DITMAS PARK, LONG ISLAND

A touch of class at bargain prices

Shady trees, Victorian architecture and neat lawns tell you that you have reached a superior neighborhood, just as soon as you set eyes on Ditmas Park. There is no graffiti or other signs of lawlessness. It can sometimes feel as though the Manhattan madness is far away. Homes are still good value here at about $ 700 thousand because of their spacious design. Some of the best houses are quoted at over $ 1 million. Freelancers can have fully equipped and spacious offices within their homes, if they choose Ditmas Park as a base. A total of about 175 single family homes are available in Ditmas Park. It is an exceptional place in the very urban environment of Brooklyn.

Dorchester Road, Newkirk Avenue, East 16th Street and Ocean Avenue form the borders of Ditmas Park on the Cardinal points of the compass. The land where Ditmas Park now stands was originally agricultural until the rail road arrived. It developed much in the same way as its peers on the Eastern Coast of the United States. The wealthy built homes here in the early part of the 20th century, but it lost out to other localities and cities in this respect during the 1970s. This works to the advantage of the newly mobile class who want elegant residences at bargain values. The Prospect Area South has the best choice of various architectural styles. Apartments with modern amenities are available at attractive rents as well.

The commute to the downtown area averages just 30 minutes and retail and entertainment options are close at hand in neighboring areas such as Park Slope. There are excellent schools in the neighborhood and close by, though admission is not easy with the teacher to student ratios that are preserved with such care. Families need to act in time and must persevere to get their children in to the best institutions in the neighborhood, but the time and effort is well rewarded and in full measure.

Restaurants are beginning to crop up in this delightful neighborhood though there is plenty of variety within Brooklyn already. The ambience of Picket Fence is as delightful as the quintessentially American menu that reads very much like a historical record of Mother's best cooking. Diners have a choice of intimate indoor seating and a table amidst culinary plants and relaxing greenery in the open. Ditmas Park residents can avail of a delivery service as well. The Cornerstone Pub is also open for service and is poised to provide many friendly and spirited evenings for regulars and occasional guests as well.

Ditmas Park has begun to take on a very international character of late, with people from all over the world and those who profess to different faiths. This diversity brings a breath of fresh tolerance to the neighborhood. Ditmas Park has the potential of developing in to a model township of international understanding. It certainly represents extraordinary value for individuals and families in search of idyllic surroundings for a home close to New York City. Things might not remain this way for a long time and sanguine investors should move in now to ride the crest of a long upward wave of realty value.