Family move to Brooklyn (community)

[Julija]

Originally Posted by RC1981

I started out looking in Brooklyn as well and found some nice places in Dyker Heights/Bay Ridge/Bensonhurst that supposedly have pretty good schools (we're a married couple with 2 kids) and fall just about in the price range we were looking for, which is generally the same as yours (we were thinking 2'000-2'500).

But once we found out about certain parts of Queens (Rego Park, Forest Hills, Kew Gardens), we decided to settle out there because you get so much more for your money and have a lot more space. If you really want a more urban experience, then you'll probably like those parts of Brooklyn, but if you have a family and want some space then you'd do better to look at Queens. At least that's been my experience, I'm sure there are others who will disagree.

Thanks for the tips on QUeens . We had mixed feelings about the area I guess due to a lack of knowledge I?m very gratefully for your info as we would like to explore it.

[RC1981]

Originally Posted by Julija

Thanks for the tips on QUeens . We had mixed feelings about the area I guess due to a lack of knowledge I?m very gratefully for your info as we would like to explore it.

Yea definitely get out there and take a walk, it's a really good area. Of course there are some crummy parts that you'll want to steer clear of but Rego Park, Forest Hills, Kew Gardens are all really nice and will probably surprise you with how reasonable the rental prices are, especially when you compare it to what you'd be getting in Brooklyn for similar money.

I'm not trying to put you off of Brooklyn, though there are excellent areas there that deserve to be checked out as well, but I can't say enough good things about those parts of Queens I told you about. If you really want the urbane feeling, then look into Sunnyside, Queens. The schools are a step down from eastern Queens, but you're very close to Manhattan and can be in the city in literally 15 minutes from the time you leave the house on good days.

[ontheGtrain]

The reality is the schools are not good in the areas you can afford to live in. But they are decent for public schools by nyc standards, which are really, really bad.

[DoomDan515]

What about Windsor Terrace?

[Julija]

Originally Posted by RC1981

Yea definitely get out there and take a walk, it's a really good area. Of course there are some crummy parts that you'll want to steer clear of but Rego Park, Forest Hills, Kew Gardens are all really nice and will probably surprise you with how reasonable the rental prices are, especially when you compare it to what you'd be getting in Brooklyn for similar money.

I'm not trying to put you off of Brooklyn, though there are excellent areas there that deserve to be checked out as well, but I can't say enough good things about those parts of Queens I told you about. If you really want the urbane feeling, then look into Sunnyside, Queens. The schools are a step down from eastern Queens, but you're very close to Manhattan and can be in the city in literally 15 minutes from the time you leave the house on good days.

Fab thank you so much. We had a quick browse online and were pleasantly surprised with the area. It's definitely on our list now.

[makossa]

Originally Posted by Julija

Fab thank you so much. We had a quick browse online and were pleasantly surprised with the area. It's definitely on our list now.

Where are you relocating from?

[geoking66]

There's a reason Park Slope is lined with stroller-moms. Not my kind of place (although the architecture is great), but families love it for the schools and the general mix of the pros of urban and suburban living. Cobble Hill and Brooklyn Heights (my neighborhood) are pretty good bets as well, but I don't think there's as much of a critical mass of children in either compared to the Slope.

[jcoltrane]

Originally Posted by Henna

I don't know anything about the schools, but I think $2200 for a 2 bedroom should be do-able in Bay Ridge, Ditmas Park and Kensington, which are all pretty good neighborhoods. At $2200 for a 2 bedroom, I don't think you will be able to afford the neighborhoods that many think of as the best or nicest in Brooklyn, such as Park Slope, Cobble Hill, Boerum Hill, Brooklyn Heights.

Absolutely accurrate and correct.

[jcoltrane]

Originally Posted by amoracash

Brooklyn can be a pretty nice place to live. I would stick with the Park Slope section. Your budget is pretty good too. You can probably find something really nice for around $1500. You should take a look at Craiglist to get an idea of the different prices and then google map the area so you can get a look at the actual neighborhood.

$1500 for a 2 bdrm in Park Slope, LMAO!!!

People, if you don't KNOW, then don't post!

$2200 w/b marginally enough to get a bottom level poorly located 2 bdrm in Park Slope.

Again, if you don't know, then don't post.

Frankly, for Park Slope, $3000 w/b a more realistic budget.

In "nice" areas, $3000 to $4000 is the basic range. Of course, you can spend more. You should also realize that "good" schools are in short supply, and everyone wants one. Also, that if you happen to live in an area with a good school, availability will also be in short supply.

[likeminas]

Park Slope would be the one neighborhood I'd move to, if I had kids and I wanted to raise them in NYC. Park Slope has a nice combination of green spaces, good public schools, a high percentage of young families, and most importantly it's a nice and well kept neighborhood. But unfortunaly for you, $2,000 won't cut it for a 2br.
I think that would be more like $4,000.
In Brooklyn you might also want to look into Bay Ridge, and Dyker heights.
Both are good neighborhoods.

Anyway, I the suggestion of Forest hills as an alternative is a good one.
This would be my second choice if I had to raise a family here.

My third choice would be Kew gardens, Queens.