HenrySloane

I was going to leave this one for the Sunday real estate round-up but a couple of you have mentioned it to me in the tips I decided to take a look at it a little early. And rightly so, a $64 million townhouse is worth a post to itself. The Henry T. Sloane mansion on East 68th Street in New York City would be the most expensive townhouse sold in city if it sells for the asking price (a record of $53 million was set for the Harkness mansion in 2006). It's not the most expensive listing price, as far as I know, the penthouse at the Pierre listed for $70 million still claims that honor.

Why so much? Part of it is location, the townhouse is located just steps away from Fifth Avenue on the East Side. Part of it is size, the building has 18,500 square feet total spread out over five stories. Two of the stories have 17-foot ceilings. There are 15 bedrooms and 17 bathrooms, seven fireplaces, a ballroom and a rooftop garden. Part of the lure is the history and design, the mansion was designed by architect Charles Pierrepont H. Gilbert for Sloane, the heir to a furniture empire, in 1905. The home is classic Beaux-Arts style and five of the rooms have all their original details intact. The wood-paneled ballroom with original oil-painted murals is particularly noteworthy.

The real estate broker Paula Del Nunzio and Brown Harris Stevens, the real estate firm she works for, could split a commission of $3.8 million on the sale. These days it's hard to predict just how a high-priced listing will behave. Some stay on the market for years until the right buyer with enough cash comes along. Some are snapped up nearly immediately. This one, given the size, location and history probably won't linger long.

UPDATE: Turns out I was wrong, it's been on the market for over a year and is now listed at $54 million.
[Thanks Lana and David]

SECOND UPDATE: This home has gone through a bunch of price drops and is now listed with Corcoran for $39 million.