best hip/ safe Brooklyn neighborhood for family of 3?

[water0808]

Thanks

[stillife]

Any neighborhood in Brownstone Brooklyn (that is, Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Boerum Hill, Fort Greene, Prospect Heights) would meet all of your criteria except for the rent. Unfortunately, Brooklyn has become insanely expensive over the last decade. Personally, I find Brooklyn Heights a bit bland - it has gorgeous brownstones and the Promenade, but the restaurant and retail situation leaves much to be desired. You would love BoCoCa (Boerum Hill/Cobble Hill/Carroll Gardens). Atlantic Avenue and Smith Street have interesting shops and great restaurants and we've got our own little British invasion going on. My husband, who is English, often comments on how many English accents he hears around the neighborhood. These nabes are slightly cheaper than Brooklyn Heights and Park Slope, but likely over your budget. I mention them just so you're aware that these are great neighborhoods, on the off-chance that you are able to somehow get a good deal on the rent. It could happen, you never know!

Prospect Heights and Fort Greene might be a bit cheaper. They're also slightly less safe, but I wouldn't hesitate to live there (and I'm a wimpy, middle-aged white woman). Crown Heights, Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, Clinton Hill, Bed Stuy - all of these neighborhoods are rapidly gentrifying and probably have a lot of what you are looking for, but there are also plenty of sketchy areas so I can't say I'd recommend them.

Gowanus is a possibility. It does have a housing project but it's not's a "scary" project, IMO. It's not a pretty area; it's very industrial but it has good restaurants, an artsy/hipster vibe and a Whole Foods. Don't bother with Red Hook - it's a cool neighborhood but the public transportation is atrocious.

You might be able to find a good deal in the South Slope (technically part of Park Slope but less upscale) or adjoining Windsor Terrace and Greenwood Heights. In many cases, the housing stock isn't as pretty; the areas are more traditionally blue-collar but there are plenty of young families who are priced out of Park Slope proper.

Bay Ridge is an extremely safe neighborhood where you get more bang for your buck. My daughter and her boyfriend are renting an apartment (1 bedroom) for $1350 a month. It's not the fanciest and it's a 4th floor walkup, but they're young and strong. Bay Ridge is not very hip but it does have a lot of restaurants. The big drawback, as somebody else here mentioned, is the R train, which is slow in the best of times and is undergoing construction at present.

Another possibility is the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Some bargains (relatively speaking; this is NYC, after all) can be found there due to the fact that it's a long hike from the eastern part of the neighborhood to the subway. It's kind of a sterile neighborhood, but it certainly isn't dangerous as long as you stay below 96th Street.

That's all I got! Good luck, OP.

[ShirlMastic Beach]

It's becoming more hip these days not to be in one of those "hip" nabes. Mostly cause it's hard to stay hip when no one hip can afford it.

[vision33r]

The problem with hip areas is that new folks that are moving in are not "hip" they just want to be nearby hip people. Unfortunately people who are really "hip" can't afford the skyrocketing rent and eventually gets forced out. Many of the so-called hip areas suddenly became boring or dull because of the newly moved in transplants.

Hip Areas eventually transformed into boring and stale commercial streets filled with franchises and overpriced delis.

[30to66at55]

I hear Bed-Stuy is hip and fluency in Japanese will make you fit right in.

[bmwguydc]

Part of the problem that you may encounter is a 2/2 is more into the luxury sphere of newer development or gut renovations of older buildings, where a 2/1 is more common in older buildings that are not into the luxury tier. Closer to $3k, you may find smaller 2/1 that are not too far removed from the cafe society of Brooklyn, though perhaps not in the midst of Park Slope. I would look at Carroll Gardens, but be sure that you are actually in Carroll Gardens, not Red Hook. You should find a 2/1 for about $3k in Carroll Gardens, but if it is 3BR for the same price, or much less than $3k, it is Red Hook. Smith Street offers much of the cafes and shops that you seek, so that would be a good fit.

[jad2k]

Greenpoint. I'd suggest you check that area out as it fits most of the criteria on your list.

[Forest_Hills_Daddy]

Originally Posted by jad2k

Greenpoint. I'd suggest you check that area out as it fits most of the criteria on your list.

Wait till he finds out what lurks under the gound.