The first week of December 2025 marked a return to work after the Thanksgiving holiday, and also appeared to serve as a return to business for the Manhattan residential real estate market. The number of contracts signed experienced a week over week bounceback, with the week's highest-priced contracts showing an almost even divide between historic townhouses and apartments in highly coveted multi-family buildings.
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The week's top contract by far was for Residence #18A at Aman New York Residences, which was asking $29.95 milion. The three-bedroom condo measures over 3,700 interior square feet and has a private 1,058-square-foot terrace with private pool and Jacuzzi overlooking Central Park. The unidentified buyer will enjoy access to Aman New York's amenities, including a jazz lounge, two private restaurants, and a three-story, 25,000-square-foot spa and wellness center.
Public records show that the seller, listed as an LLC, will take a loss if it goes for this price, having bought it from the sponsor for $34.9 million in June 2022. They listed it for $47 million in September 2023, and it has been on and off the market at gradually lower prices since then.
Two townhouses tied for the week's top townhouse contract and second-highest asking price of $12.5 million. One of them was 169 East 71st Street, which was used for exterior shots in Academy Award-winning film Breakfast at Tiffany's. The townhouse looks the same as it did in the 1961 film, but underwent a three-year renovation that preserved period details and added features like a chef-caliber kitchen, a custom dressing area and vanity in the floor-through primary suite, and a basement-level wine cellar. Public records show that the seller bought it for $7.4 million in July 2015.
Elsewhere on the Upper East Side, 123 East 69th Street, also known as the Catherine Auchincloss Mansion in honor of its longtime owner, found a buyer. The Gilded Age mansion has a gracious parlor floor, a home gym and sauna, a private garden and terrace, an elevator to connect all levels, and a connection to former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis: Her stepfather, Hugh Auchincloss, was Ms. Auchincloss' nephew. Its asking price of $10.5 million represents a reduction from when it was listed in March 2025, but was still good enough for the third-highest townhouse contract and sixth-highest overall. The unidentified seller will take a loss if it sells for this price, having bought it for $12.8 million in July 2022.
The top new development contract of the week was for Penthouse #79 at 520 Fifth Avenue, which was asking $11.75 million in the week's fourth-highest contract overall. One of seven penthouses on the building's uppermost floors, it is reached via direct elevator entry and looks out on dynamic views of the Midtown skyline and East River from the Great Room. At the opposite end of the penthouse, the primary suite enjoys two walk-in closets, a luxurious en suite bath, and views of the Billionaires' Row skyline and the Hudson River.
This contract brings 520 Fifth Avenue to nearly 95% sold; a small handful of remaining availabilities includes a penthouse one story below Penthouse #79 asking $11.25 million. In addition to the 99 condo units on the upper levels and their exclusive amenity space on the top floor, 520 Fifth Avenue is home to office space on floors 5-28 and private club Moss on the first five floors. Moss recently opened, and residential closings look likely to begin in the near future.
Further downtown, three contracts were signed at The Cortland in West Chelsea. These included duplex Residence #12BE, which tied for the week's seventh-highest contract with an asking price of $8.25 million. The lower level is dedicated to entertaining with a Great Room, an open kitchen, and a 507-square-foot private terrace. All three bedrooms are on the uppermost level for optimal privacy, and have en suite baths.
The deals bring The Cortland to over 90% sold. Remaining public availabilities range from a two-bedroom for $4.15 million to a four-bedroom penthouse with two private terraces for $44.95 million.
Also of note, 15 contracts were recorded at La Vita, a new development condo in Flushing that launched sales in summer 2025. Many apartments have private balconies, and all interiors feature floor-to-ceiling windows, white oak hardwood floors, open-concept kitchens with integrated Bosch and Gaggenau appliances, and in-unit laundry. Residential amenities include a state-of-the-art fitness center, a lounge, a landscaped terrace with BBQ grills and a children's play area, and a rooftop Zen garden. Current availabilities range from a studio for $625.5K to a two-bedroom for $1.11 million.
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Top NYC Contracts: December 1-7, 2025
From the Listing: Perfectly positioned within the landmarked Henderson Place Historic District, 148 East End Avenue is a rare 18' x 35' townhouse that blends architectural pedigree with a meticulous, top-to-bottom modern renovation. Set along one of the most storybook corridors of the Upper East Side—steps from Carl Schurz Park, the East River Promenade, and quiet, tree-lined blocks known for their timeless brick and brownstone facades—this home offers an atmosphere that feels both exclusive and deeply residential. See full details here.
#9. One Central Park West, #24D
Last Ask: $7,390,000
Central Park West | Condominium | 3 Bedrooms, 3.5 Baths | 2,255 ft2
One Central Park West, #24D (Compass)
#8. Medium Lipstick, #PH
Last Ask: $7,500,000
Tribeca | Cooperative | 3 Bedrooms, 2.5 Baths | 4,150 ft2
Medium Lipstick, #PH (Sothebys International Realty)
#7 (tie). Apple Bank Building, #7/8BT
Last Ask: $8,250,000 (-8.3%)
Broadway Corridor | Condominium | 4 Bedrooms, 4.5 Baths | 4,055 ft2
Apple Bank Building, #7/8BT (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
#6. 123 East 69th Street, #TH
Last Ask: $10,500,000 (-12.5%)
Park/Fifth Ave. to 79th St. | Townhouse | 6+ Bedrooms, 5.5 Baths | 8,000 ft2
123 East 69th Street, #TH (Sothebys International Realty)
#5. 22 East 78th Street, #TH
Last Ask: $10,999,000
Park/Fifth Ave. to 79th St. | Townhouse | 5 Bedrooms, 6+ Baths | 5,500 ft2
22 East 78th Street, #TH (Compass)
#4. 520 Fifth Avenue, #PH79
Last Ask: $11,750,000
Midtown West | Condominium | 3 Bedrooms, 3.5 Baths | 2,619 ft2
520 Fifth Avenue, #PH79 (Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group)
#3. The Park 900, #7ABCE
Last Ask: $11,875,000 (-5%)
Carnegie Hill | Condominium | 4 Bedrooms, 6+ Baths | 4,638 ft2
The Park 900, #7ABCE (Compass)
#2 (tie). 23 West 12th Street, #TH
Last Ask: $12,500,000
Greenwich Village | Townhouse | 6+ Bedrooms, 6+ Baths | 7,000 ft2
23 West 12th Street, #TH (Compass)
#2 (tie). 169 East 71st Street, #TH
Last Ask: $12,500,000 (-16.7%)
Lenox Hill | Townhouse | 4 Bedrooms, 4.5 Baths | 4,465 ft2
169 East 71st Street, #TH (Corcoran Group)
#1. Aman New York Residences, #18A
Last Ask: $29,950,000
Midtown West | Condominium | 3 Bedrooms, 3.5 Baths | 3,746 ft2
Aman New York Residences, #18A (Corcoran Group)
Would you like to tour any of these properties?
Just complete the info below.
Or call us at (212) 755-5544
Would you like to tour any of these properties?
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