William Ackman is a wildly successful hedge fund manager. He oversees $17 billion of mostly other people’s money. Forbes estimates his personal net worth at $1.7 billion. These facts alone would make him a prime candidate to buy the penthouse condominium at One57, the new luxury tower on West 57th Street.
And indeed, Mr. Ackman told The Times in a fascinating profile Sunday that he is the buyer of the 13,500-square-foot condo with an estimated price of $90 million. What is more shocking is what he plans to do with it.
Apparently content living with his family on the Upper West Side, he told The Times he was purchasing one of the most expensive properties in New York because “I thought it would be fun” and he and some close friends “bought into this idea that someday, someone will really want it and they’ll let me know.” They may throw the occasional party there.
– From the New York Times article: A $90 Million Condo Flip Shows What’s Wrong With Financial Capitalism
Last fall, I published several posts detailing the clear evidence that London’s luxury home market had topped, as news emerged that sales for the most expensive units had plunged 26% year-over-year. This was significant since London represents the ultimate prize in the corrupt foreign oligarch/dictator portfolio. It was the canary in the coal mine for the entire global ultra-luxury real estate market, and we’re now seeing indicators that this trend is also becoming entrenched in America’s oligarch crown jewel: Manhattan.
A few weeks ago, Bloomberg published an important article that many of you may have missed since it came out on Christmas eve. It was titled, Manhattan Luxury-Home Prices in a Slide, Defying Broader Market, and here are a few key excerpts:
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