Long overshadowed by its neighbors -- Long Island City and Astoria -- Sunnyside is a quiet nabe where you can still find good deals. The community is diverse, with many immigrants of various stripes making a home here along with a slow but steady tide of Brooklyn and Manhattan rent refugees.

North of Queens Boulevard lies Sunnyside Gardens, the area’s upscale, landmarked section, where clusters of prewar houses and co-ops are clustered around well-manicured gardens. Three-bedroom homes can be had here for as little as $600,000 -- though good luck finding one. Listings are rare.

South of the boulevard is a mix of co-ops and houses, many of which are Tudor-style slightly less expensive than their northern neighbors.

Because Sunnyside is a small neighborhood, the real-estate market is limited, though a tiny smattering of new condos has changed things a bit. One newcomer includes the Phoenix, a condo on Queens Boulevard and 41st Street, where two-bedrooms run in the $500,000s. The new residents have encouraged a few major businesses to enter the nabe, too: In recent years, a Starbucks, a CVS pharmacy and a New York Sports Club have opened.