Business
One in three Manhattan condo owners lost money when they sold in the last year
A version of this article first appeared in CNBC’s Inside Wealth newsletter with Robert Frank, a weekly guide to the high-net-worth investor and consumer. Sign up to receive future editions, straight to your inbox.
More than a third of the condo apartments sold in Manhattan over roughly the past year sold at a loss, although the top end of the market fared better, according to a new report.
Despite the steady stream of headlines about eye-popping sales and soaring prices in Manhattan real estate, the median price per square foot for Manhattan condos is essentially flat from a decade ago, according to a report from Brown Harris Stevens. One in three condo resales between July 2024 and June 2025 were sold at a loss, according to the report. When including inflation, transaction costs and renovations, the share of losses by condo sellers is likely even higher, according to real estate analysts.
While the data didn’t include co-ops, analysts say co-op prices have generally fared the same or slightly worse than condos.
“For the last decade, Manhattan has essentially been moving sideways,” said Jonathan Miller, CEO of Miller Samuel, the appraisal and real estate research firm.
The long-term price weakness in Manhattan stands in stark contrast to much of the country, where home prices are up substantially since the pandemic, creating a widespread affordability crisis. Only 2% of home sellers nationally who purchased homes before the pandemic are at risk of selling at a loss, according to Redfin.
Manhattan is still among the most expensive markets in the country, especially on a per-square-foot basis. The median price for Manhattan sales in the third quarter was $1.2 million, while the average is just under $2 million, according to Miller Samuel and Douglas Elliman. Yet over the longer term, an analysis of resales finds that the timing of purchases in Manhattan typically matters more than location.
Condo owners who bought before 2010 have fared the best. The median gains for those in that cohort who sold over roughly the past year were between 29% and 45%, according to the Brown Harris report. Prices started to rise after the financial crisis, peaking in 2016. That means for those who bought between 2011 and 2015, the sale gains in the past year were modest, around 11%.
The biggest losers were those who bought after 2016. Half of the buyers who bought between 2016 and 2020 sold at a loss over the surveyed period. Among those who bought between 2021 and 2024, the gains were slim – although some buyers who got deals during the depths of the Covid downturn in late 2020 and early 2021 may fare better.
Adding in other costs of buying, selling and ownership would further add to the losses. Transaction costs in Manhattan can range from 6% to 10%, according to brokers. Renovations and improvements also aren’t counted in the losses, nor are maintenance fees or taxes. Adjusting for inflation would also increase the losses and lower returns.
Stijn Van Nieuwerburgh, co-director of the Paul Milstein Center for Real Estate at the Graduate School of Business at Columbia University, said inflation has increased 36% over the past decade.
“So if I had invested in a Manhattan condo in September 2015 (close to the peak) and sold it in August 2025 for the same nominal price, a 0% nominal return, I actually lost 36% in real terms,” he said. “This is surprising since many people think of real estate as a good inflation hedge.”
He noted that the Case-Shiller national home price index went up 89% in the 10 years between September 2015 and August 2025, “a lot better than in NYC and also far higher than the 36% inflation.”
The reasons for Manhattan’s “lost decade” in condo prices are as varied as they are disputed. The cap on state and local tax deductions that began in 2018 put pressure on prices and demand, as did a 2019 rent law. The migration of some higher earners to Florida during Covid also added to real estate fears, although the population and demand quickly rebounded.
The one exception to the trend was the top of the market. Those who bought and sold apartments for $10 million or more made double-digit profits, no matter when they initially bought.
Brokers and analysts say the increased concentration of wealth at the top, rising stock markets and ceaseless demand from those who are less affected by economic and market cycles has powered continued gains in the luxury market.
“The higher end has fared better over the decade, especially in, let’s say, the top 4% of the market,” Miller said. “The reason is Wall Street and financial markets. And the ability to buy in cash, independent of interest rates.”
Two thirds of the apartment deals done in the third quarter were done in cash, Miller said, far above the historical average of around 53% and showing the continued dependence of the Manhattan market on wealthy buyers who don’t need mortgages.
In a market defined by frequent ups and downs, brokers say the current upswing presents an opportunity for both buyers and sellers.
“I’m bullish and have a very positive outlook for New York real estate,” said Jared Antin, executive director at Brown Harris Stevens and a co-author of the report. “While some people may have lost money on the deals [over the decade], the losses were negligible. It speaks to the blue chip nature of the Manhattan market. Does everyone want to make money on their real estate? Of course. But this market is incredibly stable.”
Sellers who bought during the dip in 2020 and early 2021 could also see profits when they start to sell, Antin said.
Still, with median prices hovering near all-time highs and uncertainty around the upcoming mayoral election, many potential buyers prefer to stay on the sidelines and rent, even if they can afford to buy. The number of households in New York City making more than $1 million a year who are renting more than doubled between 2019 and 2023, to 5,661, according to a report from RentCafe.
What’s more, signed contracts for high-end apartments — priced at $4 million or more — fell 39% in September, according to Olshan Realty, following increases in August and July. Brokers blame a rapid decline in inventory and lack of new supply from condo developments rather than a decline in demand or fears that Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist, would become the next mayor of New York City.
“There certainly is a downside risk to policy,” Miller said. “But as we’ve seen in the past, those fears are usually overblown.”
New Delhi: The Reserve Bank of India, as on March 31 this year, held 879.58 metric tonnes of gold as compared to 822.10 metric tonnes as on March 31, 2024, reflecting an increase of 57.48 metric tonnes, the Parliament was informed on Monday.
These gold holdings contribute to strengthening confidence in the Indian rupee and the overall external stability of the economy, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary told the Lok Sabha in a reply to a question.
To questions about the surge in gold and silver prices in the domestic market, he said that domestic prices of precious metals like gold and silver are primarily determined by their prevailing international prices (in US dollar terms), the exchange rate of the Indian rupee against the US dollar and applicable tariffs.
The recent surge in prices is largely attributable to heightened geopolitical tensions and uncertainty over global growth, which have boosted safe-haven demand, including substantial gold purchases by central banks and major institutions worldwide.
The minister said that the recent rally in gold prices may have differential effects across states or population groups, depending upon the degree of socio-cultural and economic reliance on these precious metals.
“They serve a dual role — not only as a consumption item but also as an investment avenue, as they are considered safe assets for hedging against uncertainties,” he said.
Thus, an increase in the price of gold or silver positively influences household wealth, as the notional value of existing gold or silver holdings appreciates, he added. Chaudhary further stated that the prices of precious metals are determined by the market, and the government is not involved in the price fixation.
However, the government, as a relief measure for consumers, lowered customs duty on gold imports from 15 to 6 per cent in July 2024.
The government introduced measures such as the Gold Monetisation Scheme (GMS), Gold exchange‑traded funds (ETFs) and Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme to reduce the demand for physical gold and to mobilise idle domestic gold, so that part of the demand is met from local stocks rather than fresh imports, thereby reducing external vulnerability and price pressures.
“The RBI and government regulation of bullion imports through nominated agencies, banks and refineries improve traceability, reduce grey‑market channels and help domestic prices more smoothly track global benchmarks rather than react to shortages or speculative spikes,” the minister said.
Business
‘Can a dead economy grow at 8.2%?’: FM Sitharaman rebuts Trump remark in Lok Sabha; cites IMF ratings upgrade – The Times of India
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday cited India’s strong growth and sovereign rating upgrades to counter claims that the country was a “dead economy”, telling the Lok Sabha that such upgrades would not have been possible if the economy were weak, PTI reported.Responding to Opposition members who sought the government’s reaction to US President Donald Trump’s description of India as a “dead economy”, Sitharaman said India remains the fastest-growing major economy, recording 8.2% growth in the September quarter.“The economy in the last 10 years has transitioned from external vulnerability to external resilience,” the minister said while replying to the Supplementary Demands for Grants for 2025-26 in the House.“Every institution is raising our growth outlook for this year and the forthcoming year. There are clear expressions (from the IMF) recognising India’s growth and no dead economy gets a credit rating upgrade by DBRS, S&P and R&I,” Sitharaman said.Trump had made the “dead economy” remark in July while expressing disappointment with India’s decision to continue buying oil from Russia. Sitharaman said data and assessments by global institutions contradicted that characterisation.“The economy today has moved from fragility to fortitude,” she said.“So somebody said something somewhere, however important that somebody is, we should not depend on that but rely on data available within the country and also data coming from elsewhere. Rely on data,” she told Opposition members.“Can a dead economy grow at 8.2%? Can a dead economy get credit rating upgrades?” Sitharaman asked.The Reserve Bank of India last week raised its GDP growth projection for FY26 to 7.3% from 6.8% earlier. India grew 8.2% in the September quarter and 7.8% in the June quarter.On concerns raised over the International Monetary Fund’s assessment of India’s national accounts — including Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Gross Value Added (GVA) — Sitharaman said India’s overall grading remains unchanged at the median rating of ‘B’.She said the IMF had flagged the outdated base year for national accounts and suggested rebasing. “So to say that there has been a downgrade by IMF is misleading the House. For this year, IMF gave B for overall statistics,” she said, adding that India has remained the fastest-growing major economy for the fourth consecutive year despite the pandemic.Sitharaman also addressed concerns over public debt, saying India’s debt-to-GDP ratio rose to 61.4% after Covid but was brought down to 57.1% by 2023-24 due to policy measures taken by the central government.“By this year-end, I expect it to come down to 56.1%,” the finance minister said.
The new prices will take effect from midnight and will remain applicable for next 15 days, according to notification
A worker holds a fuel nozzle to fills fuel in a car at petrol station in Karachi on September 16, 2023. Photo: REUTERS/ File
The federal government has reduced the price of high-speed diesel by Rs14 per litre for the next 15 days, while keeping petrol prices unchanged, according to a notification issued by the Petroleum Division late Monday night.
Under the revised prices, the new rate of high-speed diesel has been fixed at Rs265.65 per litre. Petrol will continue to be sold at Rs263.45 per litre. The Petroleum Division said the changes will take effect from midnight and remain applicable for the next fortnight.
The notification marks a significant reduction in diesel prices, which is expected to provide some relief to the transport and agriculture sectors. However, motorists using petrol will see no change in fuel costs during the period.
On November 30, the government had also reduced fuel prices by up to Rs4.79 per litre for the fortnight ending December 15. According to a notification issued by the Petroleum Division, petrol was reduced by Rs2 to Rs263.45 per litre, while high-speed diesel saw a cut of Rs4.79 to Rs279.65 per litre.
High-speed diesel is extensively used in the transport and agriculture sectors, meaning reductions have a wide economic impact. Petrol, primarily used in motorbikes and cars, is most consumed in Punjab due to restrictions on the use of indigenous gas at CNG stations.
Fuel prices in Pakistan are reviewed every 15 days, in line with global oil market trends and domestic fiscal considerations.
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