8 E 81ST Street
$16,900,000
MLS# RLS20052920 · Upper East Side
Originally listed at $18,000,000. Price last reduced on October 2, 2026.
Listed October 3, 2025 · 406 days on the market
8 Beds 7 Baths
About This Property
8 East 81st Street is an exceptionally fine five story, elevatored townhouse located off Fifth Avenue. This grand eight-bedroom, six and one-half bathroom home exudes a timeless grace with soaring 12-foot ceilings and meticulously preserved and restored original details. Natural light pours into the residence with exposures to the north, south, and east, enhancing the beauty of its hardwood floors and sophisticated finishes. Elegantly entertain guests in the formal dining room, framed by period charm and a wood burning fireplace. Step outside to your private garden, a peaceful retreat optimal for both quiet reflection and hosting friendly gatherings.
The parlor floor is the heart of the home with a generously proportioned living room with wood burning fireplace, a cozy yet grand, paneled library, also with wood burning fireplace, and an adjoining sitting room providing the perfect settings for receptions, relaxation, work, or study. Currently there are eight bedrooms on the three upper floors, with two wood burning fireplaces on the fifth floor. Each of the bedrooms has a minimum of 10" ceilings and wonderful light. This extraordinary townhouse blends the allure of solid pre-war craftsmanship with the conveniences of modern city living, creating an inviting home that caters to a warm and sophisticated lifestyle.
Agent's Note
From Curtis Bain. Details about the apartment are drawn from the listing information provided through RLS by Corcoran Group.
An elevator serves this five-story townhouse at 8 East 81st Street, so groceries and furniture don't have to be carried up and down the stairs every day. The washer and dryer are in the unit, which keeps laundry in the house.
The parlor floor is built for hosting. The living room has a wood burning fireplace, and the paneled library has one too, with an adjoining sitting room that can serve for receptions, reading or a desk. The formal dining room also has a wood burning fireplace, so you can entertain on one floor and retreat to another.
The eight bedrooms sit on the three upper floors, each with at least 10-foot ceilings and good light, and two wood burning fireplaces are on the fifth floor. The home's 12-foot ceilings give the main rooms real volume, and the original details are kept intact.
The private garden is a real asset in the city, and it works equally well for a quiet morning or a gathering of friends. The house faces north, south and east. The south exposure gets about 8.5 hours of direct sun on the winter solstice if the horizon stays open, though nearby buildings can block some of it.
The 77 St station on the 6 is about 8 minutes on foot, and the 86 St station serves the 4, 5 and 6 about 10 minutes away. Central Park is about 1 minute away, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art is about 3 minutes. Morton Williams, Gristedes and D'Agostino are each about 9 minutes on foot.
Quick answers+
Does the home have in-unit laundry?
Yes. It has a washer and dryer in the unit.
Is there private outdoor space?
Yes. The home has a private garden and private outdoor space over 60 square feet.
Does the building have an elevator?
Yes. The five-story townhouse is elevatored.
Curtis Bain
Brown Harris Stevens
Property Features
Policies
- Pets allowed
- Smoke-free
Home features
- Washer/dryer in unit
- Private garden
- Private outdoor space (over 60 sq ft)
Building amenities
Services and facilities
- Elevator
- Green building
Estimate
Monthly Cost & Closing Costs
The rate is a placeholder, not a quote. Enter the one your lender gives you.
$98,171 / month
- Principal and interest$85,456
- Property taxes$12,715
Due at closing
- Down payment (20%)$3,380,000
- NYS “mansion tax” (3.5%)$591,500
- Mortgage recording tax (1.925%)$260,260
Not included: attorney, title insurance, lender and appraisal fees, board application and move-in fees, flip tax and prepaid items. Estimates only, based on the published New York State rates. Your attorney and lender will confirm the real figures.
Location & Nearby
Map
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8 E 81ST Street
Subway
- 677 StAbout 8 min walk
- 45686 StAbout 10 min walk
Parks
- Central ParkAbout 1 min walk
Public schools · Elementary schools
- P.S. 6 Lillie D. BlakeAbout 2 min walk
- P.S. 290 Manhattan New SchoolAbout 14 min walk
Middle schools
- J.H.S. 167 Robert F. WagnerAbout 13 min walk
High schools
- Eleanor Roosevelt High SchoolAbout 18 min walk
Colleges & universities
- New York School of Interior DesignAbout 17 min walk
- Marymount Manhattan CollegeAbout 17 min walk
- Hunter College (CUNY)About 17 min walk
- Bard Graduate CenterAbout 19 min walk
Museums
- The Metropolitan Museum of ArtAbout 3 min walk
- Whitney Museum of American ArtAbout 8 min walk
- Solomon R. Guggenheim MuseumAbout 10 min walk
- National Academy of DesignAbout 12 min walk
Walking times are estimates. Schools shown are the nearest public and charter schools and are not zone assignments; a nearby school is not necessarily the one an address is zoned for. Confirm zoning with the NYC Department of Education. Sources: MTA, NYC Parks and NYC Department of City Planning open data.
The Neighborhood
About Upper East Side
Manhattan's gold standard for luxury living with iconic architecture, Central Park, and Museum Mile.
Walkability
9/10
Public transit
9/10
Schools
10/10
Dining
9/10
Groceries & parks
9/10
Schools in Upper East Side
Many of NYC's most selective schools sit here, with a concentration of elite K-12 private schools, strong public feeders like PS 6 and PS 290, and easy access to top selective high schools.
Private schools in the area include The Dalton School, The Brearley School, The Chapin School, The Spence School, Nightingale-Bamford School, The Browning School.
Similar homes in Upper East Side
Gallery
Property Photos
Listing Courtesy of Corcoran Group
This information is not verified for authenticity or accuracy and is not guaranteed and may not reflect all real estate activity in the market. ©2026 The Real Estate Board of New York, Inc., All rights reserved.