Hell's Kitchen is one of the more notorious-sounding neighborhoods in New York. Just based off the name, it certainly doesn't sound like a place you'd want to move. While it's true that the area did once have a poor reputation, in recent years it has undergone gentrification. While it was originally the home of many poor immigrants, today Hell's Kitchen is populated by many actors and young professionals. It's also one of New York's primary LGBTQ communities.
The neighborhood of Hell's Kitchen is more officially known as Clinton, but few people call it that. It occupies the area between 34th and 59th and from Eighth Avenue to around 43rd Street. No one is actually certain how the neighborhood got its unique nickname. There are a few different stories. One claims that Davy Crockett coined the term while making horrible comments about the Irish immigrants in the area. Another says Hell's Kitchen was originally used to describe a building on 54th Street but later expanded to the entire district.
Greenwich Village was one of the first gay villages in New York City, but because of gentrification and other changes in the neighborhood, the cost of living has increased over the years. In the early 1990s, the neighborhood saw something of an exodus due to the expensive housing prices and other costs. Many gay and lesbian residents moved to nearby Chelsea. However, it didn't take long for housing prices in this area to also skyrocket.
The gentrification in Chelsea led to a number of people moving to Hell's Kitchen. The neighborhood is now considered by some to be the new gay center of Manhattan. However, while it's still more affordable than Greenwich Village and Chelsea, it's true that costs are increasing in Hell's Kitchen.
One of the central locations in the Hell's Kitchen LGBTQ community is the Metropolitan Community Church of New York. This church is primarily focused on serving the LGBTQ community, though it does have members of all orientations and gender identities. The church was founded in Los Angeles, but it has moved several times until it found its current location in 1994.
The Actor's Studio, an organization for actors, directors, and writers, is located in Hell's Kitchen. A number of well-known actors have studied here under the direction of Lee Strasberg. The studio draws a number of aspiring actors to Hell's Kitchen, many of whom live in the Manhattan Plaza.
The USS Intrepid is docked on the Hudson River Pier 86 on 46th Street. The aircraft carrier serves as the main part of the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, which also includes a Lockheed A-12 plane, a submarine, and the Space Shuttle Enterprise.
Interested in moving to Hell's Kitchen? The many restaurants, studios, and other locations make it a great place for aspiring actors, directors, and writers. A gay or lesbian real estate agent can help you find the perfect place in this unique LGBTQ neighborhood.
The southwest is known for its dry heat, native American influences, and deserts. It's not exactly known for being an LGBTQ destination or a place to live, but Phoenix, Arizona, has a thriving gay and lesbian community. This metro area is gorgeous all year long, so if you love bright, sunny days, it may be the perfect place to call home. There's a lot to do in both the LGBTQ community and in Phoenix as a whole.
Phoenix is home to dozens of luxury resorts, so there are many tourists here throughout the year. Many of these tourists and residents alike love taking hot air balloon rides or riding horseback through the unique landscape. Golf is another popular hobby in Phoenix, and the city has an astonishing 200+ golf courses. With shopping, art exhibits, and sporting events, there's a ton to do in the city.
Unlike some cities, Phoenix doesn't really have a major LGBTQ neighborhood. The city is very spread out, and the LGBTQ community is, too. Even though there's not really a gay ghetto here, there are a number of LGBTQ-owned businesses in the Melrose District. You'll also find the Central Phoenix LGBT Community Center there along with some great clubs and bars. The Phoenix Pride festival is held every year at Steele Indian School Park and brings in thousands of LGBTQ individuals and allies from Phoenix and the surrounding areas.
One of the more unique things about the Phoenix LGBTQ community is that it spreads out beyond Phoenix. Many of the suburbs and nearby cities that have grown into Phoenix have large gay and lesbian populations. Scottsdale, for example, has a thriving LGBTQ community thanks to the large arts movement there.
Chandler, Mesa, Tempe, Gilbert, and Apache Junction, collectively called the East Valley cities, also have a good number of LGBTQ communities. Arizona State University brings many younger LGBTQ individuals to Tempe, while Mesa is one of the fastest growing cities in Arizona. Many have moved there in response to the commercial boom the city is experiencing.
No matter what brings you to the Phoenix area, it's certainly a great place for LGBTQ individuals and families. Home prices in the area are reasonable, especially if you compare them to other large metros such as New York, LA, or Chicago. You'll find many gay and lesbian real estate agents who can help you find the perfect home in Phoenix.
As with any year, you can expect 2019 to bring about many changes in your life. Will one of those changes include moving to a new city? If so, you might want to be aware of which cities are going to have a higher-than-average housing market. Moving to one of these cities may be a bit more costly, but it could also be a major opportunity for you.
Of course, you also want to make certain these cities are fairly welcoming to the LGBTQ community. Working with a gay or lesbian real estate professional is certainly one way of learning about the area and finding the right home for you. If you already live in one of these cities and have been thinking about selling, now may be the time.
Dallas has always been a fairly open metro. It's home to the Cathedral of Hope, one of the largest inclusive church congregations that's mainly LGBTQ. The city has also received a score of 100 on the HRC's Municipal Equality Index, which shows that it's very progressive and that city officials have made it a point to protect and include the LGBTQ community.
Experts in real estate and the economy expect homes in Dallas to continue to sell for slightly above the national average, but they will continue to sell. Homes will improve in value, which means even if you're not looking to buy, you may want to consider selling. For example, if you're an older couple and your children have left home, selling your current home and downsizing could net you a very nice profit.
It's no secret that living in the capitol city of the U.S. is expensive, which is why many people prefer to live nearby and commute to work. Those who do own property in D.C. will see housing market do exceptionally well. One of the reasons some experts are giving for the growth in D.C. is because Amazon has selected the city and New York City for its new headquarters buildings. Originally, the company was only going to build one additional headquarters, but executives later decided to build two smaller bases.
Denver may not have been chosen for Amazon's HQ, but it was a finalist, and even that has had an impact on the city. With a number of LGBTQ neighborhoods, it's certainly a great place for anyone looking to live in the Midwest U.S. While there is some concern about the housing bubble bursting, analysts believe those concerns are unfounded and that the Denver housing market will grow in 2019.
These are just three LGBTQ-friendly cities that are going to see a strong housing market in 2019. While that may not affect your housing decisions, it is something to keep in mind if you're looking to buy or sell in these cities.
When most people think about gay neighborhoods, many think of sunny California or busy New York City. Few people would name Colorado as a gay-friendly state, but Denver actually has a very active LGBTQ community. The Mile High City is home to a great gay neighborhood called Capitol Hill. This part of the city is not only the focal point of Denver's LGBTQ community, but is also a major epicenter for artists and musicians, especially those in the alternative punk genre.
Capitol Hill is almost a perfect square. To the north is Colfax Avenue/Highway 70. Its southern border is Seventh Avenue, while the east and west sides of the neighborhood are defined by Downing Street and Broadway respectively. Some people define Capitol Hill to also include the neighboring Cheesman Park, but the city officially defines that area as its own neighborhood. There's also a North Capitol Hill that sits above Colfax Avenue, but it's more often called Uptown.
You can start your morning in Capitol Hill by getting coffee at one of the trendy little cafes that dot the neighborhood. Then it's off for some light morning shopping at one of the boutiques before lunch. During the evening, there are a number of concert venues and bars where you can party the night away. Cheesman Park and nearby Civic Center Park may not fall within the neighborhood, but they're not far, and both hold a number of different festivals. Several clubs in the area cater to the LGBTQ community, of course.
While it's something of a stereotype to say that all LGBTQ neighborhoods go through gentrification, it is true of Capitol Hill and, in fact, most of central Denver. Many of the historic homes in Capitol Hill are large and fairly elaborate. That's because the area was originally home to some of Denver's high society families. Following the 1893 Silver Crash, however, some of these homes were demolished and cheaper apartments were built. Capitol Hill was then solidly middle class until the 1950s, when it became a fairly poor area.
Since then, Capitol Hill has slowly been rebuilding. The gentrification effects peaked in the mid-2000s, and today, those cheap apartments have been replaced with luxury condos. Despite this, some of the older housing is still quite affordable. On average, Capitol Hill isn't as expensive as some of the other neighborhoods. One of the local gay or lesbian real estate agents can help you find a home in this area that fits your budget.
Everyone knows that New York, San Francisco, and Chicago are very LGBTQ-friendly and have well-known gay neighborhoods. But there are a number of other cities out there that you might not know are very friendly to the LGBTQ community. These smaller cities don't make huge headlines for having gay neighborhoods, but they do. If you speak to a gay or lesbian real estate expert in one of these cities, they would tell you that their LGBTQ community is thriving. Here are a few of these cities.
You've probably never heard of this little city in Montana, which isn't surprising at all. It's the home of the University of Montana, a liberal arts university that brings in a good number of young people to the city. Missoula also features the Western Montana LGBT Community Center and a number of gay bars and other businesses. If you love the outdoors, you'll enjoy the national parks that surround the area.
One of the bigger cities in Alaska, Anchorage is home to a thriving LGBTQ community. The city also ranked highly on the HRC Municipal Equality Index with an 85 out of a possible 100. That shows that the city itself has a number of inclusive policies and is LGBTQ-friendly. Anchorage hosts Alaska's Pride every year and is home to several LGBTQ support groups. If you love the colder temperatures and don't mind the ice and snow, Anchorage may be the winter wonderland you've always wanted.
While Chicago may be the midland LGBTQ paradise, it may not be for everyone. If Chicago is too large for you, you might take a look at Bloomington, Indiana. This smaller city scored a perfect 100 on the HRC index. Like Missoula, Bloomington is a college town, so you can expect its average age to skew younger than many other cities. The city is home to a great number of LGBTQ-owned businesses, restaurants, and bars. Bloomington also hosts the Pride Film Festival, an event that has run for more than a dozen years.
These three cities are just a few of the most unexpected LGBTQ friendly cities in the country. They're great examples of places where the LGBTQ community not only exists, but also thrives even though they're not that well-known. If you'd like to know more about what it's like to live in Bloomington, Missoula, or Anchorage, contact a gay or lesbian real estate professional in that city.