Welcome to It Happened One Weekend, our weekly roundup of The New York Times real estate section...
1) Rich people. What are they spending millions of dollars on? What are they complaining about? This is What's Up With Rich People?
This week's most expensive real estate sale was a townhouse at 51 Beekman Place in Turtle Bay, that went for $34.35 million, setting a new record for 20-feet townhouses. The property was owned by various colorful figures, such as William R. Rupp, a Florida businessman "whose bad-neighbor high jinks were epitomized by the four-foot monogram installed on the front gate and the construction of a two-story 'spite' wall that blocked neighbors' views of the river." The State of Qatar bought the house because of course it did. [Big Ticket/"Turtle Bay 'Game Changer' Sold for $34.35 Million"]
2) Every "The Hunt" column begins with the Hunters describing the apartment they want, and ends with them rationalizing whatever they came away with. This is The Hunt: Dreams vs. Reality
The Hunter: a young urban professional looking for more space
Price
Dream: up to $800,000
Reality: $745,000
Neighborhood
Dream: West Side—south of 23rd Street
Reality: Soho
Amenities
Dream: space
Reality: space, no laundry services
Summary
Like most young people living in New York without trust funds, this week's Hunter—a 34-year-old PR exec—found himself in a $360,000 closet in Midtown, before making the decision to relocate. Literally the only thing he "required" was an extra wall, preferring the "dignity" of a real bedroom over basic amenities like laundry. He eventually found a one-bedroom condo in three-floor Soho walkup, and despite some necessary renovation, he seems happy. [The Hunt/"In SoHo, an Après-Studio Apartment"]