Ditmas Park Real Estate

Ditmas Park offers the gorgeously-preserved Victorian homes and tree-lined streets of a sedate residential neighborhood with an increasing number of hip amenities like fair-trade coffee and its first gourmet restaurant. The area appeals to buyers seeking an up-and-coming neighborhood but trying to avoid the residential-boom fallout that results in sidewalks clogged with recent college grads, baby-strollers and bar patrons.

There's more space to be had for your money here. That, and the convenience of the Q and B subways (a short ride to either Downtown Brooklyn or Coney Island) has led to an influx of hip young residents, but that hasn't affected the neighborhood's diversity. Homes in Ditmas park include an equal number of detached single-family homes, row houses, and large apartment buildings (condos, co-ops and rentals), with price tags spanning a wide range. Fixer-uppers can still be found here among the Victorians (Ditmas Park is one of the largest neighborhoods of Victorian homes in the nation) and bungalows if you're willing to put in a little bit of work to get a lot of space. Another bonus: The vast green spaces, lakes, tennis center and seemingly endless recreation opportunities of the 585-acre urban oasis that is Prospect Park are only a few blocks away.