Hello Robin,
I simply didn't mention the other boroughs because Mr. Pope's query was about Brooklyn. I know a little something about all the 5 boroughs; grew up in NYC when it only cost a nickel to ride the bus and subway. I expressed my humble opinion about Brooklyn because I lived in 2 neighborhoods in the borough, took my kids to school in Park Slope when they were toddlers and visited family in Crown Heights, Cobble Hill, Boerum Hill, Bed Stuy, Flatbush and Brownsville. I know the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to Brooklyn and the other 4 boroughs because I had family living in all 5. Needless to say, if you get too far out in any of the boroughs, your commute to a job in Manhattan or anywhere within the city limits, can be beyond onerous. So, just because NYC has the most extensive transportation system in the country, you really need to watch where you live because you won't be able to get anywhere in that proverbial "New York minute" if you live way out in any of the boroughs. Even if you live in Washington Heights in Manhattan and work in Manhattan, it can take you an hour to get to work on the A-Train. It's no fun standing on the subway everyday all the way from Parkchester in The Bronx to midtown or downtown Manhattan; many people even have to take a bus to get to the subway in the other boroughs too. I am a biased writer because I feel that NYC is the greatest city in the world, but I am also very knowledgable when it comes to NYC. In my humble opinion, a real native New Yorker (I grew up in Harlem too before gentrification) knows alot more than the average real estate agent who did not grow up in the city that's just trying to earn a commission on a ridiculously high rental in Tribeca, Harlem Heights or SoHo. I agree that every borough has neighborhoods that are "up and coming", but, at this juncture, until they're totally gentrified, you have to walk through streets still suffering from urban blight and crime just to get to the subway in the morning. You may have moved to NYC from out of state and purchased a $500,000 condo (ground floor opportunity) in an up and coming neighborhood in The Big Apple only to witness one too many incidents of local criminal activity. For the most part, NYC has always changed for the better, but it takes time. After all, 42nd Street is not the cesspool of peep-show #@!& movies and crime that it used to be when I was kid growing up in the city. Now it's a strip for tourists. Getting back to the original question, you will probably get more space for your dollar in Brooklyn than you'll get in Manhattan unless you're wealthy enough to buy a Park, Madison or Fifth Avenue co-op. No joke! As my mother always said, "we're all living in broom closets here!" I live in Texas now. And everything is bigger here! Best regards . . .

Hello Zeni - Wow! I haven't checked out HotPads in awhile. I really tried to narrowly focus on Brooklyn when I made my original post. So, consequently, I did not discuss the other boroughs in depth, only mentioning Manhattan because that's where I was born and raised. Mr. Pope specifically asked a question about Brooklyn. There are some zip codes in Brooklyn that I would not invest in because they're not the great neighborhoods they used to be. However, I don't believe you can lose in the real estate game if you buy in zip code 11211. There's alot of gentrification going on in Brooklyn. Depending on who you talk to, that's a good and bad thing. Wishing your daughter all the best in The Big Apple!

My parent are immigrants, my uncle too, he bought a 1 bedroom co-op in Kew Garden Hills for $55,000 back in 2001; two years later it was worth $95,000; my parents bought from my uncle for closer to $60,000 (bc we're family); now bc we updated the kitchen, and cut off the living room to get second bedroom, that apartment is probably worth $155,000! When the bubble burst; my parents's co-op was still worth right under $140,000! YES IT'S THE BEST INVESTMENT EVER! They pay less mortgage than my boyfriend was paying for a 1 bedroom (shared apartment) He paid $700 per month for a 4 feet by 8 feet room! My parent's mortgage is lightly over $400; and the co-op fees are around $300... I live out of state, and I am planning on buying a home there! LOVE NEW YORK!

Actually, it's Tompkins Square Park (no "h" and no apostrophe), and he is right about the drugs there in the 80s. Tompkins was notorious for its heroin use during that era. Back then, it was an epicenter for much drug use. They also had the notorious riot back in '88 when the police clashed with homeless people and bystanders -- in fact, they still celebrate both the drug reputation and the riot every summer during the "Riot Reunion".
But you are right that i has been much changed for at least 2 decades - Tompkins is relatively much safer and much more hip now, with families moving in and younger professional as well. It's just quite difficult to find apartments that will allow you space unless you're willing to pay upward of 1,800 for a 1 bdrm, or so.
And yes, Needle Park is Bryant Park. But funnily enough, the Pacino film "The Panic in Needle Park" is based on Sherman Square on Broadway and 70th. And to add to that confusion, some addicts also refer to Union Square (see the indie film "Union Square") as Needle Park. So basically, any park that people used to frequent for heroin use was labeled a Needle Park.

Gentrification :( YOU ARE TAKING OUR HEIGHTS AWAY! lol