De Niro finally completed the sale on a West Village house this week – one year after first putting it on the market. Raphael De Niro, that is, Robert’s Elliman broker son, who managed his father’s property sale for him.

The actor, famous for his roles in The Godfather, Heat and, more recently, Meet the Fockers, originally put the five-storey Italianate home up for sale in July 2011 with an asking price of $14 million.

De Niro owned the property for over 30 years, according to its listing, which describes the home as in need of “full renovation”. Built in 1852, the house “neighbours some of the most historically rich properties in Manhattan”, adds the listing, describing it as “a rare instance of a true blank canvas, ready to be transformed with your vision and architect”.

Whether buyers were put off by the state of the building or the hefty asking price is still unclear – De Niro certainly did not listen to TheMoveChannel.com’s podcast “Why Is My House Not Selling?” – but the heavily-reduced final price of $9.5 million was an offer the new owner couldn’t refuse.