Jackson Heights is probably best known for being an Indian enclave. And, yes, 74th Street is a seemingly endless row of Indian restaurants and shops. But Jackson Heights is a diverse community that's home to a host of cultures -- including an ever-more prevalent contingent of gentrifiers.

In recent years, many Brooklyn and Manhattan residents have “discovered” Jackson Heights, particularly young families that have been priced out of other stroller neighborhoods like Park Slope. These newcomers are drawn to the area’s sizable historic district, which features spacious co-ops built around private gardens. These five- and six-story buildings generally offer large apartments with prewar details and bonuses like sunken living rooms and dining rooms.

Outside the historic district, there’s a mix of single-family homes and postwar co-op buildings.

"Stable" is often a word used to describe the real estate in the nabe -- it’s a planned community, after all, with little room to develop. As a result, prices for co-ops hover around $300 to $400 a square foot. One newcomer to the scene: Stratford Hall (80-09 35th Ave.), which converted to a condo in the fall of 2007 -- the neighborhood’s first conversion in more than two decades. And 2008 brought another first to Jackson Heights: Starbucks.