135 East 19th Street, #TH (Russ Ross) | https://www.cityrealty.com/nyc/gramercy-park/135-east-19th-street/19130/NA/avRHNjWIwjlkF
As the week of November 24-30, 2025 included the Thanksgiving holiday, a week-over-week dip in the number of Manhattan residential real estate contracts signed, as well as the aggregate dollar amount, was not entirely unexpected. However, November 2025 was ultimately the quietest November for contract activity since 2022.
Some of this can possibly be attributed to uncertainty in the wake of the mayoral election, but Corcoran Group broker Noble Black told Fox Business that "it's not like there's been a rush to the door in the last few weeks since Mamdani." The panel also also observes that as the stock market keeps going up, luxury buyers have more money to put towards real estate purchases in all-cash deals. This could explain why high-end sales have remained strong; indeed, six of New York City's ten highest-priced contracts of the past week were priced above $10 million.
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"Most of Manhattan, particularly the high end, is all cash. Very few people finance, particularly when the rates are as high as they are" - Noble Black, Corcoran Group
53 West 53, #61A (Douglas Elliman) | https://www.cityrealty.com/nyc/midtown-west/53-west-53-53-west-53rd-street/39661/61A/ETtBJpogeID
The week's highest-priced contract was for Residence #61A at 53 West 53, which was asking $23.29 million in the top new development contract of the week. One of only two units on its floor, the three-bedroom home features interiors by Thierry Despont, 11' ceilings, a corner living room with Central Park views, a windowed kitchen separated from the living area with pocket doors, and a primary suite with double exposures, a walk-in closet, and a luxurious en suite bath. This brings the Jean Nouvel-designed tower to approximately two-thirds sold, and public availabilities range from a one-bedroom for $2.7 million to a four-bedroom duplex penthouse for $64.73 million.
152 West 13th Street, top Downtown contract (Compass) | https://www.cityrealty.com/nyc/greenwich-village/152-west-13th-street/2355/NA/aaOajpGslB
The top Downtown contract of the week was also the week's top townhouse contract. 152 West 13th Street was asking just shy of $20 million, making it the week's second-highest overall. Daytonian in Manhattan notes that the Greek Revival house dates back to the late 19th century, and was leased to political-turned-literary publication The Dial in 1919; contributors included E.E. Cummings, Ezra Pound, Marianne C. Moore, and John Dos Passos (who roomed elsewhere in the Village at 11 Bank Street). Most recently, it has been renovated to feature a gracious parlor floor, a custom-crafted kitchen, a full-floor primary suite, a set back garden, multiple upper-level terraces, and an elevator to connect all levels. Public records show that the seller paid $15 million for it in May 2016.
One block away, the Greenwich Village/Chelsea nexus proved popular among new development condo buyers. Four contracts were signed at The Village West, the largest number of contracts signed in any new development, and three at The Elisa less than two blocks away. These are located to the west of 5 West 13th Street, a new development condominium on the rise and set to usurp 1 Fifth Avenue as Greenwich Village's tallest building.
Rendering of 14th Street, looking west (Marvel; courtesy of the Union Square Partnership)
14th Street is already appreciated for its convenient subway access and the busway that has dramatically improved commuting time and quality of life since its fall 2019 pilot. The busway runs from Third to Ninth Avenues; and in July 2025, Mayor Adams announced $3 million in public and private funding for a design study that will evaluate ways to further enhance the entire 14th Street corridor for pedestrians, commuters, and businesses. This will consider such upgrades as new landscaping, improved pedestrian space (e.g., better street furniture), safety enhancements, and "steel-and-concrete permanence" to the busway.
©BrakeThrough-Media for Meatpacking District Management Association | https://meatpacking-district.com/a-reimagined-west-14th-street
The announcement came shortly after the West 14th Street Promenade was revealed between Ninth and Tenth Avenues in the Meatpacking District. Between the new gathering areas, new landscaping, and opportunities for public art exhibitions (e.g., new Step Into Hopper locations earlier this summer), it offers some precedent for what might happen further east. The Meatpacking District Management Association will be part of the study, as will Union Square Partnership, which introduced a plan to expand Union Square Park to the square's outer edges and connect landscaped plazas with pedestrian-friendly space in January 2021. The search for a consultant is underway, and public outreach is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2026.
135 East 19th Street,
Also of note, iconic fashion designer Oleg Cassini's former townhouse at 135 East 19th Street entered contract with an asking price just under $8 million, tying with a Hudson Yards condo for the ninth-highest contract of the week. Mr. Cassini is best known for dressing former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, and his clients also included Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Veronica Lake, Rita Hayworth, Natalie Wood, Joan Crawford, and Jayne Mansfield, to name but a few. The Gramercy house was part of a bitter estate battle between Mr. Cassini's secret wife, Marianne Nestor Cassini, and his daughter, Tina Cassini, and was ultimately foreclosed upon and sold at auction for $5 million to the lone bidder in October 2022. It was listed for $13.95 million in October 2023 and has been on and off the market at gradually lower prices since then, ultimately entering contract 42.7% below the initial ask.
Moreover, 135 East 19th Street enjoyed a rich history centuries before Mr. Cassini moved in. Rumor has it that the house dates back to 17th-century Amsterdam before being carefully dismantled and rebuilt in New York City, but Daytonian in Manhattan points out that building plans debunk that. In the early 20th century, playboy/philanthropist Joseph B. Thomas Jr., in search of a house suitable for himself and his widowed mother, commissioned architect Frederick Junius Sterner to rework the Greek Revival house at 135 East 19th Street into "a Gothic fantasy" with a multi-colored brick facade, diamond-paned windows, a stepped gable with gargoyles, and stained glass windows. Many such features remain intact in the present day.
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Top Manhattan Contracts: November 24-30, 2025
345 West 54th Street, #TH (Compass)
From the Listing: Built in 2010, this rare 50-foot-wide single family elevator residence offers 5 bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms, and approximately 7,446 square feet of living space above grade (9,346 square feet gross including the finished basement) with bright south-facing light and oversized windows. Some of the home’s amenities include a private garage, solar power array, multiple private outdoor spaces, including a rooftop garden with city views, laundry room and abundant storage throughout. See full details here.
#9 (tie). 135 East 19th Street, #TH
Last Ask: $7,995,000
Gramercy Park | Townhouse | 6+ Bedrooms, 5.5 Baths | 6,798 ft2
135 East 19th Street, #TH (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
#9 (tie). 35 Hudson Yards, #7403
Last Ask: $7,995,000 (-10.4%)
Midtown West | Condominium | 4 Bedrooms, 4.5 Baths | 3,435 ft2
35 Hudson Yards, #7403 (Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group)
#8. 800 Park Avenue, #5
Last Ask: $9,495,000
Park/Fifth Ave. to 79th St. | Cooperative | 5 Bedrooms, 5.5 Baths | 4,500 ft2
800 Park Avenue, #5 (Serhant)
#7. Fred Leighton Building, #9E
Last Ask: $9,875,000
Park/Fifth Ave. to 79th St. | Cooperative | 4 Bedrooms, 3.5 Baths
Fred Leighton Building, #9E (Sothebys International Realty)
50 West 66th Street, #11D
From the Listing: House Residence 11D is a gracious 3,889-square-foot, 5-bedroom, 5.5-bath home with south and east exposures. This exquisite apartment features top-of-the-line finishes, including Smallbone of Devizes kitchens equipped with Miele and Sub-Zero appliances. The residence is adorned with oak flooring and marble baths, while ceiling heights reach up to 9'-8". This is an off market resale; the previous closing was $11,793,912 on 2/10/2025. See full details here.
50 West 66th Street has 13 public availabilities from $6 million.
#5. One Central Park, #74/75B
Last Ask: $13,250,000 (-26.4%)
Central Park West | Condominium | 4 Bedrooms, 4.5 Baths | 3,491 ft2
One Central Park, #74/75B (Modlin Group LLC)
#4. 895 Park Avenue, #PHC
Last Ask: $14,500,000 (-17.1%)
Park/Fifth Ave. to 79th St. | Cooperative | 6+ Bedrooms, 5.5 Baths
895 Park Avenue, #PHC (Corcoran Group)
#3. Harperley Hall, #11A
Last Ask: $16,900,000
Central Park West | Cooperative | 6+ Bedrooms, 4.5 Baths
Harperley Hall, #11A (Compass)
#2. 152 West 13th Street, #TH
Last Ask: $19,995,000
Greenwich Village | Townhouse | 5 Bedrooms, 5 Baths | 5,650 ft2
152 West 13th Street, #TH (Compass)
#1. 53 West 53, #61A
Last Ask: $23,290,000
Midtown West | Condominium | 3 Bedrooms, 3.5 Baths | 3,670 ft2
53 West 53, #61A (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
Would you like to tour any of these properties?
Just complete the info below.
Or call us at (212) 755-5544
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