For many years, Brooklyn Heights has been considered the most beautiful neighborhood in Brooklyn, and arguably in all of New York City. Widely known as America's first suburb, the neighborhood offers an array of brownstones and townhouses set on tree-lined streets. Moreover, they typically sit on larger lot sizes, typically 20' to 25' wide, and even reaching 30' to 40' wide. What many people don't know, however, is that Brooklyn Heights townhouse value has soared and now rivals prime neighborhoods in Manhattan such as Chelsea and Gramercy.

Indeed, Brooklyn Heights townhouse value is up 117% over the last 5 years. Renovated single family townhouses have approached, and in some cases, surpassed the $2,000 per square foot mark. Recently, 165 Columbia Heights sold for $9,950,000 ($1,962 per square foot). This highly desirable carriage house took only 24 days to go into contract and it closed in less than 2 months. But the neighborhood's high water mark so far this year is 81 State Street, which sold for $10,250,000 ($2,338 per square foot) in July. Sold off market, this home is in mint condition, having undergone a complete renovation and conversion to single family after being purchased in 2008 for $2,900,000.

Thus far in 2015, the Brooklyn Heights townhouse and small building market has hit an average of $1,192 per square foot. Compare that to Gramercy Park, where the year's average currently stands at $1,046 per square foot, and Chelsea, where the average this year is at $1,360. While it is no secret that Brooklyn real estate has arrived, these numbers show that the market recognizes what the residents of Brooklyn Heights have long known - its beauty, convenience, and amenities are on par with or better than those of Manhattan's most desirable neighborhoods. Boasting endless rows of brownstones and townhouses, less than 10 minutes from Wall Street, with a gorgeous waterfront promenade and park, some of New York City's finest schools, and an array of boutique shops and restaurants, Brooklyn Heights offers a spacious alternative to Manhattan's townhouse market.