Need Help Getting NYC/Westchester/Southern CT Neighborhood Info

Hi Gang...
I know I haven't been around very much or posted for that matter but I could use some help.

Without going into too much detail I need to gather information regarding some areas of the city and surrounding areas like Brooklyn, Queens, Westchester and Southern CT.

Here are the areas being considered; please be candid as possible. I need the good, the bad, and the ugly...especially the ugly as these are possible areas I'm considering to call home.

Manhattan:
Washington Heights
Hamilton Heights
Lenox Hill
West Harlem
East Harlem

As for Brooklyn, Queens, Westchester I don't have any specific areas so ALL suggestions are welcome.

Southern CT:
Stamford
Greenwhich
Suggestions are welcome again!

I'm not moving anytime soon (meaning within the next few months) but I'm doing my homework and researching all possible areas now.

Please don't worry about offending me...first off I don't offend easily and second, I understand you're sharing an opinion, it may not necessarily be in line with mine and lastly, I'm ASKING for the info because I don't know! LOL

Anyway, thank you all in advance...I really hope to get some great insight.

Re: Need Help Getting NYC/Westchester/Southern CT Neighborhood Info

Hi Jennie. I hope all is well. I have a friend that is a REA and lives in the Westchester area. She used to live in the city and on Long Island. So she knows a lot of areas. Would you like her information? I can FM it to you.

Re: Need Help Getting NYC/Westchester/Southern CT Neighborhood Info

I lived in Whitestone for many years and loved it. I don't know your price range but there are single family, attached, semi-attached houses and a few nice co-op complexes. Schools are good, if that's a concern.

As for Manhattan, what about Inwood? I am not all that familiar with it but it's pretty nice, IMO, and diverse. Apartments are reasonable (was thinking about moving there myself.) Schools are good- it seems like a lot of Columbia faculty live in the area. There is at least one K-8 school that is really good- one of my co-worker's kids attend and he is happy with it.

Re: Need Help Getting NYC/Westchester/Southern CT Neighborhood Info

Manhattan:
Washington Heights-- We live here now. Some parts are bad, but some parts are absolutely gorgeous. We live in a really nice, scenic, quiet part dubbed "Hudson Heights". It's North of 181st and West of Broadway. I try and stay within those parameters if you can, if that is what you're looking for. If you can't, as close as you can to the outside. Nothing terrible about the other parts, just not as quiet and a little less safe. Depends on what you're looking for though.
Hamilton Heights- wouldn't recommend
Lenox Hill- wouldn't recommend
West Harlem- depends on how north/south/east/west
East Harlem- same as above

As for Brooklyn, Queens, Westchester I don't have any specific areas so ALL suggestions are welcome
-- such a broad, literally huge range of options, there are TONS of neighborhoods. We lived in Astoria, Queens for 5 years and I would move back there in a heartbeat, by far my favorite neighborhood in the city that I've lived in.

Southern CT:
Stamford- my best friend lived there for a year, had a cute downtown area I remember, don't remember her hating it, but I don't remember her loving it either.
Greenwhich
--sooooo different from any of your previously mentioned neighborhoods.

What kind of environment are you looking for specifically?? City or the suburbs?? Greenwich and most of Westchester and the city are practically polar opposites, so it's kind of hard to give you recommendations in any direction...

Message edited 2/6/2010 8:04:49 PM.

Re: Need Help Getting NYC/Westchester/Southern CT Neighborhood Info

Queens I would recc

Whitestone
Bayside
Douglaston
Little Neck
Flushing
Middle Village
Rego Park
Forest Hills
Maspeth
Howard Beach (not the best for commuting)
Astoria (some parts of LIC are also building up)

Re: Need Help Getting NYC/Westchester/Southern CT Neighborhood Info

If I knew more what you wanted...I could recommend neighborhoods that would fit your needs

What's important to you?

And what's your budget?

And if you fm me your email- I can send you listings to get an idea (well not for ct or westchester- they don't share mls with long island realtors)