Queens

You'll have to give us more information. What are you looking for? What's the budget?

Queens lacks Brooklyn's charm and character. If you have to do Queens, Douglaston and Forest Hill gardens.
Also Jamaica Estates is OK.

long island city has much better housing stock than brooklyn with new developments directly across river from manhattan. Brooklyn new development is only in downtown brooklyn which is gritty.

R'sider, please tell me where exactly in Brooklyn are there neighborhoods comparable to Douglaston and Forest Hills Gardens? Also Weeks Woodland, Malba, Hollis Hills and a few others I can think of just off the bat?

Riversider, I'd have said just the opposite, if blanket statements about huge boroughs were in order. Do some driving around.

Bay Ridge are has the views and big houses. Park Slope and Brooklyn Heights for different reasons.

I'd have said just the opposite,

THAT'S WHY THERE ARE MENUS...

Forest Hills (Gardens), Kew Gardens, Briarwood and Jamaica Estates are all nice and have ample access to subways, LIRR, express bus

Douglaston, Bayside and Little Neck are also very nice, but there is less transportation options- ie no subway

I dont believe LIC has too much in the way of houses, but yes a lot of new condo apts.

Douglaston has the LIRR into Penn Station. It's not bad and this is one of the only trains that avoid Jamaica.

LICman, before you are quick to sell your neighborhood, read the guy's post first. He wants a single family HOUSE, not a condo.

I would second Bayside, Douglaston, and Little Neck. Some of the best schools in the city (if you're into that), easy access to LIRR, and a wide variety of housing stock.

I agree with Selborne- schools in N. Queens- Bayside, Douglaston, Little Neck are really good- better than KG and Briarwood

Schools are not an issue just looking for a nice neighborhood with a little outdoor space.

No idea what people are talking about. The public schools in Bayside, Litttle Neck & Douglaston are not nearly as good as they were a few decades ago, and don't hold a candle to what's available across the border in Nassau County. Most families leave areas like Bayside once their kids are of school age.

Just curious Txredrider, what's your budget?

**No idea what people are talking about. The public schools in Bayside, Litttle Neck & Douglaston are not nearly as good as they were a few decades ago, and don't hold a candle to what's available across the border in Nassau County. Most families leave areas like Bayside once their kids are of school age.**

This is not true. It would be helpful to the OP and the rest of this online community if you would not post about things you know nothing about. That seems to include the borough of Queens in its entirety.

Txredrider: How big a house? How much do you want to spend? How far from Manhattan would you like to be? Do you prefer more or less urban neighborhood (i.e., where I live there is not even alternate side parking, but a car is essential)? What about transportation? Some areas of Queens are one-fare zones, others are bus & subway rides, still others are LIRR territory.

Around 1200 sq feet, under 300, about 45 minutes from city, small backyard , would like a driveway.

For now, you will not find that in any half decent neighborhood.
Renting the 1st floor of a "house" with backyard access is your best bet.

You can take a look at Elmhurst, Flushing, Whitestone, College Point, Maspeth, Middle Village, Bellerose, Floral Park and Howard Beach. They each have their good and bad points, but you will be able to find a small house with a backyard in these areas in your price range. They are accessible by public transportation and there's some nice houses in each one. You ought to take a drive around, take a look and see if any place appeals to you. There are also some south shore Nassau towns with low taxes where you can get a small house with backyard in that price range (I'm thinking of Island Park, for one). It's not impossible and I wish you luck.

I'm not sure you can find a house for under $300k in the nicer parts of Queens.