Where should my friends buy?

Hudson Heights or Inwood west of Broadway

"my friends" indeed! You've been busy lately!!!

http://streeteasy.com/nyc/sale/875992-house-72-54-51st-drive-woodside + that international-themed charter school in Astoria

http://streeteasy.com/philadelphia/sales

Millburn, Summit, Westfield, Cranford in NJ all have great schools and approx 1 hr commutes into the city. It is harder to find something for $850K in Millburn/Summit that is near the station for $850K. The other 2 will not be too difficult.

I am anticipating selling my home shortly. Located in Floral Park-Queens, right on the Nassau County border. (Surburan with low city taxes. 4 beds (set-up curtrenlty as 3 plus den.) living room, formal dining room, eat-in kitchen, 2 full baths,finished basement, garage, private drive, central a/c. Well maintained. Near all. Walk to express bus, less than a mile to LIRR. (32 minutes to Penn.) Subway also.

Look around Fresh Meadows or the area covering District 26 which I believe is one of the best school district in Queens.

The blocks around 8th Avenue & 40th Street in Brooklyn are very nice, & are priced approximately 6' below market.

Extremely quiet & tree lined area, plenty of walking trails; basements are standard. Some residences are actually built into hillsides with room for additional family members.

Definitely worth looking into.

Walpurgis, I don't think there is anything for sale in that particular area. I believe the property you are referring to was sold out a while ago (along with Washington, its Jewish equivalent).

Seriously, I agree with jimendress on Hudson (fka part of Washington) Heights, particularly the Castle Village and Hudson View Gardens complexes. Both are very family oriented, offer parking and have spectacular river views along with security and other amenities. If your friends work downtown it can be a bit of schlep but definitely under an hour and the A train is right right there. Schools are a bit of an issue (I understand there is a rapidly improving/perhaps even "arrived" elementary school in Hudson Heights but there are so many families in these complexes your friends can easily get a sense of what the educational options are. Plus, I think it may be possible to get a big enough place for under $850K, allowing the savings for private school if necessary.

Indeed - yet another one my (darkly) humorous attempts. But back to the actual topic at hand:

I concur with your CV & HVG suggestions. In Manhattan, but with a geography, street pattern & views like nowhere else on the island. I've always thought of of as a hilly "urban suburbia", the most accurate description I can come up with. If I were inclined to move again, it would most definitely be on the top of my list. True; it does feel somewhat removed from the core action, but I believe that's what most people cherish about it.

Definitely worth the shlep - that A train practically FLIES! I once felt like I was on the Pelham 123 - that's how fast it was going.

Glamma: Prospect Heights in Brooklyn - especially the Eastern Parkway stretch between Washington Avenue & Grand Army Plaza.

Beautiful pre-war buildings, one after another, directly across from the Brooklyn Museum, Botanic Garden & Prospect Park. The IRT 7th Avenue line (2 & 3) stop right there; one block east at Franklin Avenue is the 2 & 4 Lexington Avenue Local & Express, as well as the S (shuttle) connecting the Brighton Line (B & Q) with the 8th Avenue line (A & C). Area has gentrified tremendously, with Crown Heights to the east starting to follow suit. Public Schools are not the best, though.

Best of Luck in whatever they decide.

Thank you everyone for the excellent suggestions!

for walpurgis's comment on brooklyn - I can only find 2 bedrooms for 8 something in that area, Windsor Terrace. There are not a lot of listings on StreetEasy for Windsor Terrace. Does anyone have a suggestion? I check the NYtimes too.
Thanks