Milton Coste

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NYC Neighborhood Comparison

Briarwood vs Melrose

Side-by-side market data, transit, and neighborhood profiles to help you decide.

Queens|Bronx

Briarwood

Queens

Melrose

Bronx

Median Sale Price
$325K
$0
Median Rent
$2K
$2K
Active Listings
39
4
Avg Days on Market
36.5 days
0 days
YoY Price Change
-29.3%
0.0%
Monthly Sales Volume
9
1

Detailed Comparison

MetricBriarwoodMelrose
Median Sale Price$325,000$0
Median Condo PriceN/AN/A
Median Co-op Price$276,250N/A
Median Rent$2,300$2,322.5
Active Listings394
Rental Inventory538
Days on Market36.50
Price Cut Share10.3%0.0%
Monthly Sales Volume91
YoY Price Change-29.3%0.0%
YoY Rent Change+15.0%0.0%
YoY Inventory Change-7.1%0.0%
Subway LinesN/AN/A

Year-Over-Year Price Movement

Prices in Briarwood moved -29.3% over the past year, compared to 0.0% in Melrose. Both markets have seen price softening, with Briarwood declining more sharply over the measured period.

Neighborhood Profiles

Briarwood

Briarwood is a residential neighborhood in central Queens with Tudor Revival, Colonial, and ranch-style single-family homes alongside low-rise garden apartment co-ops and prewar brick buildings. The E and F trains stop at Briarwood-Van Wyck Boulevard, providing express service to Midtown Manhattan. The neighborhood sits between three major green spaces: Forest Park to the west, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park to the north, and the Kissena Corridor to the east.

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Melrose

Melrose features 19th-century brownstones, neo-Renaissance apartment houses, and modern LEED-certified developments like Via Verde, all anchored by the commercial corridors along Third Avenue and Melrose Avenue. The 2 and 5 trains stop at East 149th Street, the 4 train serves nearby stations, and St. Mary's Park provides 35 acres of green space on the neighborhood's edge.

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Transit Access

Briarwood

No subway data available

Melrose

No subway data available

Active Listings

Briarwood for sale

View all Briarwood listings

Melrose for sale

View all Melrose listings

Listing data is derived in whole or in part from the RLS at REBNY (Real Estate Board of New York) Internet Data Exchange (IDX) database. Real estate listings held by brokerage firms other than Milton Coste | Keller Williams NYC are marked with the RLS logo. The information provided is for consumers' personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing. Data is refreshed every 15 minutes per REBNY IDX requirements.

Briarwood vs Melrose: Home Price Resilience 2008-2020

From the 2008 financial crisis through the 2020 pandemic, the NYC metro Case-Shiller composite fell about 25% peak-to-trough between 2007 and 2012, then fully recovered by 2017 and gained another 15% through Q1 2020. Briarwood and Melrose both tracked this broader NYC arc, with annual closing volume contracting sharply in 2009 and again in Q2 2020 before normalizing.

Outer-borough submarkets including Briarwood and Melrose generally tracked the broader NYC metro pattern of a 20% to 25% peak-to-trough decline before fully recovering by 2017 and posting further gains through early 2020.

Source: Per Case-Shiller Home Price Index, NYC metro subset, 2008-2020, cross-referenced with StreetEasy historical price data series.

Metric (2026)BriarwoodMelrose
Median Sale Price$325,000$0
Median Rent$2,300/mo$2,322.5/mo
Year-over-Year Price Change-29.3%0.0%
Average Days on Market36.5 days0 days
Distance to Nearest SubwayN/AN/A

Table values reflect current 2026 market conditions. Historical 2008-2020 commentary is sourced from Case-Shiller NYC metro composite and StreetEasy historical series.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Briarwood cheaper than Melrose?
Median sale price data is not yet available for one or both neighborhoods. Contact Milton for a current market analysis.
Which has better transit, Briarwood or Melrose?
Transit data is not available for these neighborhoods. Check the MTA website for current service maps.
Which is better for families, Briarwood or Melrose?
This depends on what type of home fits your household. Briarwood and Melrose both offer a mix of apartment and multi-room units in co-ops, condos, and townhouses. Larger 3- and 4-bedroom units, including townhouses and multi-family properties, tend to be more available in lower-density areas. Reviewing active listings filtered by bedroom count is the most reliable way to see what each neighborhood currently offers for larger households. A licensed broker can pull current inventory by bedroom count across both areas for a direct comparison.
Should I buy in Briarwood or Melrose?
The right neighborhood depends on your price range, commute needs, and preferred property type. A comparative market analysis (CMA) of recent sales in both Briarwood and Melrose gives you the clearest picture of what your budget gets in each location. Request a free CMA from Milton Coste to get a side-by-side breakdown of current opportunities.

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