While 2013 has seen Manhattan luxury real estate flying off the market the larger story is that every great 1 to 3-bedroom apartment has 3+ buyers desiring to buy it. Here are 6 reasons why this trend is sustainable:

1. Manhattan apartment stock is approximately 70% rental. With only 30% of apartments for sale there is already a built in potential for inventory shortage as society becomes increasingly affluent and established. Also while only 25% of apartments are condominiums/new developments, they accounted for approximately 50+% of all sales in the boom years, foreshadowing today’s re-sale inventory shortage.  Additionally, co-op owners stay in their units longer than condo owners putting enormous pressure on existing re-sale inventory.
2. New development construction dried up for five years starting in 2008.  Today most new developments are aimed at the high-end market and priced at $2,000+ per square foot leaving overall mid-level re-sale inventory at 12-15 year lows.
3. As newly minted Social Media and Internet entrepreneurs join the growing ranks of the global “1%” and baby boomers buying in New York, while Wall Street performance continues to be a barometer of the strength of Manhattan’s market, in 2013 the market has become less dependent on Wall Street’s middle level employee bonuses to remain strong.
4. Lifestyle & Safety = people-friendly, family-friendly and senior-friendly. The safety of Manhattan and New York (look at Brooklyn) has grown exponentially with computer-modeled policing and development of areas once seen as off-limits.  Long-time residents mingle with baby-strollers as families decide to remain in New York. The great cultural lifestyle offered in Manhattan is drawing back wealthy baby-boomers to Manhattan from the suburbs while keeping those who would have left 20 years ago, in the city longer.
5. High Rents and low mortgage rates continue to drive buyers of all price points back to the sales market.
6. TV, Innovation & Tech: Entertainment filmed in New York adds to the city’s appeal to people, globally.

A beacon for leading creative or financial professionals, as well as global entrepreneurs desiring to make a splash, all arrows are pointing up again in New York.