Maspeth

Though it slides under the current NYC real estate radar, Maspeth has a tumultuous land ownership history dating back to the 1600s. Looking at the quiet community today, one would never know that Maspeth passed from fur traders to Quakers, to industrial investors, and various communities in between. The area eventually transitioned into an industrial hub thanks to its access to Newtown Creek, and the residential character of the neighborhood developed with the influx of European immigrant workers in the 19th century. Today Grand Ave, which becomes Grand St once it crosses over into Brooklyn, is the main pathway of commerce and culture in Maspeth. The street is lined with mom-and-pop stores that tempt window shoppers with Italian pastries, Polish sausages, Irish brews, and general retail. While still primarily home to European immigrants, since the 1990s the neighborhood has begun to see more Latino and Asian Americans communities blossom among its quiet streets. Maspeth has few large apartment buildings, but many detached single family homes featuring both front and backyards. Homes sell for about $5-600K. Apartments, which are about $1100/mo for a studio and $12-1300 for a 1Br, are much less common. The downside to this quaint section of Queens is that it is only serviced by the M subway line on the very southeast corner, though the Long Island Expressway does cut through the neighborhood. The upside of the limited public transportation is lower real estate prices and more car-friendly options.