Legendary pop diva Mariah Carey is preparing to part ways with her longtime New York City penthouse, listing the property for the sky-high price of $27 million—more than 20 years after the palatial abode featured in the songstress’ now-infamous episode of “MTV Cribs.”
Carey, 57, purchased the expansive dwelling in June 1999, when she snapped up two separate units in the same building for a combined $9 million, before combining them into the stunning triplex that exists today.
Interestingly, while the listing does make mention of Carey’s ties to the property, it describes the penthouse as her “former” home, despite property records showing that it has not changed hands since the “All I Want for Christmas” singer purchased it more than 25 years ago, as first reported by the New York Post.
The listing, which is held by Emily Beare and Lexi Alper of Core Real Estate, also notes that the property is being offered for “the first time ever,” suggesting that it is still owned by Carey, who purchased it via an LLC named for the property’s address.
Listing images also show that the penthouse still bears all of the very unique decor that Carey has proudly showed off on a number of occasions over the years—including in a 2022 collaboration with Booking.com that saw her offering up the property to one lucky fan for a “Christmas card photoshoot.”
Carey also showcased the space in a hugely popular episode of “MTV Cribs” in 2002, shortly after work on the triplex was completed, in which she famously stripped down to her towel and took a dip in her huge soaking tub—although she later insisted that she had been “wearing a bodysuit” during the scene.
However, in recent years, the chart topper appears to have been using the penthouse more infrequently, with property records showing that it was offered up for rent in January 2025, with an asking price of $32,500 a month.
Mariah Carey has listed her longtime New York City penthouse for $27 million—24 years after she showcased the property during an episode of the hit TV show “MTV Cribs.”MTVThe home is filled with ornate design details, including a Christmas-themed room. Booking.com
Carey has taken out several loans against the home—with records indicating that there is currently around $18.6 million in outstanding debt tied to the penthouse, which occupies the 16th, 17th, and 18th floors of the Franklin Street building.
That figure was steadily accrued over the course of around 13 years, between 2005 and 2018, starting with an $8 million loan taken out with JPMorgan Chase that was steadily increased over the years.
Should Carey manage to find a buyer willing to pay anything close to her asking price, however, that sum would easily cover the outstanding loan amount—and leave the singer with a hefty profit to boot.
For that $27 million asking price, the listing notes that a buyer will not only have the benefit of owning a “one-of-a-kind” dwelling “in the heart of Tribeca,” but also one that boasts “both design pedigree and cultural cachet,” thanks to its famous owner, who hired famed interior designer Mario Buatta to overhaul the entire home soon after she bought it.
Among the more unique design features found in the home are painted ceilings, bronze-inlaid flooring, silver leaf embellishments, and—of course—an incredible Christmas-themed living area complete with dozens of fir-inspired lighting fixtures that frame the many windows overlooking the terrace.
While the listing images do not showcase the more intimate spaces in the property, including the bedrooms, bathroom, or the workout room in which Carey was seen exercising in high heels during her “MTV Cribs” appearance, the singer’s trademark glamour can be found in many of the primary living spaces.
In a 2001 interview with Architectural Digest, Buatta, who passed away in 2018, opened up about the design inspiration behind the apartment’s renovation, noting that his client “loves luxury,” a passion that he wanted to echo in the aesthetic of the home.
“I wanted to create a background for Mariah’s own glamour,” explained. “She exudes glamour—and sex appeal, too. She has incredible charisma.”
The penthouse’s main living room, which offers spectacular “360-degree views from the Hudson River to the Manhattan skyline” is decked out in varying shades of gold—although virtually staged photos have been added to show how the space might look with a more neutral palette.
Interestingly, during her “MTV Cribs” tour, Carey noted that this space largely went unused, noting that it was the “more serious” room in the house and adding: “Most of my friends and I, we don’t even bother coming into this area.”
The property is surrounded by windows that offer spectacular views of the city. Booking.comCarey previously told “MTV Cribs” that she had always dreamed of owning a New York City penthouse when she was a young girl. Booking.comThe property comes complete with a huge outdoor terrace. Booking.com
She added that the most iconic element in the room was a white grand piano that had previously been owned by Marilyn Monroe—a piece that she is reported to have paid $600,000 for, although it does not appear in the listing images.
Another of her favorite parts of the house, she said at the time, were the views, admitting that she had always dreamed of owning a penthouse that overlooked Manhattan.
“Out here, you can see the Empire State building,” the singer, who was raised on Long Island, NY, noted. “When I was little, I always wanted a penthouse apartment in New York with a view like this.”
That same view is highlighted in great detail in the listing, which notes that the vistas can be enjoyed from both the inside and outside spaces.
“The residence [is] defined by scale, light, and flexibility,” the description adds. “[It] spans the top three floors of one of downtown Manhattans most sought-after addresses, offering over 12,700 square feet of interior space [and] 1,100 square feet of private outdoor space.”
That outdoor space comes in the form of a sweeping terrace that wraps around much of the property and comes complete with multiple seating areas.
Because the property occupies three entire floors of the home, it gets “four exposures,” the listing notes, meaning that it is “filled with light throughout the day.”
While the penthouse is being sold as one unit, the description points out that there is an opportunity for a “developer or design-minded buyer” to separate it back into two separate apartments, noting that the “16th floor can function independently.”
Though they are not featured in the listing photos, the property boasts an impressive eight bedrooms, as well as seven full bathrooms, and three half bathrooms. There is also a private gym and a movie theater found in the penthouse.
Carey has not yet commented on her reasons for listing the dwelling which, for many years, served as her primary residence, even as she bought and sold numerous other homes across the U.S., including a Bel-Air mansion that she bought with her ex-husband, Nick Cannon, and a sprawling dwelling in the Bahamas, both of which she has since offloaded.
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