A Manhattan townhouse at 111 E. 81st St., previously listed for $15 million and most recently asking $13.99 million, has entered into contract.
The property became the subject of a lawsuit in February when Sarah Shalev, a California-based neurologist connected to the LLC that owns the townhouse, claimed the home's live-in housekeeper, Hilarie Page, was squatting there and preventing Shalev from accessing the property. Shalev is the estranged wife of the late Craig Schmeizer, a direct-to-consumer mattress executive who died in the home in November.
According to the lawsuit, Page was a licensee occupying the building with Schmeizer's permission, but her license was terminated by his death. Court documents alleged that the dispute jeopardized valuable assets within the home, such as wine and artworks, that needed to be inventoried for insurance and estate purposes. The documents also stated that the building needed to be sold because it was generating no income, requiring brokers and inspectors to gain access.
Shalev alleged in an affidavit that after Schmeizer's death, she attempted to contact Page, who was "extremely hostile" and refused to leave, stating Shalev would not be allowed in the building. In February, after legal communications were unsuccessful, Shalev and a legal representative attempted to enter the home. When their attempts to gain entry were unsuccessful, a locksmith was called. Upon opening the door, Page reportedly ran toward it screaming, and both parties contacted the police, who ultimately directed the estate's representatives to leave.
Approximately one month after the lawsuit was filed, Page was served with an eviction notice and subsequently vacated the residence. The townhouse was purchased by Schmeizer in February 2022 for $13.25 million. The property features five bedrooms, an elevator, a garden, and roof terraces.