Made in Manhattan: a tour of New York’s prime borough

Upper East Side
Historically Manhattan’s most exclusive – and expensive – neighbourhood, the Upper East Side stretches north from 59th Street to Spanish Harlem, and east from Fifth to FDR Drive. It has New York’s biggest concentration of townhouses, alongside elegant, fully serviced prewar heritage buildings, their distinctive architectural style the work of Rosario Candela in the 1920s. Most homes are co-ops rather than condos, and each has its own financial and social criteria for residents – as a result, price points vary widely. Expect to pay between $2m and $3m for a two- to three-bedroom apartment on 1st or 2nd Avenue, and at least $5m on Park or Fifth Avenue. The finest full-floor co-ops in prime locations sell for close to $100m.

Upper West Side
Head across Central Park to the Upper West Side to find a more welcoming environment for buyers. Properties here are slightly less grand and less exclusive than on the Upper East Side – it’s a more manageable scale. Of course, there are landmark buildings – the Dakota on West 72nd Street, for example – but as a rule, comparable properties priced at $3m on the Upper East Side will sell for between $2m and $2.5m on the Upper West Side. Both areas are popular for the easy access they provide to well-regarded schools.

Midtown – Billionaire’s Row
The 57th Street corridor reaching up towards 59th Street, around Columbus Circle and east to 432 Park Avenue, is home to the super-high modern towers of Billionaire’s Row. Recently, Corcoran has seen an influx of American buyers looking for a city base, attracted by the build quality, the views and the location. Newly completed 111 West 57th Street is a prime example: 60 apartments with prices ranging from $6.995m to $66m, with wonderful city views, gracious proportions, 14ft ceilings and extensive amenities. It’s like living in a five-star hotel with a wall of glass overlooking Central Park. Prices just keep increasing: one of the most recent sales at 220 Central Park South was about $75m – that’s more than $10,000 per square foot.

Chelsea
Chelsea offers handsome lofts in converted warehouses and a good choice of newly developed condominiums, New York’s most flexible – and popular – type of property. The neighbourhood has expanded from its core at Union Square and north through 23rd Street to include the new development at Hudson Yards on 30th Street. The High Line runs through the area and the Avenues school caters to parents who might once have moved uptown for their children’s education. Prices start at about $2.5m for a good-quality two-bedroom condo, or $3.5m for a two-bedder at One High Line, due for completion in 2024 and selling well. Properties in Chelsea are typically more compact than those around Central Park, and can lack widescreen views, but the neighbourhood’s young residents are happy to accept these compromises in return for a fast-paced downtown life.

Soho and Tribeca
Architectural styles are similar in these two neighbouring downtown areas, with homes in converted warehouses and lofts providing generous space, high ceilings and a wealth of period features. Greene Street, for example, is entirely made up of cast-iron buildings: you’re either in a beautiful apartment or looking out at one, and people take a real pride in their homes. Property here typically costs $2,000-$3,000 per square foot, with good-quality two- to three-bedroom homes selling for about $3m. Tribeca’s school district is a draw for parents, and both neighbourhoods offer easy access to the Financial District and One World Trade Center. The true appeal of Soho and Tribeca lies in their charming cobbled streets, excellent restaurants, bars and shops, and a youthful, dynamic energy that typifies New York.

Pictures from top: Central Park aerial view in Manhattan, New York (Alamy); wraparound terrace on a 15th floor Park Avenue apartment; the view between the One High Line Towers; El Dorado Building as seen from Central Park (unsplash)