B
arbara Corcoran's Manhattan penthouse, a stunning duplex atop a prewar building on Fifth Avenue and 97th Street, sold itself in just 24 hours. The real estate mogul and "Shark Tank" investor listed the Central Park-facing apartment for $12 million last week, sparking a bidding war that pushed the price above ask.

    Corcoran, founder of the Corcoran Group, had transformed the 4,600-square-foot penthouse over the years through a full gut renovation. The property boasts a chef's kitchen, rooftop dining solarium, and lush terrace gardens, making it a rare gem in Manhattan's luxury sector.

    The flurry of interest drove the sale price above ask, one of 36 luxury contracts signed in Manhattan last week at $4 million or more. Corcoran first fell in love with the home in the early 1990s while working as a messenger and saw it become a personal passion project and social hub.

    After purchasing the penthouse for $10 million in 2015, Corcoran invested heavily in renovations, flipping the floor plan, installing a chef's kitchen, and transforming a greenhouse into an indoor/outdoor dining room. Though the listing price was below her total investment, she saw it as fair and let the market decide.

    The penthouse features five bedrooms, five baths, two half baths, a rooftop terrace with plants, and a curved staircase – one of the few original design elements left. Corcoran is relocating to a nearby one-story apartment in the same Carnegie Hill neighborhood, found with the help of her broker Carrie Chiang.