Queens neighborhoods... (New York, Auburn, Ridge: condos, co-ops, home)

[kinah727]

I'm still on the hunt for a new neighborhood! My husband and I live in the Bronx, and are dying to move! Originally, we were thinking Long Island, but the home prices are still high... We now are quite interested in Queens - looking at condos and co-ops in Bayside, Douglaston and Little Neck.

Talking to some folks, it seems as though there are plenty of other areas in Queens that are just as nice as Bayside - Fresh Meadows, Briarwood, Sunnyside, Forest Hills, Jamaica Estates, etc.

Would you agree? What other Queens neighborhoods would you recommend for us? We're looking for:

1. Condo or co-op - no more than $400K, 2-bedrooms
2. Nice, quiet, safe area (very little "ghettoness")
3. Decent schools - we don't have children yet, but want to feel comfortable when we do

Let me know your thoughts! Thanks!

[SeventhFloor]

Auburndale
Bay Terrace
Bayside
Briarwood
Clearview
College Point
Cunningham Heights
East Flushing
Electchester
Flushing
Forest Hills
Fresh Meadows
Glen Oaks
Glendale
Hillcrest
Hollis Hills
Holliswood
Jamaica Estates
Kew Gardens
Lindenwood
Maspeth
Middle Village
Murray Hill
Oakland Gardens
Ozone Park
Rego Park
Sunnyside
Woodhaven
Woodside

[DoomDan515]

I recommend Ridgewood, Maspeth, Middle Village, Glendale, Astoria, Howard Beach, or if you have more money, Forest Hills, Whitestone, Bayside, or Douglaston.

Do NOT look into Ozone Park or Woodhaven, those neighborhoods are quickly turning into ghettos thanks to East New York.

[babadi]

I like Bayside, Douglaston, and Little Neck, but they're a bit more suburban than I'd prefer -- no subway access and I wouldn't want to live without a car there.

For that reason, I'm moving to (and would recommend considering) Forest Hills. I really like the mix of suburban and urban lifestyles there, and the public transit options are much better. I haven't looked but I suspect 2BR for $400K should be perfectly doable.