What better place to start our hunt for a home other than where we currently are? Lyle and I have lived in our 650 sf, 2-br rental apartment in Astoria, Queens for eight years. We pay $1855 a month for our 'cozy' abode and I've been told that's a steal. Comparable apartments within a two block radius are currently listed around $2,200-$2,400 a month.
Wikipedia defines Astoria as a "middle class and commercial neighborhood" and I suppose that's true. Western Queens is a far cry from the urbanites of Manhattan and the hipsters of Brooklyn, although our neighbor, Long Island City, is certainly making a go at closing the gap.
Not as far north as Astoria proper, our apartment borders on the southern end of the neighborhood and our daily hangouts are pretty much within a ten-block radius. There's definitely more to this neighborhood than the tried and true Bohemian Hall Beer Garden. Fabulous restaurants (Brick Cafe, Queens Comfort, Il Bambino and Queens Kickshaw to name a few) and great nightlife (The Strand, Astoria Bier and Cheese and Studio Square, where Lyle and I had our wedding!) make Astoria appealing to young professionals unwilling to pay the exorbitant rental prices of neighboring boroughs.
Lyle and I like to advantage of Astoria Park, one of the largest open spaces within Queens, to host our annual Memorial Day Picnic. The park boasts the city's oldest and largest public swimming pool for those of you looking to escape the sun on a hot summer day. Be forewarned, my limited experience with the pool was certainly an education in NYC bureaucracy. Don't forget your lock and be prepared to leave all your worldly belongings behind.
Although living here has been great, we realize that our family will eventually need more space. We would like our first home to be a single family detached or townhome and while we haven't ruled out condo living, our heart is initially set on a house. Many of the row homes in Astoria have been owned by families for generations and have, over the years, been converted to multi-family dwellings. There is limited inventory and what is available can easily go for $800,000 all the way up to a few million. Needless to say, even if we thought this was the place for us, Lyle and I absolutely cannot afford to buy here. And so the hunt officially begins...