Alexandria Bay, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 73 (eCode360 ed. 2026) § 73-6
Exceptions for sales or rentals by owners
Operative Text
A. Nothing in § 73-3 (other than Subsection C ) shall apply to: (1) Any single-family house sold or rented by an owner, provided that such private individual owner does not own more than three such single-family houses at any one time; provided, further, that in the case of the sale of any such single-family house by a private individual owner not residing in such house at the time of such sale or who was not the recent resident of such house prior to such sale, the exception granted by this subsection shall apply only with respect to one such sale within any twenty-four-month period; provided, further, that such bona fide private individual owner does not own any interest in, nor is there owned or reserved on his behalf under any express or voluntary agreement, title to any right to all or a portion of the proceeds from the sale or rental of more than three such single-family houses at one time; provided, further, that the sale or rental of any such single-family house shall be excepted from the application of this chapter only if such house is sold or rented without the use in any manner of the sales or rental facilities or the sales or rental services of any real estate broker, agent or salesman or of such facilities or services of any person in the business of selling or renting dwellings or of any employee or agent of any such broker, agent, salesman or person and without the publication, posting or mailing, after notice, of any advertisement or written notice in violation of § 73-3 , but nothing in this proviso shall prohibit the use of attorneys, escrow agents, abstractors, title companies and other such professional assistance as may be necessary to perfect or transfer the title; or (2) Rooms or units in dwellings containing living quarters occupied or intended to be occupied by no more than four families living independently of each other, if the owner actually maintains and occupies one of such living quarters as his residence. B. For the purpose of this exemption, a person shall be deemed to be in the business of selling or renting dwellings if: (1) He has, within the preceding 12 months, participated as principal in three or more transactions involving the sale or rental of any dwelling or any interest therein; (2) He has, within the preceding 12 months, participated as agent, other than in the sale of his own personal residence, in providing sales or rental facilities or sales or rental services in two or more transactions involving the sale or rental of any dwelling or any interest therein; or (3) He is the owner of any dwelling designed or intended for occupancy by or occupied by five or more families.
Section 73-6 of the Alexandria Bay Code of Ordinances carves out exceptions to the fair-housing-style requirements of § 73-3 for certain small-scale, owner-operated transactions. A private individual who owns no more than three single-family homes may sell or rent one of them without triggering § 73-3's requirements, so long as no real estate broker or agent is used and no discriminatory advertising is published. Similarly, an owner who actually lives in a building of four or fewer units is exempt from § 73-3 for the other units in that building. These exemptions are narrowly defined and do not extend to anyone who qualifies as being 'in the business' of selling or renting dwellings under the criteria set out in Subsection B.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 73-6, property owners who believe they qualify for one of these exemptions should understand that the exemption is conditional on several simultaneous requirements — including limits on total single-family home ownership, restrictions on the use of brokers or agents, and prohibitions on discriminatory advertising. An owner who has participated in three or more sale or rental transactions as a principal within the past 12 months, or who owns a building designed for five or more families, is considered to be 'in the business' and cannot claim the exemption. Operators who do use the exemption for a single-family home sale while not residing there should note that § 73-6 limits that particular exception to one such sale within any 24-month period.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 73-6 defines the boundaries of who can claim an exemption from the anti-discrimination provisions of § 73-3, which means tenants and prospective buyers can assess whether a landlord or seller actually qualifies for the exception being claimed. If a landlord used a real estate broker, owns more than three single-family homes, or otherwise meets the 'in the business' definition under § 73-6(B), the exemption may not apply and the full protections of § 73-3 could remain in effect. Individuals who believe a landlord has improperly claimed this exemption may wish to consult a tenant-rights organization or legal aid provider to understand what remedies or complaint processes may be available under Alexandria Bay's ordinance.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 10, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
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Rules and statutes that cite this regulation