New York City is fabulous. There has never been any doubt about that. It’s also one of the most sought-after places to call home, as evidenced by legendary real estate prices for some of the city’s prime spots. Curbed’s calculation of this year’s ten biggest real estate deals added up to a jaw-dropping $233,495,000 in sales with some bigwig names involved in many of those, including the Murdoch family (more than once), some movie stars, and a certain Facebook founder. Here’s the breakdown of the top ten:
Price: $48,000,000
Square Footage: 6,000
This massive purchase came from famed Russian composer Igor Krutoy and his wife Olga, located on the 12th floor at the Plaza. The purchase is said to be a combination unit and, price-wise, surpasses the rest of the list easily.
#2
Location: 834 Fifth Avenue, #56A
Neighborhood: Upper East SidePrice: $36,000,000
Larry Heyman, the chairman of the GAF Group, purchased this duplex from billionaire Leslie Wexner, the owner of retail behemoth Limited Brands Inc. Wexner reportedly moved just down the street to a townhouse on E 78th Street.
#3
Location: 141 Prince Street, PH
Neighborhood: SoHo
Price: $25,000,000Square Footage: 9,309 Apparently Rupert Murdoch’s old place, this SoHo penthouse was sold by Gateway founder Ted Waitt. Wait bought the place for his girlfriend for $27.5 million, only to break up shortly after and sell it for $25 million.
Square Footage: 3,100
This apartment originally had a price of $27 million, raised from $25 million. The seller wasn’t able to find a buyer who was willing to pay up for that much, so it ended up selling for $24.5 million, even lower than the original asking price.
#5
Location: 117-119 East 69th Street
Neighborhood: Upper East Side
Price: $23,000,000Square Footage: 12,118
This Upper East Side townhouse was formerly owned by Muppet creator Jim Henson and went on the market in February for $27.5 million. It ended up selling for $23 million – $4 million less than asking – to James Murdoch, Rupert Murdoch’s son.
Square Footage: 7,000
This penthouse has reportedly seen its share of problems, which, according to Curbed, involved “Icelandic businessmen, chicken wings, and Ikea.” Earlier this year, the unit sold for $22 million, but is back on the market now for $21.4 million.
This penthouse, formerly owned by Bernie Madoff, was bought by toy moguls Al and Patsy Kahn and then sold for $20.5 million. The original asking price for the unit at the Time Warner Center was a whopping $33.6 million, then lowered to $24.95 million, only to sell finally for the $20.5 million price tag.
Square Footage: 6,200
This unit was on the market since 2009, when the asking price was $26 million. Only after seeing a lowering of $5.5 million did the third floor pad finally sell.
#9
Location: 40 West 10th Street
Neighborhood: Greenwich Village
Price: $20,000,000Square Footage: 6,136
Napster founder and later Facebook figure Sean Parker bought the Bacchus House in Greenwich for $20 million after the listing had been floating around the market for quite some time.
Square Footage: 6,800
NYC maven Sarah Jessica Parker and actor husband Matthew Broderick picked up this Greenwich Village home after an extensive and exhausting search by SPJ for her perfect NYC dream home.
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San Francisco
March/April 2012
