New York Living Solutions

Often referred to as Little Odessa, Brighton Beach appears to transport visitors to new world, or rather, the Old World. Brighton Beach has offered refuge to numerous ethic groups in search of a new life in America, including Post-Soviet Russian immigrants, persecuted Ukrainian and Russian Jews, and newly arrived Mexican, Pakistani and Vietnamese transplants. The local boardwalk, bookstores, shops, bakeries, and restaurants are popular staples. While rentals are scarce, but buyers can still discover single and multi-family homes and condo deals in the area.

Modeled after an English botanical garden; Kew Gardens is a charming residential neighborhood with a mix of Tudor and Colonial style single family homes, mid-rise apartment buildings, co-ops and condos. This middle to upper middle class neighborhood boasts lots of green spaces and a serene ambiance, without any of the urban buzzing synonymous with Manhattan. Local cafés, restaurants, cultural centers and nightlife cater to an eclectic mix of residents, including young professionals, multi-generational Jewish families, and Irish, Russian, Caribbean, South American, Chinese, Indian, Korean and Japanese immigrants.

Once a predominantly Jewish neighborhood, Crown Heights is now among the most well-known West Indian Caribbean immigrant enclaves in New York City. Due to its affordability and proximity to Manhattan, the neighborhood’s popularity has steadily climbed. Crown Heights is now home to eclectic mix West Indian immigrants, college students, artists, professionals, and Orthodox Jews. Proximity to Prospect Heights’ cultural, educational and recreational attractions, such as Prospect Park, the Brooklyn Museum, the Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Jewish Children’s Museum, the Brooklyn Public Library and the Brooklyn Botanical Garden have also drawn residents to area’s renovated apartments and townhouses.

As part of the heart of the city, Midtown West has a tremendous amount of real estate value, with greater affordability than one may assume. With attractions such as Times Square, the Garment District, the Theatre District, the Diamond District, Rockefeller Center, and Madison Square Garden, there is never a lack of activity. Restaurant Row offers a number of fine dining experiences to entice your palate, while the New York Public Library serves as a haven for literature lovers; equipped with an outdoor reading area in Bryant Park, it is the perfect place for people watching as well.

The northernmost section of Manhattan, the Washington Heights/Inwood area was home to a Native American settlement where the sale of Manhattan was negotiated in 1626, as well as the site of the Revolutionary War Battle of Fort Washington. The early 20th century saw a rapid population of the area as European immigrants who lived in lower Manhattan began to move to the north. The rest of the century saw a continued influx of immigrants from all parts of the globe resulting in the area’s dynamic ethnic diversity. The hilly area has splendid parkland and stunning views of the Hudson River and the Palisades. Enjoy a stroll through shady Fort Tryon Park and Inwood Hill Park. Walk (or bus) up the steep hill to the Cloisters, and you will be transported back to a medieval monastery, surrounded by tapestries, art, and monastic gardens. Bike across the George Washington Bridge for even more spectacular views, or walk to the northernmost point in Manhattan, Spuyten Duyvil, and see the confluence of the Harlem and Hudson Rivers. Also, visit Yeshiva University and its museum. With the area’s thriving commercial district, residents are likely to continue flocking to its newly renovated houses and co-ops.