Last year was another bumper year for New York City’s real estate market. Multifamily sales hit $12.6 billion, or 39% more that in 2013, according to a year-end report by Ariel Property Advisors, an investment property sales firm.
There were a total of 761 transactions last year, 8% more than in 2013. The borough of Brooklyn accounted for 222 of those transactions valued at $2.35 billion, or 88% higher than the Brooklyn transactions in 2013. In that borough, deals exceeding $20 million accounted for 47% of its transactions. For New York City as a whole, $20 million-plus deals accounted for more than half of all transactions.
Ariel estimates that 1,413 properties were sold last year, 13% more than in 2013. The properties sold had 47,885 total units, or 20% more than the buildings sold in 2013.
In Manhattan, whose real estate prices have been going through the roof in recent years, transactions may have declined by 12% to 139, but dollar volume jumped by 15% to $5.138 billion, with the Upper East Side being the liveliest neighborhood. The Real Deal, a website that reports on New York real estate news and trends, notes that one of the biggest deals last year was the Chetrit Group and Stellar Management’s purchase of two Upper East Side rental buildings at 1660 2nd Avenue and 160 East 88th Street for a combined $485 million.
In a recent interview with the New York Real Estate Journal, Ariel’s founder and president, Shimon Shkury, notes that the average price per square foot in Manhattan rose by 25% to $866, “as investors were willing to pay ever-higher premiums to own core Manhattan.”
For 2015, Shkury remains bullish about New York’s real estate prospects, with some caveats. “We’ve identified a few headwinds, including rising construction costs, the unknowns of the mayor’s housing policy, the sustainability of the luxury market, rents leveling off, interest rates, global uncertainty, and the strengthening dollar.” On the positive side, Shkury believes multifamily sales in New York will benefit from lower oil prices, increased job creation, improved consumer spending, and tight inventory.
Related Stories
| Feb 14, 2014
Must see: Developer stacks shipping containers atop grain silos to create student housing tower
Mill Junction will house up to 370 students and is supported by 50-year-old grain silos.
| Feb 14, 2014
Crowdsourced Placemaking: How people will help shape architecture
The rise of mobile devices and social media, coupled with the use of advanced survey tools and interactive mapping apps, has created a powerful conduit through which Building Teams can capture real-time data on the public. For the first time, the masses can have a real say in how the built environment around them is formed—that is, if Building Teams are willing to listen.
| Feb 5, 2014
7 towers that define the 'skinny skyscraper' boom [slideshow]
Recent advancements in structural design, combined with the loosening of density and zoning requirements, has opened the door for the so-called "superslim skyscraper."
| Feb 4, 2014
Must see: Student housing complex made with recycled shipping containers
Architect Christian Salvati's new structure is just the first step in bringing shipping container construction to New Haven, Conn.
| Jan 29, 2014
Historic church will be part of new condo building in D.C.
Sorg Architects unveiled a design scheme for 40 condos in a six-story building, which will wrap around an existing historic church, and will itself contain four residential units.
| Jan 28, 2014
First Look: BIG's Honeycomb building for Bahamas resort [slideshow]
BIG + HKS + MDA have unveiled the design for the new Honeycomb building and adjacent plaza in The Bahamas – a 175,000-sf residential facility with a private pool on each balcony.
| Jan 28, 2014
2014 predictions for skyscraper construction: More twisting towers, mega-tall projects, and 'superslim' designs
Experts from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat release their 2014 construction forecast for the worldwide high-rise industry.
| Jan 28, 2014
16 awe-inspiring interior designs from around the world [slideshow]
The International Interior Design Association released the winners of its 4th Annual Global Excellence Awards. Here's a recap of the winning projects.
| Jan 24, 2014
Urban Land Institute, Enterprise outline issues in rental housing shortage: Report
Bending the Cost Curve: Solutions to Expand the Supply of Affordable Rentals outlines factors that impede the development of affordable rental housing – causing the supply in many markets to fall far short of the demand.
| Jan 22, 2014
SOM-designed University Center uses 'sky quads,' stacked staircases to promote chance encounters
The New School's vertical campus in Manhattan houses multiple functions, including labs, design studios, a library, and student residences, in a 16-story building.
