This Sonja-approved townhouse could be your next home.
In the latest, post-production episode of “The Real Housewives of New York City,” Sonja Morgan attempts to free herself from her Lenox Hill townhouse, which was just listed for rent at $32,000 a month.
The gorgeous five-story townhouse has served as a sort of boarding house for wayward women for the past two seasons of the Housewives franchise, first taking in former Countess Luann de Lesseps between divorces in season eight, followed by socialite Tinsley Mortimer in season nine. It’s been home to countless interns (bring back Pickles!) throughout Morgan’s seven-year tenure on the show, and was the birthplace of the toaster oven cookbook. (As Liz Lemon aptly put it: “I don’t know if Sonja will ever finish that toaster oven cookbook, but if she does, I’M GONNA BUY IT!”).
The stately mansion was purchased in 1998 by Sonja and her then-husband, John Morgan, for $9.1 million. But for anyone not attuned to the ins and outs of the “stars” of this popular reality show, Morgan’s divorce from the J.P. Morgan heir sent her into a tailspin of bankruptcy. This may explain the townhouse’s notorious lack of heat or hot water for the past few seasons, which earned it the nickname of “Grey Gardens” by some of Morgan’s snarkier cast members. Though, she assures us…
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The home has been up for sale on and off since 2009, when she sought $12 million for the 4,500-square-foot single-family home at 162 E. 63rd St.
Tip for prospective renters: beware of brown ice.
She has since tested the market at $7.25 million, then $9.95 million in 2013, and finally $7.2 million in 2015. She also had it listed for rent at the rate of $25,000 a month, but this time she’s seeking to rake in bigger bucks for the 5-bedroom, 5.5 bathroom Upper East Side home.
As Curbed notes, Morgan’s financial woes continue. She is currently being sued by her attorneys for failure to pay a court-ordered fee of $350,000 for her divorce case.
The Real Housewives of New York City alums continue to make headlines, sometimes for their real estate machinations. Recently, Bethenny Frankel picked up a second Hamptons’ home — a $2.5 million former bed & breakfast called Morning Glory House in Bridgehampton. Here’s a look at Morgan’s townhouse:
The master bedroom, perfect for donning a tiara and watching your stories.
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Maggie Glascott contributed to this post.
Photos courtesy Kristi Ambrosetti of Sotheby’s International Realty.
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