George and Chi Hae Chen carried out an exhaustive house hunt that took them to Westchester County and New Jersey before they settled on their two-bedroom two-bath co-op in Forest Hills, Queens.

Having also ruled out Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn as overpriced, Mr. Chen, 33, said the neighborhood in central Queens gave them exactly what they wanted — value with an easy commute to their jobs in Midtown Manhattan. Proximity to good restaurants sealed the deal.

“We’re really into food, and Queens arguably has some of the best food in the city,” said Mr. Chen, who works in finance; his wife, also 33, works in investor relations for a financial company. The couple, who married last December, moved to Forest Hills last month. They paid $575,000 for a 17th-floor apartment in Birchwood Towers on 66th Road, which has views of Manhattan and is close to the subway, shops and restaurants, he said.

Recent home buyers like the Chens often land in Forest Hills after looking elsewhere — including other Queens neighborhoods such as Astoria and Long Island City — ultimately drawn by its relatively reasonable housing prices, excellent transportation, shopping and proximity to parks. Housing options range from modest co-ops in prewar buildings to Tudor mansions in the upscale Forest Hills Gardens section.