HGTV’s “Selling New York” follows CORE agents as they navigate the country’s most competitive—and compelling—real estate market. Here’s our behind-the-scenes look at Episode #608, which first aired on January 17, 2013. For more SNY recaps, click here.
In SNY episode #608 entitled “Slide Show,” Elizabeth Kee and Lindsee Silverstein team up to list a penthouse in the “A Building” at 425 East 13th Street. The seller is a young, world class poker player who has taken his bachelor pad up a notch with a sculptural slide that combines two penthouse apartments. This listing is a true game changer with a sprawling floor plan, multiple private outdoor spaces and a game/media room. Combined with a double height atrium and floor-to-ceiling windows which offer open city views, this penthouse with a slide is a truly a unique dream home.
After 15 other potential agents were interviewed, Elizabeth and Lindsee were selected to list this unique property because of their candor about the face-lift needed to achieve the seller’s ambitious asking price. Also, their creative ways offered to market the apartment without removal of the slide (as most other agents suggested) sealed the deal. With the slide remaining, these resourceful agents were able to lose the frat house feel and upgrade the property to emulate a sleek home – perfect for entertaining.
Part of the customized marketing plan included an influencer’s event, which targeted young, influential industry gurus, who this listing would appeal to. The catered event with a noted local mixologist, renowned spin artist, and prominent sommelier added to the event’s huge success.
Not only did the event direct select traffic, it also generated perpetual conversation about a truly unique listing. Within days, the media heard the buzz and the Slide PH went viral, being featured in numerous press outlets. This exposure garnered the attention needed for Elizabeth and Lindsee to get the right buyer in the door- a buyer who wanted the slide to stay.
Keep on reading for some exclusive behind-the-scenes information on what didn’t make it into last night’s episode of “Selling New York” and what happened after the cameras stopped rolling!
1) Burn, Baby, Burn. As part of the décor transformation, Lindsee and Elizabeth complemented the slide with an additional uncommon piece- a free-standing fireplace – to serve as another focal point in the living area and to offer a unique heating and visual element. When preparing for the event, they learned that the required Bio-Ethanol Fuel cannot be legally sold anywhere in New York City. The nearest licensed dispenser was over 2.5 hours away in the state of New Jersey. The short, 6-hour round-trip adventure the day of the event was well worth it, as the floating feel of the roaring fire was a major point of conversation during the party.
2) Just One Slide, Just One Buyer. There could be only one purchaser of this “Slide Show”. Since the sale, Elizabeth and Lindsee have worked with several other buyers who missed out on this purchase, helping them find their dream home. When working with buyers who want a home unlike any other, they have explored various creative options, including some of the city’s quirkiest and most extreme listings, such as the “Castle in the Sky” and other spaces where buyers’ architects are designing and building unparalleled oases to custom suit their unique needs.
3) A is for Amenities. The slide isn’t the only special feature of this home. The building itself is a standout, modern condo building in the East Village- a neighborhood where buildings of this kind are rare. The A Building is a full-service residence boasting a gym and enclosed courtyard, with most units in the building having private outdoor spaces. To top it off, the building is on the very short list of condos in Manhattan to have a rooftop pool (complete with cabanas and barbeque stations).
4) The Power of Social Media. Elizabeth and Lindsee recognized what t a conversation across social media platform’s reach would be. By hosting an event with active and influential guests, these savvy agents were sure to get the conversation started- and it didn’t stop. Before they knew it “#SlidePH” was a trending topic. Within days of the event, Elizabeth saw a NYC tourist guide in midtown buzzing about the infamous Slide PH in the East Village and Lindsee overheard a banker at an East Village watering hole telling the tale of a nearby apartment that boasted a slide. Word had spread into the right social circles, which eventually reached the now owner of the penthouse, who flew internationally into New York, just to see this infamous apartment for himself.
5) Freight Train to NYC Crane. All this talk about the slide deserves a greater look at the eye-catching piece. The owner became the first to install a slide in his apartment as a fun and unique way to combine the two penthouse apartments he purchased. Turrett Collaborative Architects custom designed this one-of-a-kind piece from stainless steel, shipped it from Oregon on a freight train, and had it crane-lifted into the penthouse. To accommodate the slide, the surrounding area’s ceilings were opened up to double height, creating over 18-foot ceilings in the living room. Not only is it a centerpiece of the apartment, but the slide can be seen from the street through the floor to ceiling windows, which wrap around the unit and look out from the east side all the way to the sun setting over the west side of Manhattan.