What Is a REBNY Financial Statement and How Do You Fill It Out?
Before any NYC seller takes your offer seriously, their agent will ask for two documents: a pre-approval (or proof of funds) and a REBNY Financial Statement. Named for the Real Estate Board of New York, it's a standardized one-page snapshot of your finances that lets listing agents and sellers quickly judge whether you can actually close — and, for co-ops, whether you'd plausibly pass a board.
What it is (and isn't)
It's a self-reported summary — no documents are attached at the offer stage.
It is not legally binding, but honesty matters: for co-ops, the board package later requires full documentation, and discrepancies between your offer-stage statement and your verified package can sink you.
One statement per purchasing household; couples typically combine finances on a single form.
The sections, line by line
Assets
Cash in banks: checking, savings, money market. List actual current balances.
Marketable securities: brokerage accounts at market value.
Retirement accounts: 401(k), IRA — listed separately because co-op boards discount them.
Real estate owned: current market value of properties you own.
Other assets: vested equity, business interests, vehicles if meaningful. Don't inflate; be able to document anything you list.
Liabilities
Mortgages on real estate owned (balances)
Loans: auto, student, personal
Credit card balances (current, not limits)
Any other obligations — alimony/support, co-signed loans
Income
Base salary (gross annual)
Bonus/commission: typically shown as a recent-year figure or average; boards will average 2 years from your tax returns later
Other income: rental income, dividends/interest, self-employment
The bottom lines
Net worth = total assets − total liabilities
Many versions also show liquid net worth — which is what NYC actually cares about
How agents read it in ten seconds
A listing agent scans for three things: (1) enough liquid assets to cover the down payment plus closing costs with a cushion, (2) income supporting the monthly carry at a reasonable debt-to-income ratio, and (3) for co-ops, whether post-closing liquidity would satisfy that building's board. If you're offering on a co-op with a known 25%-down, 2-years-liquidity standard, your statement gets measured against it immediately.
Practical tips
Prepare it before you start touring. Serious NYC buyers carry a current REBNY statement the way they carry a pre-approval. Updating balances takes minutes; building it from scratch during a bidding war costs you the apartment.
Be conservative with valuations. Marking your startup equity at an optimistic number impresses no one and invites questions later.
Keep it consistent with your eventual board package. For co-ops, the board will see statements for every account. The offer-stage form should reconcile with those documents.
Show gift funds honestly. If part of your down payment is a family gift, note it — some co-ops restrict gifted funds, and you want to learn that before you're in contract.
Don't list what you can't liquidate. Crypto, collectibles, and unvested RSUs may count for little; a statement padded with them reads as weakness, not strength.
Where to get the form
Any NYC buyer's agent will provide the current REBNY template (it's periodically updated). Your agent should also help you sanity-check how a specific co-op board will read your numbers before you offer.
This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. As of August 2026.
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