‘Only a Short Subway Ride’ Away, Broker Says Most of Queens Is Hot

Jeffrey Silverbush is the owner and president of Century 21 Best in Elmhurst, Queens. Of his 35 years in the market, he has spent the last decade focusing on Queens. He spoke with The New York Sun’s Maura Yates about the borough’s up-and-coming hot spots.Q: There is a lot going on in Queens now, such as the Queens West developments and the rezoning of Jamaica. Which areas are hot today, and which do you think will be hot tomorrow?A: Most of the borough has gotten sort of hot. Some areas like Corona, that used to be low-cost, are now hot. Changes in zoning have encouraged a lot of development in areas the city felt could provide more housing.To say there is one hot area, not really. Jackson Heights is right on the 7 line, as well as other lines. That area has become very, very popular. It is the focus of the Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi community, called the Little India area.Most of the other towns in Queens are hot in one way or another. Forest Hills has always been, and Astoria and Long Island City are very, very hot, because they are a good stone’s throw away from Manhattan.What are some of the pros and cons of living in Queens?I don’t see a lot of cons. I see a lot of pros. Queens is a great, great borough. Some of the nicest cultural things happening in the city happen in Queens.We’ve got the best sports facilities in the country, with the finest tennis facility, and Shea Stadium. Queens is the most culturally and ethnically diverse county in the entire world. Virtually every type of restaurant you can imagine exists in Queens, and they tend to be pretty good.Transportation is phenomenal. Manhattan is the focus of the real estate market, but Queens is getting tremendous play real estate-wise, because of its close proximity to Manhattan. You can jump on a train and in literally 15 minutes, you can be at 53rd and Lexington.What is the profile of the Queens buyer?It’s all over the place. They are financially diverse with some looking for more modest houses, and others looking in the luxury market. You can’t characterize Queens as any one thing when it comes to real estate. It’s too broad a market.How do the prices in Queens compare with the other boroughs?Manhattan is on a different planet. That is not a normal place for homeowners. But in Queens, it is just about as convenient. Astoria, Woodside, Jackson Heights have all gone way up in price over the last few years, but compared to Manhattan, they’re very low.For what you will pay for a tiny apartment in Manhattan, you can get a three bedroom apartment in Queens. The average rent for a nice three-bedroom in Queens is $1,750. It’s a quantum difference from Manhattan. What you sacrifice is only a short subway ride.Queens seems to be a mixed bag, architecturally. What types of homes are available, and what sort of shape are they in?Queens has a lot of old homes, but most have been very well maintained. There are a handful of old houses that aren’t in such good shape, so they might come down, and new houses will go up.If you were advising a young couple looking to buy their first home anywhere in the city, where would you suggest they buy?Queens is as good an area as any. It’s not like people drop out of a hot air balloon in the middle of a place and decide it’s a good place to live.I would consider, where do the people work? If they work in Manhattan but can’t afford to live there, the logical choice is to live in the boroughs. Any type of neighborhood or price range is available in Queens. It’s an excellent place to buy.

‘Only a Short Subway Ride’ Away, Broker Says Most of Queens Is Hot

‘Only a Short Subway Ride’ Away, Broker Says Most of Queens Is Hot

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