When Teenagers Pick $14 Million Condos

In the age of Internet access, children’s ability to become productively curious about almost anything has made the adolescent sons and daughters of wealthy New York City families important players in the discovery and selection of multimillion-dollar homes.

The New York Times reports:

Perhaps it’s because they’re so utterly at home on the Internet. Perhaps it’s because they’re lured by online images of condo amenities like an indoor pool or a children’s playroom or because they’re fans of “Million Dollar Listing New York” on Bravo. Or maybe it’s because it’s become business as usual for children in certain precincts of Manhattan to participate in family decisions. …

Their knowledge can be quite granular. “We had one teenager who knew the specifics of our floor plans. He knew that the C line apartments are 2,296 square feet and that the L units are 2,277,” said Justin D’Adamo, the managing director of Corcoran Sunshine, the marketing and sales team for River & Warren, a condominium development in Battery Park City. “He told his mother that the C line would be better because of his baby grand piano.” …

Sometimes the children apply the brakes instead of stepping on the gas. Ms. Arroyo recently went to check out an apartment in Midtown, Alexandre in tow. It had three bedrooms and everything else the family was looking for, and the building was great. “My son saw me getting excited and began looking at the sell sheet,” Ms. Arroyo said. “As I was asking the broker a few more questions, Alexandre was tugging at my sleeve and saying, ‘Mommy, Mommy. Look at the maintenance!’ ”

Read more here.

— Posted by Alexander Reed Kelly.