Home Prices in Northeast Queens for 2013

For anyone shopping for or just generally interested in homes in Northeast Queens,  here is the most recent home sales data for 2013.

Northeast Queens in this research includes Whitestone/Beechurst (11357), Bayside (11360, 11361), Flushing (11358) and also Fresh Meadows (11365, 11366). Some info for College Point (11356) and Bayside Hills/Oakland gardens (11364) is also included although could not be represented on the charts due to sizing issues.

As you can see, home prices have generally increased year over year are at their highest levels in the past 3 years. Areas like Northern Bayside (Weeks Woodland, Bay Terrace) and College Point have seen average sale price increases of over 10% . Homes are selling in under 90 days for the most part and there is plenty of activity. Most neighborhoods in the area are selling homes faster than at any rate in the past few years.

 For more information regarding the local market, please feel free to reach out to me!

How to Set Up a Home Gym

"Setting Up a Home Gym"- the video.

Setting Up a Home Gym

Working as a Fitness Instructor, I've had the chance to hear all the excuses as to why people can't exercise more often. And although you may have a very unique life and unique kids and unique set of circumstances that drive you on a daily basis, the excuses I hear are pretty much the same. They boil down to:

1. No time.

Time is a tough excuse to get past. I think time is our most precious commodity. I struggle to manage time as efficiently as I can everyday, as I'm sure many of you out there do also. When you have kids, time becomes even tougher to manage. Not that I have kids, but many of you use them as excuses for why you have no time so I make it a point to mention them.

Here's the thing about time: There's actually plenty of it. Tons of it. So much time that we don't know WHAT THE HELL TO DO WITH IT. We watch TV to kill it. We eat to pass it. We think of a million things (or nothing at all) that we can do with it to make our brief stay on Earth as enjoyable as possible.

Before you think of how to kill an hour today, think about how you can use that hour wisely. Once you start treating your time with respect, you'll notice how your schedule has space for exercise.

And about using your kids as an excuse to NOT work out, DON'T. If anything, you should stare into your child's eyes and promise them that you will live a long and healthy life for them and promise to instill a healthy lifestyle in them also.

2. No space.

Space, like time, is also precious. Like time, space is also mismanaged. Working as a Realtor, I've had the chance to check out pretty much every house layout under the sun. I've seen every Ranch, Colonial, Cape Etc. that Queens has to offer and I PROMISE YOU, if you have 6' x 6' of room anywhere, you can easily work out at home.

Here are a few pics from my basement gym.

I have a laundry room and storage room, so this is really the only space I can use in the whole basement.

To maximize what can be done in the space, I had to rely on equipment that is not bulky and can pack away easily.

Elastic Bands are great because they are versatile, relatively inexpensive, and store very easily. I hang them on the rail to work out, then stick them in a bag when I'm done. I paid just under $100 for mine a few years ago and I have definitely gotten my money's worth. (bodylastics.com)

 Little dumbells can all be acquired for under $15 from Modell's or anywhere online and don't take up a lot of room.

Medicine Balls are also great for versatile workouts, store easily and can all be purchased for under $25 from Amazon or any other online retailer.

I have some Stability Balls which can be a pain in the butt to store. If you can spare the space, get them. If you can't, don't. Simple enough.

That's all there is to it. A closet and an open space on the floor. And believe me, that's all you need. I've had some killer workouts in that little space down there.


So I hope that this helps. Stop making excuses. Start making progress.

Keep Our Parks Clean!

 

This won't be a lengthy rant about littering... We have all heard it before. 

That said, after all the millions of dollars spent by the city and various private companies telling us to keep our neighborhoods clean,

Why am I seeing this when I walk my dog??

Clean parks = clean streets = better quality of life = higher home values.

Best Parks in Northeast Queens

Now that spring is here, it's time to strip off the layers of sweaters, scarves and jackets and finally get out to enjoy the day again. Here is a list of some of the nicest places in our neighborhood to go for a stroll, take the kids, or walk our furry four legged best friends. I've included maps to help you find your way AND since locals have different names for the parks than does the Parks Dept., I've also given you whatever it is people are calling them.

CLICK ON THE NAMES OF THE PARK FOR DIRECTIONS AND EXACT LOCATIONS!

Throgs Neck Park (AKA Little Bay Park)

Located at the base of the Throgs Neck Bridge in Whitestone, this is one of my favorite places on Earth.  If you spend an hour here on a nice day, there's a good chance that you'll meet everyone in the neighborhood, as I think they would agree on how great a place this is to enjoy the day.


The walking path itself is around 3/4 of a mile so it's not too arduous of a journey if you get caught up in the walk. There are plenty of places to sit and take in the scenery and the breeze. There is also a dog run, if you and the pet want to mingle and network.

Cross Island Walkway (AKA Joe Michael's Mile)

Pretty much everyone from the Brooklyn to the North Fork of LI has heard of the Cross Island Walkway and most likely walked the path at some point. At about 2.25 miles, it's a decent distance to get in some
good cardio, all the while enjoying a cool breeze from the bay.

There is ample space to move, so feel free to come by bike, roller blade, foot, or any other form of pedestrian transportation. Plenty of benches give frequent places to take a break or just sit back and take in the view.

There are a few ways to enter the path: from the Throgs Neck Park, Northern Blvd., or the overpass from Golden Park (see below). There is also a Marina and place to your boat into the water ( I wish I knew the technical term) which can be accessed by a turn-off from the West/Northbound Cross Island.

John Golden Park/Crocheron Park

I don't know where one park begins and the ends, so I'll just include them together. Golden/Crocheron is a family friendly park complete with kids playground, tennis courts, baseball fields and plenty of green space to run free. You can access the Cross Island Path or hit the park from the path via an overpass in the heart if the park.

There are water views and cozy sitting areas and gazebos, if you just want to kick back and relax.




If you are a social dog owner, the park has an unofficial dog meet and greet every morning from around 8-9am. Local residents come and walk their pets before work and park rules allow for the dogs to be unleashed. This is a great place for pets as there are a ton of trash cans and park employees to make sure that the park stays clean.

Long Island Motor Parkway/Queens Greenway

This trail is a terrific neighborhood secret that's pretty much only known to residents local to the path. The path is on the narrow side so biking is probably a bad idea, although I doubt anyone would complain if you did ride through. Mostly, the traffic is kept to joggers or walkers.


There are several entrances to the path: 73rd ave by baseball fields, just off of Francis Lewis Blvd. and the 73rd Ave, and entrances at every dead end street leading to the trail.


The path also boasts being a piece of NY history, as it was the first paved "highway" to connect Queens to Nassau County. The road was used for car races, bootlegging, and whatever else people did before color TV.

Cunningham Park

Cunningham has it all. Indoor and outdoor tennis courts, bocci ball, quite a few baseball fields, picnic areas, and also access to trails throughout the area (Queens Greenway included).

 

There is plenty of parking in the lot or off the side of the park, which is helpful because with so much to do at the park you can always expect a ot of people to be there. On weekends, there is little league baseball and soccer, as well as cross-country track meets and gatherings in the picnic/barbeque areas.

Whitestone Park/Francis Lewis Park

This park is the smallest on the list, but recent renovations and additions make it a great place to relax. There is a new playground for the kids, 2 bocci courts, bathrooms (always a plus), and sitting areas with bridge and water views.

There is no dog run, but many residents bring their pets here for their daily walk. The walkway is lined with plenty of trash cans so the park stays clean from pet "business". That is a HUGE plus because being a dog owner, I always worry which park to go to so I don't have to walk a mile with a bag of poop.

I'm aware that there are other parks in the area that may be good enough to add to the list, but these are the larger locales with plenty of parking and space to run. I'm an ardent promoter of sun and fresh air so I make the time to check out all the parks in the area for me and my furry little guy and these are my picks for best in class... If you think I've missed any, shoot me an email and I'll add them on. Hope you found this helpful!