Signs your neighborhood is changing

Many New Yorkers and people from other states may be experiencing a surge of new neighbors, new faces that have suddenly popped up almost overnight. Oh look there’s a Starbucks where that laundromat used to be! Or in some cases a Panera. Here are some of the best places to move in New York or at the least pay attention to because your very own neighborhood may be next in line for New Yorks facelift.

Having grown up in a neighborhood torn by old school Italians and Long Island “Royalty” and working NYC Real Estate I’ve noticed many a telltale sign of when your backyard is now plush with organic mushrooms and the nostalgia of coffee joints or brick oven pizzerias where you can discuss politics while paying over $10 for a meal.

Park Slope-Brooklyn

My stomping ground since the 80′s (literally took my first steps here so it counts). The first sign of things to come was the closing of the seemingly endless array of 99cent stores, next were the Cash Checking places that went poof. Replacements included almost monthly renovations to Methodist Hospital, our almost infamous Food Coop, Five Guys Burgers, and just about every hipster joint/bar legally allowed.

Lower East Side-Manhattan

In the 80s and 90s it seemed alphabet city was destined to be a quiet desolate land with bootleggers occupying every other store front and the biggest developments having been renovations to McDonald’s. Fast forward to today, delancey street has almost become the lighthouse to alphabet city. Merchants and developers are moving in and renovating (quietly and in stages). Bustling eye candy like the new walkway developed leads you to our local sweetheart pier 17 South Street Seaport. As if they were always one the creativity flourishes with sandwich shops, Chinese food restaurants without bars separating you and employees. It’s slated to become the next Dumbo.. just you wait and see.

Long Island City-Queens

In recent news being crowned the “next park slope”, all with due diligence of course. Nestled alongside the east river this long un-publicized queens neighborhood served home to generations of immigrant families and blue collar workers who have since come and go. Today some if their remnants are still visible in the local delis and restaurants maybe even a laundromat or two. There has been a hi rise boom promoting itself since its gleaming towers as visible from the Upper East Side, Manhattan. This neighborhood would serves as a perfect template of things to come. There is still demand in Long Island City for more hometown classics like day care centers, restaurants etc. The current lackluster is that the water front is still under development, but not to worry because about 3/4 of its residents now either work in Manhattan it New Jersey. With its growing demand I definitely see LIC a lush and bustling neighborhood in itself by 2014.

As time passes by, you’ll begin to see some of these changes take affect in your own backyard, if its the opposite, then well......you may want to call your favorite Broker to get yourself a new place