Brooklyn Neighborhoods (New York, Ridge, York: apartments, safe area, elementary schools)

[LookingtoLeave]

Happy Holidays everybody! I just got back from Brooklyn for the holidays and stayed in the Park Slope/Prospect Park area and really loved it. I specifically stayed there instead of Manhattan to get a feel for Brooklyn since I would like to relocate there. I intended on visiting other neighborhoods, but ran out of time. Can anyone advise me on a safe neigborhood that would be safe for me and my 8 yr. old boy? I have heard Kensington is cool and I have heard a lot about Bay Ridge. I am looking for a 2 bedroom for around $1500 a month give or take $100. And a true 2 bedroom-not a one bedroom where they convert another room into a bedroom where there's no closet, etc. Thank you all!

[pureistheword]

Kensington seems to be ok, Bay Ridge is better. I think you might find something you need around there, not sure budget is tight even for those areas. south brooklyn(bensonhurst, dyker heights, gravesend etc...) is cheaper and are safe areas for families.

[StillAmFreak]

Bay Ridge is the neighborhood if you're looking for an ethnic area. The Italians, Irish, Lebanese, as well as some other groups, live in Bay Ridge and it's evident by driving through that they've settled their culture with them.

[Henna]

Bay Ridge is nice even if you're not specifically looking for "an ethnic area".

[roseba]

Most apartments in NYC are pre-war where residents used armoirs for storage. You'll find quiet a few 'true' 2 bedrooms, without closets in them. That is just how they are constructed.

[momoftwo418]

Try Sheepshead bay...that's where we lived before we moved to Charlotte NC....It was a nice area. With good elementary schools. I miss it there often. Good Luck

[Dark of the Moon]

Originally Posted by LookingtoLeave

And a true 2 bedroom-not a one bedroom where they convert another room into a bedroom where there's no closet, etc. Thank you all!

A REAL New York 2 bedroom is a one-room studio apartment with a curtain or make-shift wall down the middle to divide it into two rooms .....

I've only been to Bay Ridge a couple of times, but seems to be a nice, pleasant area, and certainly one of the more reasonable (in terms of rent) in the city.

[LookingtoLeave]

Yeah I tend to forget many buildings are pre-war and not so modern. But as small as I have heard some are, I don't know where I'd fit an armoire or large dresser...

[vitalove]

Yes, that's typical of most NYC apartments. There's usually room for only a bed and maybe a night stand or bureau. The minimalist look is very popular here for that reason.

[LookingtoLeave]

Actually, let me ask this-what type of neighborhood could I afford on a salary of about $60k keeping in mind it's safe for kids?