Yahoo Finanzas Murdoch slashes New York penthouse price by more than half
Rupert Murdoch has slashed the price of his penthouse apartment in New York by more than half after struggling to find a buyer.
The media mogul is attempting to drum up interest having first put the 7,000 sq ft apartment up for sale in 2022 with a price tag of $62m (£49m).
Located in the Flatiron District of Manhattan, the triplex penthouse has been on and off the market ever since but has recently seen a sharp reduction in its asking price.
It was first lowered to $38.5m in April, although Mr Murdoch has shaved off a further $10m – taking it down to $28.5m and less than half its initial asking price.
Kyle Blackmon, an agent at real estate firm Compass, which is handling the sale, said the price cut would “increase the probability of competitive bidding”.
He told Bloomberg: “My client is a realist, and he is very astute about how markets function.”
New York has suffered a slump in property sales in recent months as rising interest rates pushed up mortgage prices to their highest level in two decades, with the slowdown also hitting wealthy buyers.
Mr Blackmon said the apartment had been viewed by around a dozen buyers in recent months, five of whom are billionaires.
The penthouse, which spans the 58th to 60th floors of the One Madison building, has five bedrooms and six bathrooms.
It boasts a spiral staircase and private lift, as well as a staff room and a 586 sq ft terrace.
The apartment, which was built to Mr Murdoch’s specifications, has 360-degree views of landmarks including the Empire State Building and the One World Trade Centre.
The building charges monthly fees of more than $16,000 to cover amenities including a full-time doorman and concierge, as well as a gym complex with an indoor pool and steam room.
Mr Murdoch reportedly paid just under $58m for the penthouse a decade ago, alongside a smaller 3,000 sq ft apartment in the same building.
The sale comes after Mr Murdoch, who stepped down as chairman of News Corp and Fox last year after almost seven decades, married for the fifth time earlier this month.
The 93-year-old press baron married 67-year-old Elena Zhukova, a retired molecular biologist, at his vineyard in California.
It came after his prior engagement to Ann Lesley Smith, a 67-year-old conservative radio host, ended after just two weeks.
In addition to the California vineyard, Mr Murdoch owns various other properties in New York and London.
In 2021, he bought a 340,000-acre cattle ranch in Montana for $280m, while the tycoon owns another ranch in his native Australia.
Following his divorce from Jerry Hall, the former model took possession of an £11m mansion in Oxfordshire and a house in the south of France.
Mr Murdoch’s media empire is now run by his son Lachlan, who lives in a $150m mansion in Los Angeles.
A spokesman for Mr Murdoch has been contacted for comment.
