When you buy, you’re choosing a neighborhood for years, not a lease term. This guide focuses on what matters to buyers: the kind of housing you’ll find, how you’ll get around, and local cost factors. We start where our office is, in the northeast Bronx.
The Bronx
Williamsbridge
Our neighborhood. Known for 1–3 family houses, which appeal to buyers who want rental income from a second unit. Transit includes the 2 and 5 trains and the Williamsbridge Metro-North station. Ask us about multi-family financing if you plan to live in one unit and rent the others.
Pelham Parkway
A good place to look for co-ops in prewar elevator buildings, often with more space for the money than in Manhattan. Houses line the side streets. Close to the 2 and 5 trains, Bronx Park, and major medical centers. Co-op buyers should plan for board approval; see Co-op & Condo Board Requirements.
Morris Park
Mostly detached and semi-detached 1–2 family homes on quiet blocks, with a lively commercial strip on Morris Park Avenue. Served by the 5 train and buses.
Manhattan
Washington Heights and Inwood
Manhattan’s most common entry point for buyers. Mostly prewar co-ops with large layouts, near Fort Tryon and Inwood Hill parks, on the A, C, and 1 lines. Co-op boards here often review your finances closely, so get your paperwork ready early.
Harlem
Brownstone townhouses, condos in newer buildings, and co-ops, with strong subway access and Metro-North at 125th Street. Townhouse buyers should check for tenants in place, the certificate of occupancy, and any open violations.
Queens
Jackson Heights
Historic garden co-ops with shared courtyards, plus attached houses. Excellent transit on the 7 and E/F/M/R. Parts of the neighborhood are a landmark district, which affects exterior renovations.
Forest Hills
Co-ops along Queens Boulevard and single-family houses, including the private Forest Hills Gardens community. E/F/M/R subway and the LIRR.
Astoria
2-family houses are common, which makes Astoria a popular choice for owner-occupants who want rental income. Some newer condos too. N and W trains.
Brooklyn
Bay Ridge
A deep supply of co-ops, often priced below other Brooklyn neighborhoods, plus 1–2 family homes. R train and waterfront along Shore Road.
Crown Heights
Brownstones, limestone row houses, and condos, with the 2/3/4/5 and A/C trains. Older houses deserve a careful inspection of the roof, boiler, and electrical.
Flatbush and Ditmas Park
Some of the city’s few blocks of large, detached Victorian houses with driveways and yards, plus prewar co-ops. B and Q trains.
Westchester County
Westchester buyers get more space and yards but pay higher property taxes than in NYC, and school district matters a lot for both price and taxes. A few cities also charge their own transfer taxes when you later sell.
- Yonkers: houses, co-ops, and waterfront condos, with Metro-North access. Yonkers has its own mortgage recording tax and transfer tax.
- Mount Vernon: 1–3 family houses right next to the Bronx, on two Metro-North lines. The city has its own transfer tax.
- New Rochelle: single-family homes, downtown condos, and waterfront on the Sound. New Haven Line and Amtrak service.
Estimate what you’ll pay at closing in any of these areas with the Closing Cost Estimator.
Before you choose
- Look up the flood zone on FEMA’s flood maps, especially near the water.
- Check property taxes and, for co-ops and condos, monthly maintenance or common charges. These can matter as much as the price.
- Visit on weekdays and weekends, day and night.
Related: Condos vs Co-ops and First-Time Homebuyers. Want a tour of any of these areas? Contact us.