The student housing sector is experiencing a shift away from luxury amenities towards more affordable, functional living spaces due to economic concerns and changing student preferences, with increased focus on large public universities and a slowdown in new development, which may boost existing asset values.
The new Chase Sapphire Lounge at New York City’s LaGuardia Airport offers an array of luxurious amenities, including private Reserve Suites with caviar service, a spa area, cocktail bars, and dining options from popular Manhattan restaurants. The lounge is exclusively available to holders of select Chase credit cards and includes Priority Pass memberships, with the option to bring guests for a fee.
Core Club, a new 60,000-square-foot private membership club in Manhattan, is set to open next month, joining the wave of elite clubs that have emerged in major cities since the pandemic. With more than a dozen new clubs opening or announced in Manhattan since 2020, the competition is fierce, with clubs offering extravagant amenities such as dining spaces, celebrity chefs, wellness spas, gyms, bars, pools, nightclubs, plush hotel suites, and high-tech boardrooms. Membership fees are soaring, with Core Club's ranging from $15,000 for an individual membership to $100,000 for a family membership, along with annual dues of $15,000 to $18,000. Despite concerns of oversaturation, club owners and managers believe there is no slowdown in demand as the wealthy seek exclusive spaces for work, play, and networking.
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck have purchased a $60 million mansion in Beverly Hills with 12 bedrooms, 24 bathrooms, a wine room, a whiskey lounge, a cinema, a spa, a nail salon, a sauna, a massage room, an indoor pickleball court, a boxing ring, a sports lounge, and 15 fireplaces. The couple reportedly paid in cash and are already moving in. In a previous interview, J.Lo spoke about merging households with Ben and prioritizing their children's feelings during the transition.
Billy Joel is selling his 26-acre waterfront estate in Oyster Bay, Long Island for $49 million after purchasing it for $22.5 million in 2002. The estate features a 20,000-square-foot mansion, floating dock, beach house, gate house, two outdoor pools, and a helipad. The main house is currently being renovated and features five bedrooms, covered porches, brick columns, archways, and a two-story entrance hall with marble tiled floors. Joel and his family are spending more time in Florida, necessitating the sale. The estate is near Joel's Long Island hometown of Hicksville and about 40 miles east of Manhattan.
Actress Carol Burnett has sold her Los Angeles condo for $3.7 million. The three-bedroom unit in the Wilshire condominium building in Westwood was remodeled in 2011 and was originally listed for $4.2 million in October. The building offers luxury hotel amenities, including 24-hour concierge and valet parking, a door attendant, a front desk for visitor registration, an on-site building manager, banquet and meeting rooms, a fitness center, a pool, and 36-bottle wine storage lockers. Burnett turned 90 on April 26 and celebrated with a two-hour special titled "Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love."
Edwin Castro, a 30-year-old Californian who won a record $2 billion Powerball jackpot, has purchased a $4 million Japanese-inspired mansion in Altadena, California, just days after buying a $25 million estate in Hollywood Hills. The five-bed, five-bath home boasts modern finishes, a sun-soaked Zen patio, and a saltwater pool. The estate also features a private screening room, a solar power energy system, and an electric vehicle charging port. Castro's latest purchase comes with expensive artwork befitting its Japanese design.