | 21 |
| 17 | 4901 Henry Hudson Pkwy W | Bronx | 21 |
| 18 | 326 East 4 Street | Manhattan | 20 |
| 19 | 82-46 135 Street | Queens | 19 |
| 20 | 65-65 Wetherole Street | Queens | 19 |
| 21 | 133 Prospect Park West | Brooklyn | 18 |
| 22 | 2644 Broadway | Manhattan | 17 |
| 23 | 321 West 16 Street | Manhattan | 17 |
| 24 | 2108 Dorchester Road | Brooklyn | 16 |
| 25 | 302 Beverley Road | Brooklyn | 13 |
Source: HPD Violations (NYC Open Data). Class C = immediately hazardous.
RIGHT OF REPLY