Twenty-one contracts were signed last week at $4 million and above, a second straight week of healthy totals that raise hopes for a Spring rebound. Over the same 6-week period as last year, the luxury market is currently up 22% in the number of contracts signed. You can thank the usual forces: stubbornly low interest rates, a soaring stock market, and a trend of sellers’ lowering asking prices.

Stat Geek Alert: The properties that went to contract in the last 6 weeks saw asking prices reduced on average by 10%. That said, it took sellers an inordinately long time to lower their asking prices---the average days on market for properties in this period was 604 days.

The No.1 contract was PHB at 275 West 10th Street, asking $20.95 million, reduced from $24.5 million when the building, The Shephard, came on the market in September 2015. This duplex penthouse has 4,763 square feet including 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, and 2 powder rooms. Three terraces total 1,475 square feet including a roof-top terrace. Amenities in this 38-unit condo include a doorman, fitness room, basketball court, golf simulator, and a landscaped garden.

The No. 2 contract was back-to-back townhouses sold by the same seller at 166 East 81st Street and 179 East 80th Street, asking a total of $17.9 million, reduced from $28 million when they were listed in April 2017. The houses total a combined 8,500 square feet and share a 2-tiered garden with a swimming pool. The main house is on 81st Street and has 5 bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms, and 4 fireplaces. The guest house on 80th Street has 3 bedrooms, plus a gym and a ballet and yoga studio on the 4th floor. Both houses have central air conditioning and security systems.