I almost prefer less “nice” areas at this point. I have a friend who lives in an area of Queens that some people might turn their noses at. But there are a lot of advantages. Food/clothes are cheaper than in Manhattan or in the suburbs. Did I mention food? Lots of good Indian, Latin American, and Middle Eastern restaurants. You can buy a real detached house, not an apartment, for $250-300k, maybe less if a lot of renovation is needed. Shorter commute than from the ‘burbs, subways run every 10-15 min, and no train change is required to get to most of lower Manhattan. Actually more convenient than trendier parts of Brooklyn in that respect.