Rudy Giuliani is scrambling to find a buyer for his NYC condo or risks losing it in court
By Mary K. Jacob
This is the third price reduction since the property was first listed for $6.5 million.
Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani is racing against time to offload his Upper East Side condo, slashing the price by nearly $1 million in a desperate attempt to find a buyer.
The embattled ex-mayor faces the prospect of losing his prized possessions, including his Manhattan home, to settle a defamation lawsuit, The Post has learned.
In August, Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, two Georgia election workers who successfully sued Giuliani for over $140 million, requested a court order to seize his assets.
Among the items targeted: multiple properties, dozens of luxury watches, a Mercedes-Benz, and even his prized collection of New York Yankees World Series rings.
"He knows that he either has to sell the home quickly or risk losing it in court," a source told The Post, speaking on condition of anonymity.
This is the third price reduction since Giuliani first listed the home in July 2023 for $6.5 million. Despite its prime location and elegant design, the property has languished on the market for over a year, now priced at $5.175 million.
More from Realtor.com: 'The Bear' Star Jeremy Allen White Toured This Studio City Home With Molly Gordon: See Inside
Back in October 2023, the price dropped to $6.1 million, and again in May 2024, when the property resurfaced for $5.75 million after being briefly taken off the market. Giuliani's financial troubles began mounting after a federal judge tossed out his bankruptcy case this past July, leaving him exposed to his creditors.
Now, Freeman and Moss are seeking to claim Giuliani's two condos: one in New York, valued at approximately $6 million, and another in Palm Beach, Florida, worth around $3.5 million.
"A judgment debtor can only claim one homestead exemption based on that person's primary residence," Daniel Gielchinsky, a bankruptcy attorney at DGIM Law told The Post. "Mr. Giuliani's New York co-op has been on the market for [over a year], but his high asking price, the notoriety surrounding him from various criminal and civil legal proceedings, the uncertainty facing the New York City housing market and the condition of the co-op have inhibited his ability to sell the co-op."
More from Realtor.com: Bucolic Beauties: 5 Dreamy Modern Farmhouses for Under $500K
"Mr. Giuliani has to make a choice between selling one property and keeping the other property. It would seem that Mr. Giuliani's choice is to live out the rest of his years in Florida," Gielchinsky said.
Freeman and Moss, who endured threats after Giuliani accused them of tampering with ballots during the 2020 election, were awarded millions in damages for emotional distress.
"That strategy reaches the end of the line here," they declared, criticizing Giuliani's history of "evasion, obstruction, and outright disobedience." If the home doesn't sell fast, it could become part of the assets seized after a judge rules on Oct. 8.
More from Realtor.com: Half of Homeowners 'Set and Forget' Their Home Insurance-Despite 'Record-Breaking' Year of Extreme Weather
Giuliani is also being pursued by his former lawyer for unpaid legal fees and faced accusations of financial mismanagement.
In response, Giuliani's spokesman, Ted Goodman, dismissed the legal action as part of a harassment campaign. "The appeal of the objectively unreasonable $148 million verdict hasn't even been heard, yet opposing counsel continues to take steps designed to harass and intimidate the mayor," Goodman said in an email to Reuters.
"It should not be lost on anyone that Mr. Giuliani has been and will continue doing everything possible to evade payment to his creditors and preserve whatever assets he can possibly hold on to, and to wear his creditors down with protracted litigation in various forums," Gielchinsky added.
The three-bedroom, three-bathroom condo, listed with Sotheby's International Realty, boasts a wood-paneled library, a wood-burning fireplace, views of Central Park and a semi-private elevator landing.
But even with its high ceilings and original architectural details, the long-unsold home reflects the difficulties Giuliani now faces both financially and legally.
More from Realtor.com: Millennials Are Wealthier Than Other Generations Were at Their Age: See How They Did It
Among the more personal items visible in the listing photos is a replica of Joe DiMaggio's Yankees jersey, a piece signed by the baseball legend and gifted to Giuliani in 2002. Whether or not the jersey-and Giuliani's Yankees rings-will remain in his possession is still uncertain.
This story originally ran on Realtor.com.
-Mary K. Jacob
This content was created by MarketWatch, which is operated by Dow Jones & Co. MarketWatch is published independently from Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
10-07-24 0503ET
Copyright (c) 2024 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.-
Markets Brief: Is 16% a Good Return?
-
Should Emerging-Markets Stocks Stand Alone in Your Portfolio?
-
What’s Happening in the Markets This Week
-
Worst-Performing Stock ETFs of the Quarter
-
Q3 in Review and Q4 2024 Market Outlook
-
Top-Performing Stock ETFs of the Quarter
-
September Jobs Report Forecasts Show Moderate Hiring Gains
-
Port Strike a Headache for Shippers but a Potential Tailwind for Certain US Transport Stocks
-
3 Dividend Stocks for October 2024
-
Consumer Defensives: Despite Angst, Thirsty Investors Have Names to Pursue
-
Industrials: Many Stocks Overvalued After Q3 Outperformance
-
Basic Materials: Despite Index Rise, We See Multiple Long-Term Opportunities
-
What the Election Could Mean for Big Tech Stocks
-
3 Lessons From Recent Stock Market Drama
-
Consumer Cyclicals: Even Amid Moderating Consumer Spending, We See Discounts
-
Healthcare: Valuations Look Fair Overall, With Select Industries Still Undervalued