The old real estate truism, “location, location, location” applies perfectly to Brooklyn Heights, N.Y., situated just across the East River from lower Manhattan. “Brooklyn Heights is a commuter-friendly neighborhood,” says Barrington Richards, GRI, C2EX, president-elect of the Brooklyn Board of REALTORS® and broker-owner of Fine Choice Realty. “You have the ferry, bridge and subway all in walking proximity.” To understand the allure of this exclusive enclave, it’s helpful to trace the history of transit options from Brooklyn Heights to Manhattan.
From Revolutionary War Stronghold to First Suburb
The area now known as Brooklyn Heights was a key location in the Battle of Brooklyn during the Revolutionary War, says Dominique Jean-Louis, chief historian at The Center for Brooklyn History, where an exhibition on the battle runs through December 2026. “The cliff overlooking the East River was an advantage for the Continental Army as they were watching out for the British naval forces coming up the East River.”
After the war, the area was agricultural, consisting of a smattering of farms and estates.
Everything changed in the early 19th century, when Brooklyn Heights became “America’s first suburb,” notes Jean-Louis. Hezekiah Beers Pierrepont, a major holder of land in the area, funded steam ferries into Manhattan. He figured that a quick and easy commute would draw bankers and merchants, who could work in Manhattan during the day and come home to Brooklyn Heights at night.
Pierrepont’s instincts were correct. Wealthy families flocked to grand Federal- and Greek Revival–style homes in the neighborhood. More residents arrived after the completion of the Brooklyn Bridge in 1883. “The Brooklyn Bridge was a symbolic connector between all the commerce and energy happening across the water in Manhattan,” says Jean-Louis. “It didn’t just bring people back and forth on a day-to-day basis; it also moved communities over from Manhattan.” In 1919, the opening of the Clark Street station (on the 2/3 subway lines) further encouraged this trend.
Residents Preserved Their Community
But with this influx of residents, the neighborhood began to change. Developers constructed tall buildings and divided up mansions into individual units. Residents felt Brooklyn Height’s character was in jeopardy. In 1910, they founded the Brooklyn Heights Association in response.
When, in the 1940’s, the city announced plans to create the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE), members of the community were particularly alarmed. As originally conceived, the highway would have cut through the center of Brooklyn Heights, with the project destroying 19th century rowhouses and compromising the river views.
Community members testified before the city planning committee, effectively saving their neighborhood. Thanks to their efforts, the BQE was routed to the neighborhood’s edge, and the Brooklyn Heights Promenade was created, with the expressway running underneath.
From the promenade, visitors are rewarded with iconic views of the East River and lower Manhattan. “As you walk away from the bustle of downtown Brooklyn toward Brooklyn Heights and get closer to the water, you get these amazing views,” says Katriona Kearney, a real estate agent who’s owned a historic home in the neighborhood since 2003. “You see the water between the beautiful brownstones. It’s the classic movie shot.”
Brooklyn Heights residents also mobilized to prevent a large area from becoming a housing development. Their lobbying led to the creation of what became Cadman Plaza Park. “Sometimes, when I'm walking across Cadman Plaza, I can't believe what it used to look like,” says Jean-Louis. “It was the ramp onto the Brooklyn Bridge. … Imagine replacing all that infrastructure with green spaces and the park bench atmosphere that we have in Cadman Plaza. It's a testament to how neighborhoods shift over time, dependent on the needs and vision of the people living there.”
More recent efforts on the part of residents led to the creation of Brooklyn Bridge Park. Featuring hills, beach volleyball courts, soccer fields, playgrounds, art installations and picnic tables, the 85-acre green space was built on reclaimed shipping piers.
The neighborhood is a “community in its own right, but you're literally moments from Manhattan,” Kearney says. Montague Street and Atlantic Avenue are the main thoroughfares, with many restaurants and shops. Cultural institutions, high-quality schools and parks abound, Kearney adds. “It’s amazing that you have all this on your doorstep.” She also praised the tight-knit community. “I always see somebody I know, always. People are friendly. … You have a relationship with people on your block and around the corner.”
Nature continues to be a priority for residents. “When you first arrive in Brooklyn Heights ... what you notice more than anything is the greenery,” says Kearney. “There are so many trees and beds around the trees that people plant. You've got all the greenery on the outside of the houses too. People have window boxes and tiny front yards with plantings.”
Homeowners Are Architectural Stewards
In 1965, Brooklyn Heights became New York City’s first historic district, designated as such by the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission. In the neighborhood, “homeowners are not just homeowners; they are temporary custodians of American architectural history,” says Richards. If residents wish to make changes to historic homes, they need to get permission from the Landmark Preservation Commission, he explains.
Throughout the neighborhood, signs of history are everywhere, from gas streetlamps to 19th century homes and the Brooklyn Women’s Exchange, a shop founded in 1854. “Walking through Brooklyn Heights rewards meandering down the side streets,” says Jean-Louis. “You never know what you're going to find,” from Federal, Italianate and Greek Revival residences to iconic Brooklyn brownstones.
The oldest homes are wood-framed, like Kearney’s townhouse, which was built around 1827. Columbia Heights features stately mansions; Grace Court Alley includes charming former stable and carriage houses; and Middle Street and the “fruit streets” (Orange, Pineapple and Cranberry) feature wood-framed homes.
Many of the picturesque tree-lined streets haven’t changed much since the time of illustrious former residents, including W.H. Auden, Walt Whitman, Truman Capote, Harriet Beecher Stowe, W.E.B. Du Bois and Henry Ward Beecher.
“Homeownership is really key to making sure that the houses in this neighborhood are protected, preserved and well looked after,” Kearney says.
The Height of Demand
A second real estate truism aptly describes the property market here: Inventory is limited, keeping prices high.
According to New York’s Brooklyn rolling sales worksheet for the period between July 2025 and June 2026, there were 323 recorded residential sales in Brooklyn Heights. Here’s data on the number of sales and the median sales prices by home type.
- Single-family homes: 15 recorded sales, $7.53 million median sale price
- Two-family homes: 9 recorded sales, $6.9 million median sale price
- Three-family homes: 2 recorded sales, $6.09 million median sale price
- Co-ops: 170 recorded sales
- Walk-ups: 30 recorded sales, $1.3 million median sale price
- Elevator buildings: 139 recorded sales, $750,000 median sale price
- Condos: 56 recorded sales
- Elevator buildings: 51 recorded sales, $2.69 million median sale price
- 2- to-10-unit residential buildings: 3 recorded sales, $2.88 million median sale price
- Condo co-ops: 2 recorded sales, $1.3 million median sale price
“Since it became New York City's first historic district in 1965, the market has evolved, but the essence of the neighborhood remains strong,” says Richards. “Owning a property here means investing in a piece of history, and people are willing to pay for that.”
