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Here's the situation... I am a young professional and seeking to buy my first home in New York City. $300k is roughly the top price I am willing to pay. I can foot up to 20% downpayment on what I end up buying. After giving it much thought, I think buying a place makes more sense then renting one, especially if I plan to stay in the city for the long term. I am not big on nightlife, but the availability of restaurants and the long-term outlook of the area is important to me.
I'm looking at other neighborhoods than the ones I started this thread about. But if I had to pick between Wash.Heights/Inwood in Manhattan or Astoria/Sunnyside in Queens, which is the area with more upside and has a better outlook for the future... and more likely to keep its value if ever a downturn occurs?
I was just in Inwood over the weekend. That area has improved quite a bit in the last 5 years I'd say. A lot of nice restaurants are opening up around there. I've heard of friends of friends that got really good deals on apartments over there too.
I like Astoria too. For me personally it would be a tossup. Depends on if you really want to stay in Manhattan, price, and your own tastes.
with $300k, u probably could get a studio condo in astoria/sunnyside or a 1 br coop. but washington height/inwood...$300k could get u a 1 br condo. i hope u already research the neighborhood and visit this area, cuz washington height is predominately hispanics.
with $300k, u probably could get a studio condo in astoria/sunnyside or a 1 br coop. but washington height/inwood...$300k could get u a 1 br condo. i hope u already research the neighborhood and visit this area, cuz washington height is predominately hispanics.
Vincent do you have a problem with Hispanics?
The OP didn't even ask about racial or ethnic demographics. The OP could be a purple, polka-dotted alien for all you know. I'm sure he/she knows that already, anyone even vaguely familiar with upper-upper Manhattan knows it's mostly Hispanic.
Last edited by NooYowkur81; 03-24-2008 at 08:23 AM..
no problem. just saying if the op is white....i dont think he will feel real comfortable living in a low income hispanics drug infested area. not there is anything wrong with that.
White people have been moving there for about the last ten years or so, it's not exactly a new phenomenon.
I would describe Inwood as it currently stands as mixed-income. It's becoming pretty popular with professional Hispanics too, not all of us are drug dealers . I know of quite a few Hispanic acquaintances who have bought in the area.
There is a drug problem but like most of Wash Heights/Inwood it varies block to block.
Yeah, I do understand that along with gentrification comes the problem of having to deal with the differences block to block. I'm actually very comfortable in Astoria and Sunnyside, but it does seem that Washington Heights and Inwood have been making big strides lately. Some interesting listings I've seen on various websites includes one in w181st and cabrini, and one on w190t and Ft. Washington. Are these ok blocks?
Yeah, I do understand that along with gentrification comes the problem of having to deal with the differences block to block. I'm actually very comfortable in Astoria and Sunnyside, but it does seem that Washington Heights and Inwood have been making big strides lately. Some interesting listings I've seen on various websites includes one in w181st and cabrini, and one on w190t and Ft. Washington. Are these ok blocks?
The drug thing has always been like that in Wash Heights/Inwood, a block by block type of thing. There were nice areas even before gentrification.
Fort Washington and Cabrini are attractive areas, but 181st and 190 are very busy intersections. While it's very convenient you might want to get something at least a few blocks away. Depends on what you are looking for.
NooYowkur81: How busy can they get? Are they at the level of 76th and 96th streets in Manhattan and 30th Avenue in Astoria? If they are, I actually can tolerate that in exchange for the convenience of being near the stores/restaurants and subway. If it's more like 42nd and 125th Street, then that's a bit too busy for my taste.
NooYowkur81: How busy can they get? Are they at the level of 76th and 96th streets in Manhattan and 30th Avenue in Astoria? If they are, I actually can tolerate that in exchange for the convenience of being near the stores/restaurants and subway.
They can get pretty busy, especially once the weather picks up, but Fort Wash and Cabrini tend to be much quieter avenues. It's just your gonna get the flow of traffic and people working their way about the shops and stuff, since the trains stop at 181st and 190th. 181st is the more hectic of the two since the GW Bridge is there and there are a lot of stores and businesses around there. Ideally you might want to be a few blocks away from these major intersections, but again that depends on your personality and tastes.
BTW, your still in Wash Heights, Inwood would be a little further up. Check some places up there too.
Last edited by NooYowkur81; 03-24-2008 at 08:59 AM..
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. I know of quite a few Hispanic acquaintances who have bought in the area.
