Marc Jacobs’ fashionable townhome was sold by Ryan Serhant for $10.5 million on Thursday’s episode of Million Dollar Listing New York.
Despite its gorgeous interiors, the home of Louis Vuitton’s former creative director and his husband of one year, Charly Defrancesco, 39, had a few less-than-glamorous issues.
Ryan, 36, was initially excited to sell their historic four-story building in the West Village, which the designer had lived in for a decade.
Historic townhouse: Marc Jacobs’ fashionable townhome was sold by Ryan Serhant for $10.5 million on Thursday’s episode of Million Dollar Listing New York
The 4,796-square-foot property on Bethune Street had been profiled in Architectural Digest and he was excited to see it, but when he showed up its lavish interiors were bare.
The furniture and art had been bought specifically for the house and so were auctioned off with its sale, and the walls were stripped of their lights, so that only wires remained.
Charly reminded Ryan that everything in the house was a work of art, and every decision in their $1.15 million renovation a decade ago had been well-thought out.
The home’s five bedrooms had been scaled back into three, with a master bedroom that took up the entire top floor, and $100,000 in stonework inside its marble bathroom.
Creating buzz: Despite its gorgeous interiors, the home of Louis Vuitton’s former creative director and his husband of one year, Charly Defrancesco, 39, had a few less-than-glamorous issues and Ryan was determined to create some buzz around it
Four stories: Ryan, 36, was initially excited to sell their historic four-story building in the West Village, which the designer had lived in for a decade
Ryan swooned over a glimpse of Marc’s personal closet, with its custom-built mahogany interior and wildly colorful clothes and boots.
The realtor also marveled at the home’s special touches: Its kitchen with 1970s marble and Miele appliances, hallways with $300 Meljac light switches echoing Marc’s childhood home, 18-karat gold-leaf ceiling in the powder room (cost: $100,000), and $3,000 door hardware.
There was even a separate $150,000 kosher kitchen with separate areas for meat and dairy, which allowed them to have two kitchens in the home per New York building codes.
Custom closet: Marc’s personal closet was custom-built with a mahogany interior and filled with wildly colorful clothes and boots
Kosher kitchen: There was even a separate $150,000 kosher kitchen with separate areas for meat and dairy, which allowed them to have two kitchens in the home per New York building codes
Expensive stonework: The total stonework cost was $100,000
Light marble: The also was light marble floor to ceiling in a bathroom
‘We don’t f*** around here,’ Charly admitted.
Making everything look even better was Neville Jacobs, Marc’s adorable six-year-old bull terrier, who had more than 200,000 followers on Instagram and lounged nearby.
His owner faced Ryan and asked the broker the million-dollar question.
Not messing: ‘We don’t f*** around here,’ Charly admitted
‘We had this place on the market before,’ Charley said. ‘What are you gonna do different?’
Ryan paused for only a second and said, ‘I think we sell this like a piece of art,’ suggesting that they create a sense of urgency and try to sell the home quietly, ‘like a Picasso off-market.’
He priced it at $11 million, putting the price point at $2,000 and $2,500 a square foot—a little less than the $11.65 Marc had put into it, but hopefully selling for $12 million, with staging.
Art sale: ‘I think we sell this like a piece of art,’ Ryan said, suggesting that they create a sense of urgency and try to sell the home quietly, ‘like a Picasso off-market’
‘Nobody wants to lose money, but it makes it faster to sell it for less,’ Charly reasoned.
Ryan recognized that ‘one of the big challenges about selling this awesome townhouse is that most of the awesomeness… has been boxed up and sold at auction at Sotheby’s.’
Magazine spread: Rather than stage it right away, he scheduled private showings back-to-back, creating a bidding war among brokers and clients by giving them only 15 minutes each to view the home
‘I think we’re gonna sell the house today, so I’ll keep you moving,’ Ryan told two brokers, deftly handling it when another overeager soul showed up 10 minutes early.
Privately, he realized that he had set himself an insane task.
‘Five thousand square feet is a lot of feet to show in 15 minutes,’ Ryan moaned. ‘I’m basically showing 330 square feet a minute.’
Fast viewings: ‘Five thousand square feet is a lot of feet to show in 15 minutes,’ Ryan moaned. ‘I’m basically showing 330 square feet a minute’
There was such a frenzied feeling to his showings that the plan initially seemed to be working.
‘My client’s currently out of state,’ one broker said, eager to make a deal. ‘But he could probably get here fairly quick.’
‘I’m here now,’ said a woman whose tour the man had joined. ‘So I’m gonna talk to you.’
Good plan: There was such a frenzied feeling to his showings that the plan initially seemed to be working
She tried to lowball Ryan at $9 million, claiming the place was too dark and needed work, but he didn’t go for it. Then a better prospect showed up: The show’s newest broker Kirsten Jordan, 40, whose clients had already seen photos of the place in AD and declared themselves ‘obsessed.’
Kirsten was personally less-than-impressed by the small number of bedrooms, and the undone fixtures and holes in the walls, but she loved the townhouses’ little ‘wow’ factors.
Her clients offered $9.5 million in cash, which Ryan rejected though he still wanted to do a deal.
New prospect: The show’s newest broker Kirsten Jordan, 40, whose clients had already seen photos of the place in AD declared themselves ‘obsessed’ and she told Ryan of their interest
Determined to sew it up, he picked Kirsten up in his town car, which he called ‘Uber Serhant,’ and talked her ear off as he drove her to an appointment uptown.
‘My duty is to get the best deal for my clients,’ Kristen said privately, well aware that she’d made a lowball offer. ‘I’m gonna sit in this car until I make it happen.’
Kirsten told Ryan that the true price of the house was ‘somewhere in the 10s,’ but texted her client that anything under $11 million was a steal.
Free ride: Determined to sew it up, he picked Kirsten up in his town car, which he called ‘Uber Serhant,’ and talked her ear off as he drove her to an appointment uptown
The client texted back that they could do $10.75 million, and Kirsten offered Ryan $10 million.
Charly wasn’t having it, telling Ryan over his phone’s speaker, ‘We’re not taking ten. It’s almost disrespectful.’
Ryan then talked him into selling for $10.5 million, and Kirsten texted her buyer while listening to the conversation; before Ryan hung up, the buyer sent her a thumbs-up emoji.
In negotiations: The client texted back that they could do $10.75 million, and Kirsten offered Ryan $10 million
Buyer’s market: Ryan then talked him into selling for $10.5 million, and Kirsten texted her buyer while listening to the conversation; before Ryan hung up, the buyer sent her a thumbs-up emoji
‘Do that deal right now please,’ Ryan begged his fellow broker. ‘Otherwise I’m not taking you to 103rd and Riverside. I’m taking you to Jersey. And you have to swim.’
‘I think if I can get them up, it’s a miracle,’ Kirsten feinted, as the buyer texted, ‘Good job!’
Moments later she announced that yes, they would take the place for $10.5 million after all.
Done deal: Moments later she announced that yes, they would take the place for $10.5 million after all
The two brokers high-fived each other, having each earned $315,000 in commission.
‘I should be an Uber driver more often,’ Ryan considered. ‘I’m gonna pick up every broker in this whole city.’
As Ryan soared, Steve Gold, 36, struggled to pitch 123 Baxter Street, a huge, gorgeous three-bedroom apartment with ‘four exposures, multiple balconies and zero curb appeal.’
Tough sell: Steve Gold, 36, struggled to pitch 123 Baxter Street, a huge, gorgeous three-bedroom apartment with ‘four exposures, multiple balconies and zero curb appeal’
Located ‘in a fringe neighborhood’ near Chinatown, Soho, Little Italy and Nolita, it was impossible to comp, but Steve finally settled on $5.5 million.
To sell it, he referenced the diverse neighborhoods bordering the home, serving dumplings, macarons, meatballs, and matcha at an open house.
Tyler Whitman, 33, meanwhile was trying to sell a two-bedroom at 130 East 67th Street, pricing it at $2.15 million after staging upped its appeal.
Hard comp: Located ‘in a fringe neighborhood’ near Chinatown, Soho, Little Italy and Nolita, it was impossible to comp, but Steve finally settled on $5.5 million
Open house: To sell it, he referenced the diverse neighborhoods bordering the home, serving dumplings, macarons, meatballs, and matcha at an open house
Strong staging: Tyler Whitman, 33, meanwhile was trying to sell a two-bedroom at 130 East 67th Street, pricing it at $2.15 million after staging upped its appeal
The home looked fantastic but posed a particular challenge: It was located right near busy, noisy police and fire stations.
Rather than ignore the issue, Tyler hired male models to dress up like firemen and policemen for the open house.
‘Let’s hope they can distract from the noise outside and bring me some offers,’ he said.
Million Dollar Listing New York will return next week on Bravo.
Noisy neighborhood: Rather than ignore the noise issue, Tyler hired male models to dress up like firemen and policemen for the open house