Some people like to look into the history of a property before they decide to put in an offer and potentially call it their home.
Just as some people like to research and investigate their family ancestry, researching the past of your potential new or current home can be just as rewarding.
It can add colour and context to the property - who once lived there, what was their occupation, how long did they reside at the home, who did they sell it to?
READ MORE: $15m Gothic mansion with blood-red swimming pool and famous neighbours goes up for sale in US
There can't be too many properties in the world that can claim to be arguably an international city's most well-known penthouse in a historic building, as well as boasting a list of A-list celebrities as its past residents.
The Silk Building in New York is part of the history of the Big Apple and a building that dominates the corner block of East 14th Street, Lafayette Street and Broadway.
Well-positioned within the very popular and trendy Noho neighbourhood, known for its creative and chic vibe, the building is stumbling distance to some of the city's most popular eateries like Lafayette Restaurant and La Colombe.
There's a Blink gym as the ground floor tenant in the building to work off the regular meals at the top restaurants and cafes in the area, and a stroll around Washington Square Park is just a few blocks away.
The retail space that's now a gym used to be the home of world-famous Tower Records, a music store that attracted visits from rock stars from across the globe.
Architectural features of the neighbourhood range from 19th-century behemoths like the Great Hall of Cooper Union to sleek, modern high-rises.
Once home to artists like Andy Warhol and the legendary CBGB music club, the area stays true to its heritage with trendy galleries and live performances at Joe's Pub.
NoHo is known as a good area for celebrity spotting of either famous people who live in the neighbourhood or adjacent and ultra-cool Greenwich Village.
And it's not unusual to see filming and photoshoots in action when out for a stroll around NoHo too.
Nestled within all the activity is The Silk Building which was constructed between 1908 and 1912 in an Italian renaissance style as a factory for producing silk garments.
Nowadays, The Silk Building is one of the only full-service lofts conversion buildings in Noho and contains 55 residences across 12 storeys and a 24-hour doorman and concierge.
In 1982 the building was developed into a condominium-style building made up of a network of homes, from studios to four bedroom apartments, many of them duplexes or triplexes.
But the penthouse that crowns the building and is arguably one of its gems has a quadruplex layout.
It has even been reported that the building's penthouse is actually the most famous four-storey quadruplex in New York.
According to the realtor selling the penthouse, two very famous former residents must have thought so, as Cher and then Britney Spears have both called The Silk Building penthouse home.
Cher was The Silk Building penthouse-apartment's first owner when she purchased it after the building's transition to residences. She lived there until 1990 when she sold it to Russell Simmons for $1.6 million.
Britney Spears later bought the apartment - it was where she wrote the Grammy-winning song 'Toxic' - and lived there for four years.
While in her ownership, Britney combined two units to make up the current apartment with 3,785 square feet and four bedrooms.
Keith Richards also once lived in the building where he had two floors and a recording studio as well as US radio and television host Alan Colmes.
Some of the penthouse's best features are the tall ceilings, 400-square-foot outdoor terrace, fully operational wood fireplaces, and the wet bar in the primary suite.
A fifth bedroom could be added by repurposing the rooftop den that opens to the large terrace, with absorbing views over Greenwich Village and the Empire State Building.
The kitchen is styled up-to-the minute and the bathrooms are upgraded with book-matched marble.
Surely both Cher and Britney would approve?
The next owner doesn't have to be an international celebrity to be the next resident of The Silk Building's penthouse, but they do need to have a very hefty buying budget.
The penthouse is for sale for $6.995m, which is about £5.1m depending on the exchange rate, with listing Ian Slater with Compass. Find out more about amazing properties for sale in the US via website Top Ten Real Estate Deals.
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