One of the five boroughs of New York City, Brooklyn is a hub for artists, young professionals, and families. With its thriving arts and culture scene, variety of neighborhoods, and abundance of outdoor activities, Brooklyn is a popular destination for those looking to relocate. If you're thinking about making the move to Brooklyn, here are some things to keep in mind before investing in Brooklyn real estate.
What to know about Brooklyn
Job opportunities
There is a wide range of job industries open to those interested in homes for sale in Brooklyn. According to the most recent report from the New York Department of Labor, there are 10 significant industries in New York City, based on data from 2013 to 2018. To compile the report, the Department of Labor looked at rapid growth, large growth, high wages, and expected strong growth through 2026. The 10 areas of significant growth from 2013 to 2018 include information services like software developers and librarians, as well as administrative and support services and professional and technical services. Food service jobs grew 22.6% over the five years.
Of the 10 listed industries, the highest median wages came from securities, commodity contracts, and investments, with a median income of $398,600 as of 2019, followed by other information services at $184,200, and professional and technical services at $135,300.
According to the New York City Department of Labor, there are plenty of jobs looking for qualified and enthusiastic workers. If you move to Brooklyn without a job lined up, you will likely find something you love in the city that never sleeps.
Schools
Families interested in Brooklyn real estate would note that there are 1,980 schools in the borough. Great Schools, a nonprofit organization, tracks school data to provide student progress, equity, college readiness, and test scores. There are 14 10/10 elementary schools near homes for sale in Brooklyn. Great Schools scored seven middle schools near Brooklyn real estate at 10/10. One high school in Brooklyn received a 10/10 score. Some of the best elementary schools in Brooklyn include charter schools like Achievement First Apollo Charter School, while public middle and high schools were ranked in the top five of their individual categories.
Transportation
As for transportation near Brooklyn real estate, Brooklyn neighborhoods are generally highly walkable, with sidewalks and street crossings galore. For longer commutes across the borough or into Manhattan, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) provides buses and subways that reach much of the borough. Certain neighborhoods are further from the center, and residents may benefit from owning a car, but the MTA is an extensive service that reaches much of the city, including Brooklyn.
Shopping destinations
New residents of Brooklyn have a wealth of shopping options. For groceries, stop by The Greene Grape and popular chains like Trader Joe’s and Wegmans. For health and beauty needs, check out holistic healing and wellness services at Healhaus or Brooklyn Herborium and vegan skincare and makeup from Shen Beauty. Bookworms are sure to enjoy small business bookstores like Idlewild Books and Books are Magic. For clothing, check out boutique options like Oroboro. When shopping for home goods for your new Brooklyn real estate, visit Collyer’s Mansion or The Primary Essentials.
Dining destinations
There are so many dining options that it would be impossible to list them all, but some that are sure to delight new residents of homes for sale in Brooklyn are:
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Brooklyn Tea: A perfect spot to spend an afternoon with friends or read while enjoying a pot of tea. When visiting, choose from hot tea, latte, iced tea, or coffee, and pair your selection with all-day breakfast options like waffles, seasonal pie, or banana walnut bread.
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Doughnut Plant: Hailed by The New York Times as “doughnuts of the gods,” this popular New York staple offers a rotating selection of flavors of their fresh-made doughnuts.
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Four and Twenty Blackbirds: A Brooklyn staple since 2009, offering a wide variety of pies, including brown butter apple streusel, bittersweet chocolate pecan, and black bottom oat.
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Misi: For Italian, you won’t want to miss this popular restaurant in the South Williamsburg area of Brooklyn. With pasta made in-house, try the spinach and mascarpone-filled Tortelli, spaghetti with clams, and bucatini.
Credit: Misi-
Junior’s: While famous for their cheesecake, they have an expansive menu full of options sure to tempt even the pickiest eaters in your family. Try their disco fries, potato pancakes, Reuben, steakburgers, and BBQ baby back ribs.
Leisure activities
Of course, there is always something to do in New York City, but plenty of options directly in Brooklyn make for a great way to spend some leisure time by yourself or with family and friends. Check out options like:
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The Brooklyn Museum: Home to a permanent collection of Asian, Egyptian, Assyrian, and American art, to name just a few of the museum’s sections, visitors can also see time-limited exhibitions like those featuring Andy Warhol (through June 19, 2022), Monet to Morisot (through May 21, 2023), and Baseera Khan (through July 10, 2022).
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Brooklyn Botanic Garden: Check out this urban garden, where you can observe a wide variety of plants in bloom throughout the year.
Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Credit: ILoveNY.com -
For athletic fun, visit the 585 acres of Prospect Park for baseball, basketball, boating, bicycling, fishing, horseback riding, running, soccer, tennis, and more — including Prospect Park Zoo! For indoor fun, check out the body-positive Brooklyn Yoga Club and rock climbing at Brooklyn Boulders.
Find a real estate agent to help your Brooklyn move
It’s important to consider all of the different aspects of your life that will be affected by your move. Brooklyn is a great place to live, but it’s essential to ensure that it’s the right fit for you. If you have any questions or need help getting started, reach out to trusted Brooklyn real estate agent Kobi Lahav for further recommendations and help with the moving process.
