Jackson Heights Life

I know, heretical question, but one to which I've recently been giving some serious thought.  My family loves this neighborhood, but if prices continue rising the way they have for the past couple years, we won't be able to make the leap from renting to owning. That's not a complaint, just a fact. I'm sure we're not the only ones.
These are the things I love about JH: 1) Diverse mix of ethnicities, education, life experiences 2) Concentration of professionals in creative and education fields 3) Lots of families 4) Active and expanding venues for civic engagement 5) Walkability & access to public transportation
I'd love to hear suggestions for neighborhoods that have some of these Jackson Heights-ish virtues but are more affordable. Norwood, in the Bronx, is one I've been exploring recently. For now we're interested in staying in NYC, but are open to other suggestions (Pittsburgh? Poughkeepsie?)
Thanks guys.

Great question. I'd also like to know the answer as I'm trying to sell my apartment and get a bigger space for my family. Much of JH seems to be beyond our budget :-(. We've looked at places in Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx and nowhere seems to match JH in terms of good schools, transit access (trains + thoroughfares for driving), and size of apartments (including architectural details!). We looked at Fieldston/Spuyten Duyvil in the Bronx for a while, but since we can't pay up for private school, the lack of transit and expensive housing made it less than appealing.

At this point we're pretty committed to staying in Queens. We checked out Ridgewood too, but...meh. Still on the hunt!

JH is still a relative bargain compared to the rest of NYC for what you get, the amenities, transportation, and safety.

There are even more bargains to be had if you look into the Post War buildings. 2 bedrooms for under 250k.

If you are willing to go a bit further afield, the mid-Hudson valley -- starting in Northern Westchester and going up to about Poughkeepsie -- is generally affordable and there are some interesting, attractive and fairly lively towns along the Metro North line (which by the way has to be ranked among the most beautiful train rides in the country…)  If you're looking for space and room to grow, while still maintaining some connection to NYC, there are a lot of possibilities in that area.     

If I was magically given a ridiculous amount of money, I would buy an entire brownstone in either Gramercy Park, Park Slope, or Greenpoint. One that included a garage.
After the monkeys finish flying out of my butt and I wake up, I would consider Portland, Oregon. It's relatively affordable compared to NYC and my wife has a lot of family there.

Lindsey, this article might be of interest to you, and the realtor quoted within might be a good resource:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/03/your-money/43-questions-to-ask-before-picking-a-new-town.html?_r=0
Perhaps there's a town within commuting distance of NYC that has most/all of the good JH characteristics you love without the price tag.
Good luck!

If in the same situation, I would give Union City/West New York a look.  We have family over there and have been there quite a bit.

First, I like the feel of the neighborhood.  Its about a mile wide from the Hudson River to the edge of the Palisades, so you are never that far from the waterfront.  Its built to human scale, very walkable and pleasant.  The structures remind me a good deal of Williamsburg, most of it pre-war, though it doesn't have as much of an industrial feel to it.

Second, I like the commercial area, centered along Bergenline Avenue which runs up its spine.  I go there to buy my linen clothing and love eating in the restaurants there (for the most authentic Cuban pastels north of Miami, goto Grand Via on 48th Street.  Shamelessly cheap and shamelessly delicious).  The commercial feel represents the neighborhood, which is much more Spanish orientated than JH east of 76th Street.  A lot of shops do require a certain comfort with Spanish, which may be a sticking point for some, but for a silly monoglot like me, I sort of revel in it.

Third, I like the potential of the neighborhood.  It was once a huge Cuban community, but much of that has been replaced by folks from other remnants of the Spanish Empire.  That means that the housing prices are affordable (except along the water).  Given its proximity to NYC, I can see home values going up in price in the semi-near future.  Not having a direct subway connection makes this more difficult, but the bus service to the city is quick, cheap and frequent.  The Hudson Bergen Light Rail does connect you quickly to Hoboken and from there the PATH gets you into the city.  Overall, I can definitely see a good investment being made with a property purchase in the neighborhood. 

As for other things, like the schools and crime, I cannot speak with too much certainty.  My nephew went to the schools there and liked it.  Crime in West New York used to be problematic, but from what I understand, its much more under control, much as some NYC neighborhoods.

Either way, good luck with your searching.

I have been hearing more about areas in the Bronx like Pelham Parkway, Bedford Park and Morris Park.  Sometimes it can be worthwhile checking out past columns of "The Hunt" in the NY Times to try to discover some new areas.  Usually they include a slide show and some average home/coop prices.

Sorry, I actually meant the "Living In" columns and not "The Hunt."