--- title: "51 West 81st Street #5A, New York City, NY 10024" description: "51 West 81st Street #5A, New York City, NY 10024 — Upper West Side, New York City, NY. Listing Price $625,000. In contract 12/8/2025. Studio bed, 1 bath, 512 sqft Illustrative Buyer Commission Share of $9,375 at closing, based on a 3% buyer-broker commission." url: "https://realestaterebatesnewyork.com/buy/newyorkcity/manhattan/10024/51-west-81st-street-a-5A-ny-10024" source: "Real Estate Rebate Team" status: "Pending" --- # 51 West 81st Street #5A, New York City, NY 10024 Upper West Side, New York City, NY Courtesy of Sothebys International Realty ## At a Glance - **Listing Price**: $625,000 - **Status**: In contract 12/8/2025 In Contract/Lease Signed indicates an offer has been made and accepted by the seller/landlord, with the deal pending completion. - **Beds**: Studio - **Baths**: 1 - **Sqft**: 512 - **Common Charges**: $1,030 / mo - **Price per Sqft**: $1,221 - **Brokerage Fee**: Share Eligible ## The Private Brokerage Advantage As an independent luxury buyer representative, Régis shares 50% of the buyer-side commission he actually receives on your purchase. Eligible buyers receive that Buyer Commission Share directly at closing to offset closing costs, down payments, or renovations. The figures below are illustrative, based on a **3% buyer-broker commission**; your share follows the commission offered on the transaction. - **Contract Purchase Price**: $625,000 - **Illustrative Buyer Commission Share**: -$9,375* - **Illustrative Net Cost**: $615,625 *Illustrative Buyer Savings of $9,375 — 50% of a 3% buyer-broker commission, shared at closing.* [Request a private tour](https://realestaterebatesnewyork.com/contact) · [Estimate your Buyer Commission Share](https://realestaterebatesnewyork.com/calculators/buyer-closing-cost-calculator) ## Photos (10) ![51 West 81st Street #5A, New York City, NY 10024 — photo 1 of 10](https://realestaterebatesnewyork-bucket.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/93c3340f-42c2-4961-b601-79d547a93296.jpg) ![51 West 81st Street #5A, New York City, NY 10024 — photo 2 of 10](https://realestaterebatesnewyork-bucket.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/bc635fac-0e08-4a36-8a27-6ba46140362c.jpg) ![51 West 81st Street #5A, New York City, NY 10024 — photo 3 of 10](https://realestaterebatesnewyork-bucket.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/6f52bf05-b6ed-49c5-aafd-b5d17d5acb46.jpg) ![51 West 81st Street #5A, New York City, NY 10024 — photo 4 of 10](https://realestaterebatesnewyork-bucket.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/5bc8a0c8-30d6-484f-812b-b9431825e242.jpg) ![51 West 81st Street #5A, New York City, NY 10024 — photo 5 of 10](https://realestaterebatesnewyork-bucket.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/9bf465ff-d38d-4e16-8fcf-2e59feff14a2.jpg) ![51 West 81st Street #5A, New York City, NY 10024 — photo 6 of 10](https://realestaterebatesnewyork-bucket.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/2011e6de-9d6b-485e-a5d4-bddc0a17816d.jpg) ![51 West 81st Street #5A, New York City, NY 10024 — photo 7 of 10](https://realestaterebatesnewyork-bucket.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/72ec26ab-2926-400d-8475-b565c7946a4a.jpg) ![51 West 81st Street #5A, New York City, NY 10024 — photo 8 of 10](https://realestaterebatesnewyork-bucket.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/3adb7ae6-3a6f-4ee4-ac37-27bcc7e6054a.jpg) ![51 West 81st Street #5A, New York City, NY 10024 — photo 9 of 10](https://realestaterebatesnewyork-bucket.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/d4adeeb6-efc0-4046-af66-fad8d4a78904.jpg) ![51 West 81st Street #5A, New York City, NY 10024 — photo 10 of 10](https://realestaterebatesnewyork-bucket.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/d296d33f-d022-493c-a436-7e85c03b60fb.jpg) ## Property Overview Possibly the most gracious, well-located studio on the Upper West Side! Apartment 5A is a flexibly configured studio/one bedroom apartment in The Galaxy with approximately 512 square feet of old-world charm and all the modern conveniences. The Galaxy, an elegant 14-story co-op at 81st Street and Columbus Avenue, overlooks the Hayden Planetarium and the Museum of Natural History with its beautiful grassy park and weekly farmers’ markets. Currently used as an extremely spacious studio with windows facing west onto Columbus Avenue, Apartment 5A would convert very easily to a comfortable one-bedroom apartment (See Alternate Floor Plan). This studio has many features more commonly found in larger apartments: 9 ¾’ ceilings; tall windows; a separate windowed kitchen large enough to comfortably accommodate a proper dining table and chairs; and a gracious entry hallway leading from the front door to the living space with a spacious hall closet and a large windowed bath on either side of the hallway. The living space benefits from hardwood floors and an easy-to-operate and very comfortable Murphy bed which would transfer with the apartment. Residents of The (pet-friendly) Galaxy benefit from a full-time doorman as well as a live-in resident manager. The beautiful, planted roof deck with its panoramic views is available to residents for private use or entertaining. Other important tenant amenities include laundry facilities on every floor, bike storage and a package room. The Galaxy is currently in the process of replacing the carpeting and wallpaper in the upstairs hallways and refurbishing laundry and compactor rooms. These improvements have been fully financed through a recently collected assessment. The Galaxy was built in 1905 with lovely pre-war detail including intricate window cornices and scroll work and a beautiful mosaic floor in the lobby. The 81st Street Park block is arguably one of the prettiest and "handiest" on the Upper West Side. Less than a block to Central Park, it is convenient to world-class specialty stores such as Zabar's; fine restaurants, boutiques and has ready access to multiple subway lines and the 79th Street cross-town bus. Apartment 5A at The Galaxy is in the beating heart of New York's art and cultural center with the opera, dance, symphonic music, jazz and film offerings of Lincoln Center in walking distance. Ownership at The Galaxy is very flexible with pieds-à-terre, co-purchases, gifting and guaranteeing allowed on a case by case basis. Further, financing up to 75% is permitted as is sub-letting after one year of ownership with Board approval. There is a flip tax of $12/share payable to the corporation, $3,996 in the case of Apartment 5A (333 shares). ## Property Details - **Property Type**: Co-op - **Baths**: 1 - **Rooms**: 3 - **Sqft**: 512 sqft - **Stories**: 13 - **Year Built**: 1903 - **Price per Sqft**: $1,221 - **Common Charges**: $1,030 / Monthly - **Listed On**: Nov 3, 2025 - **Days on Market**: 318 Days ### Residence Features - Common On Floor - City - Park/Greenbelt ## Estimated Monthly Payment **$4,190 / month**, assuming a 20% down payment ($125,000), a 6.5% interest rate and a 30-year term. The page's calculator lets a buyer change all three. - **Principal & Interest**: $3,160 - **Common Charges**: $1,030 Estimates only. Actual payments may vary. Confirm terms with your lender. ## Sales and market data ### Recent sales 10 apartments at Galaxy 51 have recorded sales since September 2021, the most recent for $625,000 in March 2026. Prices are the figures recorded with the City, not asking prices. | Unit | Beds | Sq Ft | Sold Price | $/ft² | Sold | Source | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 5A (Apartment) | Studio | 512 | $625,000 | $1,221/ft² | March 26, 2026 | City record | | 12G (Apartment) | 1 | 500 | $849,000 | $1,698/ft² | April 15, 2025 | City record · MLS | | 5A (Apartment) | Studio | — | $610,000 | — | November 27, 2024 | City record · MLS | | 7L (Apartment) | 1 | — | $720,000 | — | November 26, 2024 | City record · MLS | | 5G (Apartment) | Studio | 450 | $632,500 | $1,406/ft² | November 15, 2024 | City record · MLS | | 4L (Apartment) | 1 | — | $665,000 | — | October 24, 2024 | City record · MLS | | 11E (Apartment) | — | — | $660,000 | — | June 28, 2023 | City record | | 5K/6K/6L (Apartment) | 4 | — | $2,945,000 | — | April 28, 2023 | City record · MLS | | PHA/B (Apartment) | 1 | — | $2,300,000 | — | February 6, 2023 | MLS | | 2K (Apartment) | — | — | $1,050,000 | — | October 4, 2022 | City record | Every row is a recorded transaction, including ancillary spaces such as storage and staff rooms where they were sold separately. Those are excluded from the benchmark below. ### How this price compares - **This home**: $625,000 - **Median sold price**: $625,000 - **Difference**: $0 - **This home, $/ft²**: $1,221 - **Comparable sales**: 3 - **Sales from**: November 2024 – March 2026 - **Middle half of those sales**: $617,500 – $628,750 Based on studio sales at Galaxy 51. Square footage is recorded for only 2 of these 3 sales (67%), so no price per square foot is shown for this group. Co-op sales rarely carry a floor area, and a figure drawn from a handful of them would not describe the rest. ### Price trend Median sale price, co-op studio sales in Upper West Side | Year | Median sold price | Sales | | --- | --- | --- | | 2017 | $434,000 | 41 | | 2018 | $477,500 | 44 | | 2019 | $422,500 | 36 | | 2020 | $449,500 | 36 | | 2021 | $450,000 | 87 | | 2022 | $445,000 | 74 | | 2023 | $475,000 | 68 | | 2024 | $497,995 | 66 | | 2025 | $469,000 | 57 | | 2026 YTD | $460,000 | 33 | Based on recorded co-op studio sales in Upper West Side. 2026 is year-to-date. Sales data through March 2026. Sale prices are the consideration recorded with the City in ACRIS, and each sale is dated by the day the City recorded it. A closing date reported to the MLS typically falls one to two weeks earlier. Recorded sales describe what has already happened and are not an appraisal, a valuation, or an estimate of what this home will sell for. [See every recorded sale at Galaxy 51](https://realestaterebatesnewyork.com/buildings/new-york-city/manhattan/galaxy-51) ## Price and Property History for 51 West 81st Street, Unit 5A Review the recorded listing activity for 51 West 81st Street, Unit 5A, including asking-price changes and prior market dates. - **Entered contract**: December 8, 2025 - **Last sold (recorded)**: $610,000 on November 27, 2024 | Date | Price | Listing event | | --- | --- | --- | | December 8, 2025 | $625,000 | Entered contract | | October 6, 2025 | $625,000 | Listed for sale by Sothebys International Realty | | November 27, 2024 | $610,000 | Sold — recorded sale price | | August 10, 2024 | $610,000 | Entered contract | | June 10, 2024 | $545,000 | Listed for sale by Compass | ## Property Taxes This apartment is part of a co-op that is taxed as one lot shared across 112 apartments. The corporation’s 2026 property tax bill was $1,353,139 for the whole building. Shareholders cover it through their monthly maintenance rather than a separate bill for this unit. [See the full property tax history for Galaxy 51](https://realestaterebatesnewyork.com/buildings/new-york-city/manhattan/galaxy-51) [How we source and calculate NYC property tax data](https://realestaterebatesnewyork.com/nyc-property-tax-data-methodology) ## About The Building ### Galaxy 51 Upper West Side · Stock Cooperative 51 West 81st Street, New York, NY 10024 A building in Upper West Side, currently featuring 0 active listings. - **Year Built**: 1903 - **Active Units**: 0 - **Floors**: 13 [View the building page](https://realestaterebatesnewyork.com/buildings/new-york-city/manhattan/galaxy-51) ### Available Residences — For Sale (4) | Unit | Beds | Baths | Size | Price / Ft² | Price | Listing Office | Listed Date | Days on Market | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [5A](https://realestaterebatesnewyork.com/buy/newyorkcity/manhattan/10024/51-west-81st-street-a-5A-ny-10024) | Studio | 1 | 512 sqft | $1,221 | $625,000 — In contract | Sothebys International Realty | Nov 3, 2025 | 317 days | | [10E](https://realestaterebatesnewyork.com/buy/newyorkcity/manhattan/10024/51-west-81st-street-10e-ny-10024) | Studio | 1 | — | — | $649,000 (-3.0%) — In contract | Corcoran Group | Mar 27, 2026 | 173 days | | [2E](https://realestaterebatesnewyork.com/buy/newyorkcity/manhattan/10024/51-west-81st-street-e-2E-ny-10024) | Studio | 1 | — | — | $495,000 — In contract | Compass | Apr 8, 2026 | 161 days | | [6KL](https://realestaterebatesnewyork.com/buy/newyorkcity/manhattan/10024/51-west-81st-street-kl-6KL-ny-10024) | 4 | 3 | — | — | $3,450,000 — In contract | Corcoran Group | Jun 20, 2026 | 88 days | ## Upper West Side Overview of Upper West Side [Explore Upper West Side](https://realestaterebatesnewyork.com/neighborhoods/new-york-city/manhattan/upper-west-side) · [All Neighborhoods](https://realestaterebatesnewyork.com/neighborhoods) ### Nearby Upper West Side - [Central Park real estate for sale](https://realestaterebatesnewyork.com/neighborhoods/new-york-city/manhattan/central-park) - [Upper East Side real estate for sale](https://realestaterebatesnewyork.com/neighborhoods/new-york-city/manhattan/upper-east-side) - [Morningside Heights real estate for sale](https://realestaterebatesnewyork.com/neighborhoods/new-york-city/manhattan/morningside-heights) - [Hells Kitchen real estate for sale](https://realestaterebatesnewyork.com/neighborhoods/new-york-city/manhattan/hells-kitchen) - [Theater District real estate for sale](https://realestaterebatesnewyork.com/neighborhoods/new-york-city/manhattan/theater-district) - [East Harlem real estate for sale](https://realestaterebatesnewyork.com/neighborhoods/new-york-city/manhattan/east-harlem) ## Related Links - [Galaxy 51 — building page](https://realestaterebatesnewyork.com/buildings/new-york-city/manhattan/galaxy-51) - [Upper West Side neighborhood guide](https://realestaterebatesnewyork.com/neighborhoods/new-york-city/manhattan/upper-west-side) - [Estimate your Buyer Commission Share and closing costs](https://realestaterebatesnewyork.com/calculators/buyer-closing-cost-calculator) - [Contact Régis Roumila](https://realestaterebatesnewyork.com/contact) --- > RLS IDX Data display by Real Estate Rebate Team. 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. IDX information is provided exclusively for consumers’ personal, non-commercial use and it may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing. > All information furnished regarding property for sale, rental or financing is from sources deemed reliable, but no warranty or representation is made as to the accuracy thereof and same is submitted subject to errors, omissions, change of price, rental or other conditions, prior sale, lease or financing or withdrawal without notice. All dimensions are approximate. For exact dimensions, you must hire your own architect or engineer and the number of bedrooms listed is for informational purposes and is not a legal conclusion. Please consult with your own architect or engineer for exact dimensions and legal specifications.