Penthouse for Sale Comes with Space Flight Tickets

Category: Lifestyle/Entertainment

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. sway (someone) to (something) / sweɪ tu / (idiom) – to influence someone in doing something
    Example:

    He is trying to sway her to join his club.


  2. butler / ˈbʌt·lər / (n) – the main male servant of a house
    Example:

    The villas have a butler who serves us breakfast and dinner in our room.


  3. lavish / ˈlæv.ɪʃ / (adj) – extravagant
    Example:

    Her lavish apartment is full of expensive furniture.


  4. make up / meɪk ʌp / (phrasal) – to compose
    Example:

    One of the floors of the building is made up of 10 apartments.


  5. displace / dɪˈspleɪs / (v) – to urge someone or something to transfer to another place
    Example:

    The building’s owner plans to displace the residents because she plans to sell the property.


Article

Read the text below.

An $85 million penthouse for sale in Manhattan, New York, comes with a free trip to outer space.


Daniel Neiditch [ney-dich], the owner of the penthouse and a real estate developer, added the extra perk to sway buyers to purchase the property. He will give any buyer two seats to the upcoming space flight of the Virgin Galactic, a space tourism company. Each seat costs $250,000.


Furthermore, the buyer will also receive three luxury cars, a yacht / jɑt /, and a free holiday stay at a New York mansion. The penthouse also comes with a year’s worth of free services from a butler and a private chef.  According to Neiditch, the penthouse is suitable for anyone who wants to experience a lavish lifestyle in New York.


Despite its perks, the penthouse has been for sale for five years. Aside from the high selling price, many buyers reject the deal because the property still needs some renovations. Currently, it is made up of 13 individual units, some of which have monthly renters. This means that the future buyer will need to displace the current residents to convert the property into a penthouse.


Some real estate agents commented that the property owner’s marketing strategy is deceptive. They asserted that Neiditch never declared the property’s need for renovations. Nevertheless, Neiditch denied the allegations. He also said that he has even rejected a $50-million offer from a buyer.


Additionally, others did not find the $85 million offer a good deal despite the perks.  David Favale, a licensed real estate agent, explained that a buyer who can purchase an apartment for the said amount has the means to indulge in other luxuries.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

• In your opinion, is $85 million a reasonable selling price for the penthouse? Why or why not?
• How do you think Neiditch can successfully sell the penthouse?

Discussion B

• If you were a seller, how can you ensure that your advertisements are not misleading?
• If you were a buyer, how can you avoid falling for misleading advertising?