Let’s admit it. One of the guilty—though largely unspoken—pleasures of living in NYC is going about our daily business in close proximity to some of the world’s most famous personalities.
Of course, New Yorkers are far too cool to start snapping photos or asking for autographs. But even the most hardcore of locals has felt that special rush of recognition and excitement that comes from stumbling upon a bona fide celeb at the corner bodega.
As a Manhattan-based apartment reviews startup, we felt it was our civic duty to help our fellow New Yorkers properly (and privately) account for their most notable neighbors: ala Rentenna NYC Celebrity Star Map for 2012.
Plotting the buildings of over 100 celebrities in Manhattan and Brooklyn, the NYC Celebrity Star Map lets New Yorkers look up their famous neighbors, gloat to friends elsewhere in the country, then swiftly return to pretending you never cared about any of this in the first place.
For some celebs, living just doesn’t come cheap—and they like it that way. Ace Ventura and Truman Show star Jim Carrey, with his rumored $25,000 per month Greenwich Village apartment rental, throws down nearly 400 percent more in rent for his pad than the average two-bedroom renter in a Village doorman building. Meanwhile, When Harry Met Sally megastar Meg Ryan is rumored to be paying some 178 percent more for her three-bedroom than does the average New Yorker for a luxury three-bedroom in her neighborhood. Whatever, haters: it’s Meg Ryan, and we’ll always have what she’s having.
Of course, all this conspicuous consumption doesn’t mean some celebs haven’t found a solid deal for their digs. Ashley Greene’s apartment, for example, clocks in at 5 percent below the average rent for luxury doorman apartments in the east village. Other “frugal” front-pagers? Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin (with his fully furnished downtown W Hotel rental in Battery Park) and Chase Crawford (with his luxury Wall Street apartment rental) are rumored to be leveraging their celebrity status to score some sweet pads at below-market rents.
The newest New York Jet might soon be moving into a pricey rental near his team’s base in New Jersey. The New York Post reported that Tim Tebow is considering renting a cottage at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J., 30 minutes from the Jets practice complex in Florham Park. If he does move in, he already knows one of the neighbors. The golf club is also the home sweet rental home of fellow Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez.
“Cottage” is a rather modest term for the luxury rental, which is reported to have four bedrooms and to go for $10,000 a month—similar to the one Sanchez rents. There are only two such king-size rentals on the property. Most of the other accommodations are studios.
A possible part of the appeal of the location for the Jets bachelors is that the cottages are fully furnished (including linens) and access is protected by a gatehouse. In addition to the fully equipped kitchen, a concierge is available as is room service and meal delivery.
Tebow is also a golfer, so he might make use of the club’s two award-winning courses, with the Old Course ranked among the top 100 in the world by GOLF Magazine. Also on the site are pools, equestrian facilities, a fitness center and tennis courts.
The Post story says Tebow looked into other Trump properties, including one in Manhattan. A representative from the Trump National Golf Club would neither confirm nor deny Tebow’s possible future residency. Tebow’s agent, Jimmy Sexton, didn’t immediately return a message from CNBC.com.
So now that you’ve got a taste for what some of our favorite A-Listers are paying for their apartments.
