21 East 81st Street

21 E 81st St
Upper East Side

$18,000,000
Price
6
Beds
8,538 Sq. Ft.
$2,108 / Sq. Ft.
8,538
Sq. Ft.
$2,108
per Sq. Ft.
Get preapproved with Rocket Mortgage1
Listed By Compass
Listed By Compass
a front view of a house with a yard
a front view of a building with large trees
a living room with furniture and a large window
a living room with furniture and a window
a living room with furniture and a fireplace
a living room with furniture and a fireplace
a living room with furniture and a chandelier
a living room with a rug and a painting on the wall
a view of a livingroom with furniture window and outside view
a living room with furniture and a fireplace
a room with a large window and furniture
a living room with furniture
a view of entryway
a living room with furniture fireplace and flat screen tv
a living room with furniture and a fireplace
a living room with furniture a book shelf and a book shelf
a living room with furniture and a fireplace
a bedroom with a bed and a chandelier
a view of entryway and hall
a kitchen with a table chairs and a window
a black and white photo of a living room

Description

21 East 81st Street presents a rare and highly unique opportunity on one of the Upper East Side’s most coveted townhouse blocks, perfectly positioned between Fifth and Madison Avenues. Built in 1899 by renowned architects Welch, Smith & Provot, this 20-foot-wide Neoclassical limestone townhouse spans approximately 9,000 square feet across four stories, crowned by a mansard roof. Grand ceiling heights, significant original architectural detail, and wood-burning fireplaces in nearly every room define...21 East 81st Street presents a rare and highly unique opportunity on one of the Upper East Side’s most coveted townhouse blocks, perfectly positioned between Fifth and Madison Avenues. Built in 1899 by renowned architects Welch, Smith & Provot, this 20-foot-wide Neoclassical limestone townhouse spans approximately 9,000 square feet across four stories, crowned by a mansard roof. Grand ceiling heights, significant original architectural detail, and wood-burning fireplaces in nearly every room define the interiors, while an elevator services all levels. Currently configured as a two-family residence—an owner’s quadruplex with income producing duplex —the home offers exceptional flexibility and long-term potential which can also can easily be converted to a single family.

Amenities

  • Primary Ensuite
  • Private Terrace
  • Private Roof Deck
  • Common Outdoor Space
  • Working Fireplace
  • Fireplace
  • Crown Mouldings
  • Hardwood Floors
LISTING UPDATED: 02/24/2026 09:41 AM

Property Details for 21 East 81st Street

StatusActive
Days on Market83
Taxes$9,683 / month
Maintenance-
Min. Down Pymt20%
Total Rooms18.0
Property TypeTownhouse
MLS Type-
Year Built1899
Lot Size2,026 SF / 20' x 102'
CountyNew York County
Buyer's Agent Compensation2.5%

Building

21 E 81st St

2 Units5 StoriesBuilt in 1899
Get preapproved with Rocket Mortgage1

Location

Listing Courtesy of: .

Add your commute

Building Information for 21 East 81st Street

Stories5Residences2Year Built1899Building Size19.83' x 66'Building Sq. Ft6,543.9 SFLot Size2,026 SF / 20' x 102'Building AgePre-warBuilding TypeTownhouse

Payment Calculator

Get preapproved with Rocket Mortgage1

$100,322 per month

30 year fixed, 6.46% Interest

Principal and Interest

$90,639

Property Taxes

$9,683

Maintenance/Common Charges

$0

The Payment Calculator is for illustrative purposes only.

Know your buying power with a preapproval and custom rate in minutes

Rocket Mortgage1

Property History for 21 East 81st Street

DateEvent & SourcePriceAppreciation
Feb 10, 2026

Listed (Active)

Manual

$18,000,000—
DateEvent & SourcePrice
02/10/2026

Listed (Active)

Manual

$18,000,000

For completeness, Compass often displays two records for one sale: the MLS record and the public record.

Public Records for 21 East 81st Street

Taxable ValueLand$444,420Additions$854,880Total$1,299,300
Home Facts
Total Finished SqFt7,784 SqFtLot Size2,026 SqFtYear Built1899ZoningR8BAPN1014930012

Schools near 21 East 81st Street

This home is within New York City Geographic District # 2.
Rating
School
Type
Grades
Distance
P.S. 6 Lillie D Blake
Public - PK to 5
Nyc Lab Ms For Collaborative Studies
Public - 6 to 8
Lower Manhattan Community Middle School
Public - 6 to 8
Jhs 167 Robert F Wagner
Public - 6 to 8
Rating
School
Distance
P.S. 6 Lillie D Blake
PublicPK to 5

Nyc Lab Ms For Collaborative Studies
Public6 to 8

Lower Manhattan Community Middle School
Public6 to 8

Jhs 167 Robert F Wagner
Public6 to 8

School ratings and boundaries are provided by GreatSchools.org and Pitney Bowes. This information should only be used as a reference. Proximity or boundaries shown here are not a guarantee of enrollment. Please reach out to schools directly to verify all information and enrollment eligibility.

Upper East Side
Upper East Side
An upscale neighborhood with affluent roots. Although the Upper East Side is best known for upscale real-estate, well-known prep schools and designer boutiques, affordable apartments and relaxed living are easy to find in this quiet and bright neighborhood.
Upper East Side Guide

Neighborhood Map and Transit

Similar Homes

Similar Sold Homes

Explore Nearby Homes

More information about 21 East 81st Street, Upper East Side

21 East 81st Street is a townhouse for sale in Upper East Side. This property was listed for sale on February 10, 2026 by Compass, it's currently listed at $18,000,000. This listing's school district is New York City Geographic District # 2. Nearby schools include P.S. 6 Lillie D Blake, Nyc Lab Ms For Collaborative Studies and Lower Manhattan Community Middle School. 21 East 81st Street is a 6-bed, 6-bath, 8,538 sqft townhouse built in 1899.

No guarantee, warranty or representation of any kind is made regarding the completeness or accuracy of descriptions or measurements (including square footage measurements and property condition), such should be independently verified, and Compass, Inc., its subsidiaries, affiliates and their agents and associated third parties expressly disclaims any liability in connection therewith. Photos may be virtually staged or digitally enhanced and may not reflect actual property conditions. Offers of compensation are subject to change at the discretion of the seller. No financial or legal advice provided. Equal Housing Opportunity.

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. The source of the displayed data is either the property owner or public record provided by non-governmental third parties. It is believed to be reliable but not guaranteed. This information is provided exclusively for consumers’ personal, non-commercial use. The data relating to real estate for sale on this website comes in part from the IDX Program of OneKey® MLS. Information Copyright 2026, OneKey® MLS. All data is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed accurate by Compass, Inc., its subsidiaries, affiliates and their agents and associated third parties. See Terms of Service for additional restrictions. Compass · Tel: 212-913-9058 · New York, NY Listing information for certain New York City properties provided courtesy of the Real Estate Board of New York’s Residential Listing Service (the "RLS"). The information contained in this listing has not been verified by the RLS and should be verified by the consumer. The listing information provided here is for the consumer’s personal, non-commercial use. Retransmission, redistribution or copying of this listing information is strictly prohibited except in connection with a consumer's consideration of the purchase and/or sale of an individual property. This listing 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. This information is not guaranteed, should be independently verified and may not reflect all real estate activity in the market. Offers of compensation set forth here are for other RLSParticipants only and may not reflect other agreements between a consumer and their broker.©2026 The Real Estate Board of New York, Inc., All rights reserved.