Location: Southernmost tip of Manhattan

The Financial District encompasses roughly the area south of City Hall Park but excluding Battery Park City. The center of the area is often considered to be the corner of Wall Street and Broad Street.

The area is a great fit with anyone that works nearby due to the lack of a commute. Further, virtually all subway lines converge in the Financial District, providing a surprisingly quick ride to pretty much everywhere, including the Upper East Side, Upper West Side, Midtown—even Brooklyn.

The residential population of the area has increase to 56,000 from approximately 17,000 before 2000. It is considered a small emerging neighborhood. If you first view homes here during the workday, be sure to come back at night–the hustle and bustle of Wall Street really dies down after 6:00 PM. The Financial District is extremely quiet after hours and on weekends. Some love it that way, but some say it a bit like a ghost town at times.

The architecture in the Financial District is unique, with many old office buildings that have been converted into residential apartments. The local services (i.e. dry cleaners, grocery stores, laundromats) haven’t quite caught up yet, so your choices are limited and you may need to reach beyond your neighborhood to get everything you want.

The Financial District borders Tribeca, which provides most of the high-end dining and shopping options for the area. Recently, the Financial District has become known for real estate bargains due to the large number of developments that have come to market over the last few years. If you are looking for maximum space at the lowest cost, the Financial District is an ideal place to search.

Note due to the small size of the area, there are not that many top real estate brokers that specialize here. Typically, agents that serve Tribeca also reach across to handle the Financial District. We were able, however, to identify a small number of very strong agents that have built a substantial practice in the area and that were able to meet our qualifications.

Click for independent reviews & profiles of top agents who specialize in the Financial District.

Location: From East 28th to East 42nd Streets, between Broadway and the East River

The wonderful thing about New York is that as much as things change, many things stay the same. This is particularly true in Murray Hill.

The beautiful tree-lined side streets and 100-year-old brownstones set the tone for this neighborhood. That said, high-rise living is plentiful as you get to the avenues further east. In fact, the area on First Avenue between 34th and 38th Streets houses well over 2,000 apartments in just four buildings! The neighborhood has tons of amenities. Just a few years ago Murray Hill seemed to go to sleep after the workday ended, but no longer. Traveling along Third Avenue you’ll find (at least) two restaurants per block on both sides of the street!

Murray Hill condos are typically from the 1980’s, but a few buildings were built in the recent development wave. Murray Hill co-ops are plentiful and cheap, with psf prices generally well below $1,000.

It’s not the most hip or exclusive part of the City, but it’s an short walk to the subways and trains in Grand Central Station. Murray Hill residents often say that the best thing about their neighborhood is its convenience. It’s easy to get anywhere in the City, whether walking to work in Mid-town, taking the subway a few stops to visit friends on the Upper East Side, or hoping a short taxi ride for dinner downtown.

A little history: according to Wikipedia, “Murray Hill derives its name from the Murray family, 18th-century Quaker merchants mainly concerned with shipping and overseas trade. Robert Murray (1721–1786), the family patriarch, was born in Pennsylvania and came to New York in 1753 after a short residence in North Carolina. He quickly established himself as a merchant and eventually owned more shipping tonnage than any other New Yorker.”

Click for independent reviews & profiles of top agents who specialize in Murray Hill homes.