Barbara Corcoran is preparing to part with a home that’s been very personal to her. For years, the “Shark Tank” star has poured her heart into a sprawling New York City penthouse with views that seem impossible to walk away from. Now, she’s ready to close the door. Here's why.
A Chance Encounter in the 1990s
Image via Unsplash/Nathan Dumlao
In 1992, Barbara was running errands as a messenger to keep her real estate business afloat. One delivery took her to an Upper East Side penthouse with sweeping views of Central Park. The door opened, and she caught sight of its terrace and airy rooms. That quick glance stayed with her. Before leaving, she told the owner to get in touch if the apartment ever went up for sale.
It would be more than two decades before that call came. By then, Barbara had built The Corcoran Group into a major player in New York real estate and was a familiar face on “Shark Tank.” When the owner reached out in 2015, Barbara bought the penthouse for $10 million.
Renovating a Long-Awaited Home
The apartment didn’t look the way she wanted, but its location was unbeatable. She spent around $3 million reworking the space, flipping the upstairs and downstairs layouts, and moving the kitchen to the top floor. Plus, her attachment to the apartment went beyond design choices. She and her daughter Kate, who was 10 years old, camped out on the terrace during renovations. A few personal touches gave the home a sense of history before she had even finished unpacking.
Life in the Penthouse
Image via Unsplash/Luiz Cent
Over the years, Barbara hosted themed gatherings, including Day of the Dead dinners, pajama parties, and even a mock funeral for herself. The terrace, which stretches along a corner with uninterrupted park views, became her favorite place to sleep on warm nights. In a recent video tour, she pointed out the “cozy corner” where she would tuck herself in under the stars.
Why It’s Time to Move On
After nearly a decade in the apartment, Barbara decided it was no longer the right fit. Bill, now 80, found the curved staircase connecting the two floors increasingly difficult to manage. The couple began looking for a one-story layout in the same neighborhood.
The search didn’t start smoothly. Barbara placed a $9.95 million bid on a penthouse once owned by Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward but lost to another buyer. Around the same time, her Pacific Palisades mobile home was destroyed in the California wildfires. She has since said she plans to rebuild.
A Quick Sale Above Asking
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Barbara eventually bought another penthouse nearby, this one spread across a single floor. That cleared the way to list her beloved home. She put it on the market for $12 million, with monthly maintenance fees of roughly $11,000. It sold in a day, reportedly over the asking price. Before showing it, she hired Vesta to stage the rooms. The staging process involved swapping out furniture and artwork several times to find the best look for each space.
An Emotional Investment
Selling the apartment wasn’t about profit. Even at full price, Barbara expected to take a loss after her renovation costs. She saw it less as an investment and more as a home she had wanted for decades. “I never thought I would ever leave,” she said, adding that her approach to buying was always about the location over the existing space. The listing described the penthouse as an 11-room residence with sweeping Central Park and skyline views.
The Next Chapter
Image via Unsplash/Breno Assis
Barbara has already settled into her new single-floor penthouse, where she is staying close to the neighborhood she loves. She has kept her focus on both her real estate work and her television role while planning to rebuild her California property. The sale of the Upper East Side apartment closed a long chapter in her personal history, one that started with a chance knock on the door and ended with a quick, high-priced deal.