What to know about buying in Hollis, Queens, a quiet area with good transit options but few listings
- There are only nine single-family houses on the market
- Depending on condition, prices average $600,000 to $750,000
This 1925 two-story house has four bedrooms, three baths, an updated kitchen with granite countertops, finished basement, and private driveway. It is asking $750,000.
The southeastern Queens community of Hollis, a hip-hop haven that gave us producer Russell Simmons, LL Cool J, and the rappers of Run-D.M.C. who wrote the hit “Christmas in Hollis,” is small and serene but close to what’s happening.
The middle-class neighborhood was the site of the Revolutionary War’s Battle of Long Island where the British captured Brigadier General Nathaniel Woodhull, for whom the community’s Woodhull Avenue is named.
In this week’s Buy Curious, Michael Omojola, owner/broker of Malonium Realty Group, and Matthew Langer, a broker/manager with Weichert Realtors—Langer Homes, give us the inside story on Hollis.
The question:
People keep telling me that Hollis is a great place to live because it’s centrally located. What can you tell me about it?
The reality:
“Queens is the center of New York City, and Hollis is close to the major highways and the airports,” so you can get to wherever you want to go easily, Omojola says.
Where is it?
Hollis is bounded by Jamaica on the west, Queens Village on the east, St. Albans on the south, and Cunningham Park on the north.
Why would NYers want to move to Hollis?
“It’s a great place to raise a family,” Langer says, “and it’s the farthest community in eastern Queens that still offers access to the subway.”
People not only love the convenience of public transit, but they also like the fact that Hollis is quiet—it’s not hip,” Omojola adds.
Where in Hollis should you live?
Hollis Park Gardens, which is only three blocks long, has larger houses and larger lots than the rest of Hollis, and prices here are higher as a result.
What are housing and pricing like?
Right now, because of the high mortgage interest rates, it’s a buyer’s market in Hollis. “There’s less competition from buyers than there was in 2021, so buyers can get better terms, and sellers have to accept most of their requests,” Omojola says.
Most of the housing stock is single-family, detached frame residences that are Colonial in style. Built in the 1930s, they typically have driveways and garages, an asset in a community where driving is common.
Inventory is as scarce as snow in summer: There are only nine single-family houses on the market, according to StreetEasy.
Depending on the condition, prices average $600,000 to $750,000, Omojola says.
Hollis has one main co-op development. At Hilltop Village Co-Op, which is on the border with Queens Village, one-bedroom units generally are $175,000, and two bedrooms start at $225,000, Langer says.
Rents at the few apartment buildings typically are $1,800 for a one-bedroom unit, $2,200 for a two bedroom, and $3,600 for a three bedroom, Omojola says.
Is there a lot of new development?
There is very little new residential development in Hollis. “Some two families are being built,” Omojola says. “But nothing bigger than that because there’s no space, and zoning rules restrict building heights.”
What’s the transportation situation?
The E and F trains stop at Jamaica-179th Street, which is close by, and the Long Island Rail Road has a Hollis station.
The Q1, Q2, Q3, Q36, Q43, Q76, Q77, and Q110 buses run through the community as do the Nassau County N1, N6, N6X, N22, N24, and N26 bus lines.
What is there to do?
Hollis’s major outdoor attraction is Cunningham Park, which is on its border a short drive away. At 358 acres, it’s one of the larger parks in the borough. Features include picnic and barbeque areas; sections for dogs; cricket, football, baseball, and soccer fields; volleyball, tennis, bocce, and basketball courts; playgrounds; and hiking trails, bicycle paths, and fitness equipment.
What’s the restaurant/nightlife situation?
Although Hollis is not a dining or nightlife destination, Langer points out it is close to Queens neighborhoods that are, such as Long Island City and Astoria.
The shops, restaurants, and bars the community does have are clustered on Jamaica and Hollis avenues.
In addition to fast-food places, popular spots include Safari Jerk House for Jamaican food; La Perla de Oriente for tacos and other Mexican staples; Tong Restaurant, a Bengali street food eatery; and Juice & Gems, a health-food store specializing in organic fruit smoothies, juices, and vegan meals.
Residents also go to Gaby’s Pizza, which has been serving Italian comfort food since 1964. It’s on the border with Queens Village.
How about grocery stores?
In addition to Foodtown of Hollis and New Giant Farm, a Key Food is right outside the borders of the community; residents also shop at Family Dollar, a discount chain store that carries household items and beauty products. There are also several delis.
Check out these listings in Hollis.
89-17 182nd St.
Listed for $820,000, this two-story single-family residence has three bedrooms and two baths. Sited on a 25-by-100-foot lot, the circa 1920 detached house has a living room, dining room, eat-in kitchen, finished basement with separate entrance, private driveway, and two-car garage.
102-43 183 Place
Built in 1950, this attached three-bedroom, one-bath brick townhouse is listed for $550,000. Other features of the two-story property include a finished basement with a separate entrance, community driveway, covered porch, and backyard.
99-04 199th St.
This single-family semi-detached house, which dates to 1960, has three bedrooms, two updated baths, hardwood floors, an updated kitchen, a paved backyard, detached garage, finished basement, ductless central air-conditioning system, security system, and smart-home devices. It is listed for $725,000.
200-11 104th Ave.
Located on a 40-by-100-foot lot, this two-story house has four bedrooms and three baths and is listed for $750,000. The 1925 home also features a wood-burning fireplace, an updated kitchen with an island and granite countertops, a finished basement, hardwood floors, backyard, and private driveway.
102-23 187th St.
This 2,000-square-foot attached brick house, listed for $559,000, has four bedrooms and two baths. Built in 1940, the recently renovated one-family residence has stainless steel appliances in the kitchen, a fenced backyard, and private driveway in with parking for one car.
Nancy A. Ruhling is a freelance writer based in New York City.
