Celebrities

August 27, 2015

Soccer Star Andrea Pirlo Checks Out $30K/Month Lenox Hill Penthouse

Just a week after international soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo bought an $18.5 million loft at the Trump Tower, another big-name footballer is looking to score some NYC real estate. The Post reports that Italian player Andrea Pirlo has checked out a $29,995/month penthouse at 205 East 59th Street, which makes sense as the midfielder joined the New York City Football Club just last month. The 2,700-square-foot Lenox Hill pad takes up the entire top floor of the luxury building and offers five outdoor spaces, massive windows, and 13-foot ceilings.
Take a look around the penthouse
August 26, 2015

Saudi Prince Is New Owner of Joan Rivers’ Lavish Penthouse, Will Undertake a Gut Renovation

Initial reports told us that Joan Rivers' opulent Upper East Side penthouse had sold for its asking price of $28 million to a Middle Eastern buyer. And now the Post confirms that the new owner is 65-year-old Saudi prince Muhammad bin Fahd. More newsworthy, though, is the fact that the prince plans to completely gut the 5,100-square-foot triplex, meaning it will lose its legendary gilded details that Rivers once called "Louis XIV meets Fred and Ginger."
Find out more
August 25, 2015

INFOGRAPHIC: Ten Years of Trump

Love him or hate him, not a day goes by anymore without Donald Trump making headlines. But the Donald was turning heads and raising eyebrows long before he launched his [fill in the blank] presidential campaign. As CityRealty notes, “Over the years, Donald Trump’s buildings have commanded a premium in New York’s pricey real estate […]

August 21, 2015

Model Agyness Deyn’s $3.6M Former Williamsburg Loft Has a Tax Bill of Just $24 a Year

A renovated 2,911 square-foot corner loft in Williamsburg's Mill Building at 85 North 3rd Street just hit the market for $3.6 million. The spacious loft condominium with dramatic open spaces and original details is the former home of Brit model Agyness Deyn, who bought the Northside pad for $1.97 million in 2008 and sold it in 2012 for $2.175M. New owners have given it a rustic-luxe update and hope to keep the upward trend going, with a current ask of $3.65 million. An expensive loft in the 'burg wouldn't faze us, (and the building has an impressive menu of amenities–doorman, garage, roof deck–for a loft), but the tax bill was a shocker: Taxes on the pricy pad are a mere–as per the listing–"unheard-of $24 a year," due to a J-51 exemption and tax abatement in effect until 2025.
Find out why the taxes are so low
August 19, 2015

Supermodel and Daughter of Zipcar Founder, Cameron Russell Scoops Up a $1.5M Bed-Stuy Townhouse

Victoria's Secret model, TED Talk speaker, burgeoning media mogul and daughter of Zipcar founder Robin Chase, Cameron Russell has just scored herself a cover-worthy townhouse in Stuyvesant Heights. According to city records filed this afternoon, the model dropped $1.522 million on the home, paying a tad more than the original ask of $1.45 million. Featured on 6sqft previously, the three-story, multi-family property was given an update back in 2011 and boasts high-end renovations, beautifully restored details and all the Brooklyn brownstone charm one could ask for. There's even a solar array topping off the structure and a large garden to boot!
Have a closer look inside
August 17, 2015

Soccer Star Cristiano Ronaldo Nabs $18.5M Trump Tower Loft

If there's one name in soccer that Americans know (other than David Beckham, of course), it's Cristiano Ronaldo, the forward for Real Madrid, captain of the Portuguese national team, and multiple-time best player in the world winner. It's been rumored that the internationally-known hunk is making a move to the MLS, the United States soccer league, and a recent real estate transaction right here in NYC is fueling the fire. The Post reports that Ronaldo has scored an $18.5 million loft at the Trump Tower from Italian real estate mogul Alessandro Proto.
Check out the loft here
August 14, 2015

Inside Hillary and Bill Clintons’ Sprawling $100K Hamptons Rental

It looks like Hillary Clinton is hoping to add some R&R to her campaigning spree at the end of August. The Post reports that the Democratic presidential candidate and husband Bill are renting a sizable mansion at 44 Broadview Road in Amagansett from Republican art collector Andre Nasser and his wife, Sotheby's real estate bigwig, Lois. The reported price? Oh, a mere $100,000 for two weeks.
Go inside the Hamptons home here
August 13, 2015

Marilyn Monroe and Milton Greene Conspired in This Upper East Side Townhouse

Back in 2006, this 3,500 square-foot four-story Upper East Side townhouse first surfaced on the rental market, and again three years later; in 2010, its owner attempted to find a renter for the winter holiday season (a portion of December) apparently without much luck. After bouncing through several different agencies, 127 East 78th Street landed at Sotheby's in 2011 with the intent of marketing the house as a summer rental for $25K; not much luck there either, as townhouse renters tended to want something more long term. A lesson seems to have been learned here, as there are no short-term stipulations mentioned in its new listing for $27,500.00 a month. What is mentioned is more interesting: The townhouse once belonged to famous fashion photographer Milton Greene–known for his collaboration with Marilyn Monroe on photo shoots as well as their joint film production company–and his wife, Amy. Marilyn considered the home a sanctuary among friends when she was in town. And though its interiors have likely been updated since Marilyn's day, the elegant Upper East Side enclave still retains the aura of an East Coast refuge for Old Hollywood.
Take a look around
August 12, 2015

Venus and Serena Williams Sell Midtown West Apartment for $2M

Just in time for the U.S. Open, superstar tennis sisters Venus and Serena Williams have sold their Midtown West apartment for $2.1 million, according to city records released today. The 1,800-square-foot loft at 28 West 38th Street is currently configured as a one-bedroom, but the wide open layout lends itself to a two- or three-bedroom setup. The sisters bought the unit in 2005 for $1,335,000, but were quoted a couple years later saying they had yet to furnish the space. And judging by the seemingly staged listing photos, they may never have gotten around to it. The buyers are Ted Wells, the criminal attorney recently hired by the NFL to investigate the "deflategate" issue, and his wife Nina Mitchell Wells, former Secretary of State of New Jersey.
See the rest of the space
August 11, 2015

Cookbook Author and New York Times Food Columnist Mark Bittman Gets $1.8M for UWS Co-op

If you want to get in on the million dollar real estate game, get a food-related editorial job at the New York Times. First, we learned that op-ed columnist (and former chief restaurant critic) Frank A. Bruni bought a $1.65 million Upper West Side pad at 123 West 74th Street, quickly followed by the sale of his old apartment in the same building for $1.95. Now, just a few blocks away at 17 West 71st Street, the Times' famed food columnist Mark Bittman and his wife Kelly Doe, an art director at the paper, have sold their apartment for $1.82 million, according to city records released today. The couple bought the home in 2009 for $999,999, so they've almost doubled their money. Bittman is also the author of 14 cookbooks (the most well known of which might be "How to Cook Everything") and a regular judge on Food Network competition shows. This makes it curious that the kitchen of his Central Park West pad is rather small and dull.
Take a look around here
August 10, 2015

Rupert Murdoch Puts West Village Townhouse Back on the Market After Just Five Months

Back in April, we reported that News Corp. and 21st Century Fox chairman Rupert Murdoch had listed his One Madison penthouse for a whopping $72 million. He had planned to live in the glassy triplex full time, but instead picked up a $25 million West Village townhouse. But now it looks like the billionaire has changed his mind yet again, putting the townhouse at 278 West 11th Street back on the market for $28.9 million, according to the Daily News.
Find out more here
August 10, 2015

Buy Fashion Designer Betsey Johnson’s Flowery East Hampton Home for $2M

Fashionistas got an unusual treat this past weekend when Betsey Johnson held a giant yard sale at her East Hampton home. The Post noted that the punk-rock-meets-bubblegum-pink fashion designer was unloading around 10,000 items from her personal collection, "including her own designs, one of a kind runway pieces and vintage couture." The sale coincides with Johnson listing her home at 25 Grape Arbor Lane for $1,995,000. And while the clothes outside may be wild and crazy, the designer's cottage-like residence is much more subdued, save for the girly, flowery wallpaper, vintage accents, and glitzy chandeliers.
See more of Johnson's fashionable home
August 7, 2015

Gucci Granddaughters List Mod Midtown Penthouse for $45M

Often known simply as "the Gucci sisters," Alessandra and Allegra Gucci are the great-granddaughters of Guccio Gucci, who founded the world-famous fashion label. Their father, the late Maurizio Gucci, then led the brand until his ex-wife arranged for a hit man to gun him down in 1995. In the '70s, Maurizio bought a duplex penthouse at the Olympic Tower in Midtown East, which now belongs to his daughters. According to the Wall Street Journal, the family listed the 9,450-square-foot, eight-bedroom pad in 2010 as a $60,000/month rental, but they're now trying to unload it completely to the tune of $45 million.
More on this impressive penthouse
August 6, 2015

BuzzFeed Editor Picks Up a $2.25M Harlem Townhouse

Listicles must certainly be profitable. Mark Schoofs, BuzzFeed News' investigations and projects editor, just picked up a $2.25 two-family Harlem townhouse, according to property records released today. The buy comes just a few months after we uncovered that New York Times editor Frank Bruni bought an Upper West Side apartment for $1.65, leaving many wondering just how "struggling" are writers these days? Schoofs' new home was constructed only seven years ago and has two units on six floors. The larger five-bedroom residence, where we assume the homeowner will live, occupies the top four floors and has three balconies, a terrace, and a duplex roof deck. The other two-bedroom unit on the first two floors has access to the back patio and garden.
Take a look around
August 3, 2015

Actors and Filmmakers of Tribeca: The Movie Mecca Downtown

With its cobblestone streets, quirky artists' lofts and industrial-chic architecture, Tribeca is a hot spot for filming movies and television scenes. This past spring, we did a round up of the musicians that call Tribeca home; now we're taking a look at the flock of actors and filmmakers who have made the move to the 'hood's picturesque streets. Tribeca's most famous resident, Robert De Niro, is often credited with transforming the neighborhood into the vibrant place we know today by opening multiple restaurants, developing property, and most notably creating the world-famous Tribeca Film Festival. In addition to De Niro, we mapped out Tribeca's celebrity residents who are famous onscreen and behind the scenes. Ranging from Gwyneth Paltrow's "fuzzy nap zones" with river views to Lena Dunham's artist loft from "Tiny Furniture," it's clear that celebrities feel at home in Tribeca.
More details and our celeb map
August 3, 2015

Katie Lee, Food Network Star and Billy Joel’s Ex, Lists Hamptons Estate for $6.5M

Katie Lee's newly released cookbook "Endless Summer" is all about the quintessential Hamptons lifestyle, and after one look at her stunning Water Mill estate–complete with a wine cellar and outdoor entertaining area of chefs' dreams–it's easy to see why she was inspired. The Wall Street Journal reports that the star of the Food Network's "The Kitchen," and ex-wife of Billy Joel, has listed the 6,325-square-foot, impeccably decorated (courtesy of designer Nate Berkus) home for $6.5 million. She purchased the two-acre estate for $3.5 million after splitting with Joel in 2011, so she's looking to make quite the profit.
Take a look around the Hamptons property
July 30, 2015

Starchitect César Pelli Buys $17.5M San Remo Apartment from John Leguizamo’s Mother-in-Law

Starchitect César Pelli and his wife Diana Balmori have bought a $17.5 million apartment at the San Remo, according to city records released today. And the seller of the 4,900-square-foot, 12-room residence is Rona Maurer, John Leguizamo's mother-in-law who was recently involved in a lawsuit claiming she was covering up the sale of the home to keep her stepdaughter from getting any of the profits. The corner unit has all the details one would hope for from the Upper West Side's most prestigious co-op, including 65 feet of Central Park views, soaring ceilings, herringbone floors, three entertaining rooms, and a marble entry gallery.
More photos this way
July 30, 2015

Former Nets Star Deron Williams Lists Trophy Tribeca Penthouse for $33.5M

Now that he's taking over as the starting point guard for the Dallas Mavericks, Deron Williams is parting ways with his massive Tribeca penthouse. The Post reports that the former Nets star has listed the 6,800-square-foot duplex at 35 North Moore Street for $33.5 million. The stunning, six-bedroom "trophy" apartment also boasts 3,000 square feet of private outdoor gardens, huge 17-foot ceilings with wrap-around skylights, a climate-controlled wine room, and a custom-made floating staircase.
Check it out here
July 30, 2015

Ricky Martin Gets $7.55M for Noho Pad

Ricky Martin moved into 40 Bond–the Herzog & de Meuron-designed Noho condo famous for its graffiti gate and green glass/green cast iron facade–back in 2007, shortly after the building was completed. He paid $5.7 million for unit 6C, which is perfectly spacious and lovely, but has had a bit of trouble getting it off his hands, first trying to rent it and then listing it for $8.3 million back in 2013. But the Post reports that the Latin pop star has finally found a buyer, who paid $7.55 million for the three-bedroom pad.
More interior pics ahead
July 28, 2015

Donald Trump Gets $21M for Trump Park Avenue Penthouse

When you have $1.4 billion in assets, $21 million is a drop in the bucket, but the Wall Street Journal reports that's what Donald Trump just got for the sale of his penthouse in his namesake building Trump Park Avenue. The apartment is not too exciting, but it does boast 6,200 square feet, ten-foot ceilings, five bedrooms, seven-and-a-half bathrooms, and a private elevator. Trump bought the full-floor penthouse in 2002, when his company converted the Upper East Side building to condos, but never lived there. It first hit the market back in 2013 for $35 million and most recently got a price chop to $24.99 million.
Look around the whole place here
July 24, 2015

Roman Abramovich Closes on Third UES Townhouse for His $80M Makeshift Mansion

At the beginning of the year, news broke that Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich had secretly bought a townhouse at 11 East 75th Street for $29.7 million, which followed his purchase of a townhouse two doors down for $18.3 million a month earlier. So, of course, we all assumed that he would snatch up the townhouse wedged in between to create his very own makeshift mansion. And now it's official, as the Daily News reports today that Abramovich has closed on the townhouse at 13 East 75th Street for $30 million, bringing his total up to nearly $80 million.
Find out more here
July 22, 2015

Lauren Bacall’s $23.5M Dakota Apartment Finds a Buyer

Ever since Lauren Bacall passed away last summer, it's been all eyes on her longtime Dakota apartment. First, in November, we learned that the actress's Central Park West home would list for a jaw-dropping $26 million. Then, less than two weeks later, the listing hit, a bit disappointing to many as the photos were the newly-staged versions. But this past March, interior photos of how the place looked when the movie star resided there for more than 50 years were dug up, revealing a treasure trove of antiques and artwork and showcasing beautifully intact original details like fireplaces with carved mantles, huge mahogany doors, and crown molding. In April, the price was reduced by $2.5 million, but now, the Daily News reports that Bacall's wood-paneled apartment has been purchased by a mystery buyer.
See inside the legendary apartment here
July 22, 2015

Edo Bertoglio’s Polaroids Transport Us to the 1980s NYC of Warhol, Basquiat and Madonna

When it came to music and avant garde art, few eras shone as brilliantly as the 1980s. The city was an incubator for experimental creatives like Andy Warhol, Basquiat, Debbie Harry and Madonna, individuals forging a name for themselves in a gritty yet glam city that was frantically pulsating with life. Photographer Edo Bertoglio was lucky enough to experience the time, spending his days amongst these inevitable icons from 1976 to 1989 and oftentimes snapping photos of them in intimate situations with his Polaroid camera. Now, decades later, Bertoglio is sharing his experience through his new book, "New York Polaroids 1976-1989," which culls 140 cherished images he's kept near and dear since those bygone days.
See a sampling of the photos here
July 20, 2015

Julia Roberts Lists Greenwich Village Apartment for $4.5M

America's sweetheart, actress Julia Roberts, is unloading her beachy Greenwich Village apartment, according to the Post. The listing, which is not yet public, is held by Stribling and describes a 2,000-square-foot, three-bedroom, three-bathroom co-op at postwar building 45 West 10th Street. Roberts bought the penthouse apartment for $3,895,400 in 2010 and now hopes to get $4.5 million for it.
Check out the home here
July 20, 2015

Rent Hilary Swank’s Designer-Decorated West Village Pad for $20,000

The Village is on fire right now with celebrities coming and going. Heidi Klum is renting in the 'hood for the summer; Topher Grace is renting out his loft; Francis Ford Coppola is moving into the same building as De Niro; and just this morning we learned that Julia Roberts is selling her apartment. Now, Hilary Swank is the latest star on the list. The Observer reports that she's renting out her stylish apartment at 400 West 12th Street (the Superior Ink building) for $20,000 a month. Swank bought the 1,500-square-foot, two-bedroom condo in 2009 for $3.64 million. She then enlisted designer Mark Zeff to "create a place that would give her a sense of grace and harmony." The space was photographed for Elle Decor in 2011, where the neutral palette, clean-lines, and serene decor were featured prominently, as was the living room wall made out of reclaimed barn wood. But now that the actress is spending more time on the West coast, she's looking to rent out her West Village home.
Take a look around the apartment