NYC HOUSING MARKET — OCTOBER 6-12 2025 (OLSHAN REALTY INC.)

By: Sydney Harewood. LRSP, NYC
Broker: LEVEL
5 West 37th Street
New York, NY 10018
www.nycexclusiveapts.com 
"Your Premier Bridge to Manhattan Living."
#NYCexclAPTS
Phone: 646-535-3819
Email: sharewood@levelgroup.com

EXECUTIVE SNAPSHOT

Headline: Luxury keeps its swagger: 25 contracts at $4M+ (Oct 6–12) after a 29-deal surge the prior week.

For the week of October 6–12, 2025, 25 Manhattan homes asking $4M+ found buyers—down from 29 the previous period, yet firmly above early-September’s wobble. The top deal was the Met’s pair of UES townhouses asking $28M; runner-up was a condo at 111 West 57th St. asking $21M. Mix: 16 condos, 6 co-ops, 3 townhouses. Median ask $6.5M, average $8.7M, typical listing >18 months on market, with an average 9% haircut from original ask. (The Real Deal)

Client-ready transformation formula:
 Any NYC luxury buyer or investor can solve timing and pricing uncertainty by anchoring offers to the latest signed-contract data and current rate bands, because that turns market noise into a precise, defensible edge.

Manhattan $4M+ Contracts (3-week view)

Sep 29–Oct 5   | #####################################  29

Oct 6–12       | #############################          25  ← momentum with discipline

(Prev week data per Olshan recaps)

(The Real Deal)

BOROUGH DEEP-DIVE

MANHATTAN (Olshan’s coverage universe)

• Contracts (≥$4M): 25 (Oct 6–12); 29 in the prior week. (The Real Deal)
  
• Property mix: Condos 16 • Co-ops 6 • Townhouses 3. (The Real Deal)
  
• Pricing tone: Median ask $6.5M, average $8.7M; avg. –9% from original ask suggests sellers who price-to-prove still win. (The Real Deal)
  
• DOM: Typical listing >18 months—buyers have leverage where condition or carry costs lag; turn-key + views still Hot! Hot! Hot! (The Real Deal)
  
• Top deals:
  

• #1: The Met’s two UES townhouses (East 82nd St.) asking $28M—contract above ask after 16 days and a bidding war.
  
• #2: 111 West 57th St., #54 asking $21M (down from off-plan ask near $27M), reinforcing sponsor reality-pricing. (The Real Deal)
  

Agent implications (Manhattan)

• Buy-side: Use fresh signed-contract comps (not just closings) to calibrate bids; pair performance asks (flexible close + punch-list escrows) with solvency proof to shorten back-and-forth. (The Real Deal)
  
• Sell-side: Launch with a proof-of-value packet (renovation chronology, systems, monthlys). If showings stall ~2 weeks, execute a “Twist”: a micro-price improvement + targeted closing credit to re-trigger alerts without bruising your band.
  

BROOKLYN & QUEENS (luxury lens beyond Olshan)

Weekly $4M+ tracking outside Manhattan is thin and lumpy; boutique penthouse/townhouse showstoppers with outdoor space still score! Agents should build comp stacks from in-contract sponsor sheets and document concessions as value, not just price. (Directional guidance; standardized borough-level weekly ≥$4M tallies are not published.)

FORWARD SIGNALS (RATES • CPI • APPS • SEASONALITY)

• Rates: 30-yr FRM 6.30% (Oct 9); 15-yr 5.53%—hovering near one-year lows; expect a mid-6s working band. (Freddie Mac)
  
• Mortgage apps: MBA: composite –4.7% W/W; purchase –1% W/W, +14% Y/Y—demand is rate-sensitive but alive. (MBA)
  
• Inflation path: Sept CPI release rescheduled to Oct 24 during the shutdown—key input for rate trajectory. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
  
• Seasonality: October is historically deal-friendly for well-priced listings; watch for mid-month price-cut waves and a new-listing burst pre-holiday.
  

PLAYS FOR PROS (ENGAGING, INFORMATIVE, WITH SIZZLE)

INVESTORS — IRR with clarity & verve

1. Barbell the basis. Pair a turn-key Manhattan view condo (capital-preserving, rent-ready) with a yieldier BK/QNS hold to elevate blended IRR.
   

• Steps: Underwrite at 6.30–6.50%; run two exit-cap cases (+50 bps stress); validate rent roll vs. condo board rules. (Freddie Mac)
  

2. Sponsor leverage ≠ headline cuts. Ask for carry offsets (tax/CC credits, storage, transfer-tax assist) to improve effective basis and protect appraisal comps.
   
3. Liquidity hedge above $10M. Require absorption evidence (recent signed-contract comps in the stack/line) before large non-refundable deposits.
   

BUYERS — on the ball, paper-ready

1. 30-Day Strike Plan. Attorney retained, POF ready, inspectors on call; lead with a performance-based ask (flexible close + small escrow for punch-list).
   
2. Proof-of-value negotiation. Convert inspection notes into line-item credits (HVAC age, window seals, façade).
   
3. Rate-aware walk-away. If you truly love it at 6.50%, you’ll revel in it if rates ease; don’t “put it off” waiting for perfection. (Freddie Mac)
   

SELLERS — refinement, tempo, sparkle

1. Launch with receipts. One-pager: why this stack trades, upgrade timeline, carrying costs, energy/lumen improvements (ah! sweet), and board/package readiness—exquisite clarity reduces DOM.
   
2. Planned “Twist.” If traffic stalls, enact micro-price move + targeted credit; keeps momentum toute la journée / toute la nuit.
   
3. Media-savvy cadence. Refresh photography (sun-kiss AM, city-lights PM), short-form video, syndication; highlight views + turn-key to whet demand—showstopper energy.
   

RISKS & CAVEATS

• Source access: Olshan’s current-week posts render via JavaScript; week-specific figures (25 total; mix; medians; top deals) are cited from a contemporaneous recap that attributes to Olshan’s weekly report. We’ll incorporate any archival text updates if they differ. (The Real Deal)
  
• Macro wobble: CPI timing (Oct 24) could nudge yields; treat rate improvements as incremental, not a moon-shot. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
  
• Headline skew: One or two mega-deals can distort weekly totals; use rolling multi-week reads for CMAs and underwriting.
  

SOURCES

• Olshan Luxury Market Report (Manhattan, $4M+), week of Oct 6–12, 2025—data reflected via same-day press recap. (The Real Deal)
  
• Freddie Mac PMMS (Oct 9, 2025): 30-yr 6.30%, 15-yr 5.53%; PMMS archive. (Freddie Mac)
  
• MBA Weekly Applications (week ending Oct 3): composite –4.7%, purchase –1% W/W, +14% Y/Y. (MBA)
  
• BLS CPI Schedule (September CPI rescheduled to Oct 24). (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
  

CALL-TO-ACTION

—
Work with a data-driven NYC advisor.
 Sydney “Syd” Harewood — Licensed Real Estate Salesperson, LEVEL Group
Call/Text: 646-535-3819 • Email: sharewood@levelgroup.com
Site: https://www.nycexclusiveapts.com — Your Premier Bridge to Manhattan Living
 Follow updates on X: @Sydharew
Office: LEVEL Group, 5 West 37th St, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10018
—

Information is listing-based and for educational purposes; not legal, tax, or investment advice. Verify building financials and local regulations before transacting.

Parting riff (client-pitchable with a grin)

New York, New York—a helluva town. When the tape does The Twist, we stay tuned in—attention and focus—to score the finest deals and avoid the “monkey handling gun” pricing traps. Ready to Ascend and elevate your entire playbook? Word!

—

For tailored guidance or to explore luxury homes in New York’s emerging markets, feel free to reach out to Sydney Harewood at NYC Exclusive Apartments (☎️ 646-535-3819, nycexclusiveapts.com "Your Premier Bridge to Manhattan Living."). With deep local expertise and a personalized approach, Sydney is ready to help you discover your own slice of the storybook lifestyle.

We hope you found this information helpful. If you have any other questions or need more details, feel free to contact us.