Moving to NYC - Can anyone recommend Park Slope Brokers?

anonymous

My wife and I are moving to NYC in a couple months.

We're strongly considering renting in Park Slope.

Has anyone used a broker to find their apartment? Any good ones you can recommend? Any ones to stay away from?

I bought a book a couple months ago that listed the following brokers:
-Aguayo and Huebener
-William B. Mary
-Berman Realty
-Rita Knox Realty
-Gurl Realty

Any local insights are appreciated. Thanks for your help!

flute

Subject: Re: Moving to NYC - Can anyone recommend Park Slope Brokers?

chitownguy01 wrote: -Aguayo and Huebener
-William B. Mary
-Berman Realty
-Rita Knox Realty
-Gurl Realty

Over the years, I've worked with and had positive experience with, on the rental side, Rita Knox and Heights-Berkeley Realty (which is not on your list). I've heard good things about William B. May's Brooklyn Heights office, but haven't heard anything regarding their Park Slope office, nor have I worked with them. But they are definitely a high-end brokerage firm. I worked with Aguayo & Huebener on a sale / purchase ... with mixed results. The broker on my sale was wonderful ... the broker handling the purchase was ... [expletive deleted].

Ultimately, I think it comes down to the level of trust and chemistry you have with your broker. And don't forget that sometimes you can do better with a smaller, less ubiquitous firm because some people try to given their listings to the smaller players, for a variety of reasons.

Oh, and good luck. I think you'll like this part of Brooklyn. Read between the lines of all the various and sundry posts on the board, and you'll see that people are very endeared to their neighborhood(s) here: good and not so good notwithstanding ... And hey, don't hesitate to look at Prospect Heights ... we're very nice too !!

emily

It's going to vary widely by the person you end up with--more than by the company, I think. Bear in mind that most apartments here are only listed with one broker (IIRC) so you'll want to look at apartments from several different brokers. In the end, you'll probably just go with whatever broker is handling the apartment you decide you want.

smokin joe

by far, the best broker in the area is:

http://newyork.craigslist.org/

flute

Smokin' Joe wrote: by far, the best broker in the area is

yes, absolutely ... of course ... and you can't beat their prices ... BUT:

1. for people coming from out of town, often they need someone here 'on the ground' working for them, getting appoinments set up, having a clear sense of what one is looking for and/or needs, smoothing the credit report and reference process, etc. (and, of course, it could be a friend, family or co-worker, not necessarily a broker); and

2. if one does happen to be purchasing and/or selling (which chitown01 is not, understood), then in going through a source such as Craig's List, it is even more imperative to have an attorney one can trust wholeheartedly to represent one's interests.

but in general, uh ... "that's a great way to go ... Smokin' Joe"... (sounds like a blues song to me ... non?).

:P

anonymous

Don't use Aguayo and Huebner - I've had awful experiences with them.

Here are a few to try:

Bruce at Rita Knox Realty: 718-965-2722 (he found me my current apt...nice guy, very honest)

Paul at Caldwell Banker: 718-622-7600

Walter at Warren Lewis: 718-638-6500

You might want to take a look at the maps on smalltownbrooklyn.com to get an idea of where places are - it's quite handy for seeing how far you are from the subway, grocery stores, bars, etc.

flute

Anonymous wrote: Bruce at Rita Knox Realty: 718-965-2722 (he found me my current apt...nice guy, very honest)

I agree ... very nice guy and honest and he listens well ...

j0518

Alan at Brooklyn Properties (I don't know which 7th Ave location he's at) has always been a great and honest guy. i've moved twice in the Slope and have met with just about all of them. avoid Joseph Berman Realty and Sommers Realty in the South Slope. i've also heard lousy things about John Burke.

broker fees are an unfortunate necessity when you don't have the time to go to all of Craig's List's lemons or pound the pavement.

anonymous

J0518 wrote: Alan at Brooklyn Properties (I don't know which 7th Ave location he's at) has always been a great and honest guy. i've moved twice in the Slope and have met with just about all of them. avoid Joseph Berman Realty and Sommers Realty in the South Slope. i've also heard lousy things about John Burke.

broker fees are an unfortunate necessity when you don't have the time to go to all of Craig's List's lemons or pound the pavement.

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO HAS REPLIED TO MY POST SO FAR. KEEP THE TIPS COMING!

-chitownguy01

bluedove

J0518 wrote: broker fees are an unfortunate necessity when you don't have the time to go to all of Craig's List's lemons or pound the pavement.

In a city of eight million people with eight million stories, I do not doubt that people have had bad experiences with craigslist. But I have to say I've personally found every apartment I've lived in in NYC on there, with minimal fuss, and have never paid a broker's fee. And I've lived in some real gems, too, such as a very cute rent-stabilized full two bedroom right next to a little park on 16th and 8th in Chelsea for $1490. And it was the first place I looked at.

If you're having trouble or are running out of time, by all means call up a broker as a last resort. But I wouldn't recommend it as a starting point. Broker's fees for rentals make me :x

bewitched

Broker fees suck but almost every place I found and looked at on CL also had a broker. In fact I got stuck paying for two credit reports with two different agencies and then one whopper of a broker fee. The place I finally chose was the last I saw of 15 over the course of a month of weekends pounding the pavement. And, I had to wait on pins and needles to hear if I'd been selected over other people "bidding" on the apartment. A fifth-floor walk-up people give me a break. Thankfully my credit is stellar and the property manager (who I refer to often on this board) liked that I am a fellow Libra. Go figure.

anonymous

Subject: to this post...

now i know how people from other cities feel when i visit their sites and say what can i do to move here? it feels very strange. it's like people moving from another state come in, probably have more $, and displace local people. i know, i know, i'm not supposed to think that way but that's what comes up.
i'm sure these chicago people are very nice ...

anonymous

Subject: Re: to this post...

unanticipated reaction... wrote: now i know how people from other cities feel when i visit their sites and say what can i do to move here? it feels very strange. it's like people moving from another state come in, probably have more $, and displace local people. i know, i know, i'm not supposed to think that way but that's what comes up.
i'm sure these chicago people are very nice ...

Nice welcoming attitude. Besides, what % of people who live here do you think were born and raised in Brooklyn? :?

flute

Subject: Re: to this post...

unanticipated reaction... wrote: probably have more $

that's being a little presumptuous ...

:roll:

anonymous

Subject: yeah well...

i know... i know...
i was one of those people once(although not from out of town/state!). it's just the market wasn't as insane and disgusting as it is now.

anonymous

Subject: Corcoran

On Corcoran:

I was looking for a new tenant for my top floor apt last year. After unsuccesful attempts through two pushy agents, I swiftly rented my place through Craigslist - I could even pick from three aspiring tenants!

Just a few weeks ago someone from Corcoran - whom I obviously did NOT use for renting the apt - left a voicemail saying that "Hey, I helped you finding a tenant last year, hope all is well, if he's moving out, can I get your listing?".

I was so upset, Corcoran should be glad I did not return the call.

anonymous

Subject: brokers

In my experience, most brokers know little to nothing about the apartments they show. Also, they charge an arm and a leg. Myself as well as many of my friends who rent their property in the slope work through craigslist.com. The only exception is if you are looking for very high-end space.

Lastly, NYC is unique in that the tenant pays the broker fee!

anonymous

Subject: These people are Looney!

Listen here's the deal - I just moved to Park Slope from Baltimore and I live very close to 7th Ave & President Street. In other words, the heart of park slope.

Just go to Berman Realty - right there at 7th and President. Why?

1. They are outstanding landlords.

2. The OWN their buildings - what does that mean - they don't charge you that bullshit $2,500+ fee all the other companies recommended to you WILL charge you.

Go to Berman. It's a family run business and they own a lot right in park slope and charge NO FEE. Oh, and their buildings and my apartment are absolutely beautiful.

Rita Knox are slick bastards. They got booted from Craigslist because they do that "NO FEE" crap and you get there and *surprise* there IS a fee.

Forget 'em and go to Berman's. Best move you'll make.

flute

EmilyM wrote: It's going to vary widely by the person you end up with--more than by the company, I think. Bear in mind that most apartments here are only listed with one broker (IIRC) so you'll want to look at apartments from several different brokers. In the end, you'll probably just go with whatever broker is handling the apartment you decide you want.

I think EmilyM captures it in a nutshell here ... [bolding is by me] ...

j0518

Subject: Re: These people are Looney!

fishlips wrote: Listen here's the deal - I just moved to Park Slope from Baltimore and I live very close to 7th Ave & President Street. In other words, the heart of park slope.

Just go to Berman Realty - right there at 7th and President. Why?

1. They are outstanding landlords.

2. The OWN their buildings - what does that mean - they don't charge you that bullshit $2,500+ fee all the other companies recommended to you WILL charge you.

Go to Berman. It's a family run business and they own a lot right in park slope and charge NO FEE. Oh, and their buildings and my apartment are absolutely beautiful.

Rita Knox are slick bastards. They got booted from Craigslist because they do that "NO FEE" crap and you get there and *surprise* there IS a fee.

Forget 'em and go to Berman's. Best move you'll make.

the flipside of this, of course, is that Joe Berman's been repeatedly referred to me by others as the "slumlord of Park Slope."

i went there when looking for my first apartment four years ago. i wasn't impressed. in the least.

idlewild

Joan Joseph is good. I forget the name of her reality office. Her office is on Sterling Place between Washington and Classon right in front of the bus stop. She does alot of fee-free work.

schergr

Subject: Brokers

Anonymous wrote: Don't use Aguayo and Huebner - I've had awful experiences with them.

Here are a few to try:

Bruce at Rita Knox Realty: 718-965-2722 (he found me my current apt...nice guy, very honest)

Paul at Caldwell Banker: 718-622-7600

Walter at Warren Lewis: 718-638-6500

You might want to take a look at the maps on smalltownbrooklyn.com to get an idea of where places are - it's quite handy for seeing how far you are from the subway, grocery stores, bars, etc.

My girlfriend and I worked through a number of brokers and then wound up finding our place through Craigslist, but I have to agree, Paul at Caldwell Banker is a super nice guy and an extremly hard worker.

citizen jane

Two brokers I adored when I worked with them years ago are:

Lynn Mulahoo, who I believe has her own brokerage now, Donawald Realty on 5th Ave. near Tempo, and

Suzanne DeBrango (don't know where she is now -- worth a search).

I worked with them both as a prospective buyer, and then seeking tenants, and I can say that from both perspectives, they were both honest, trustworthy, and against broker stereotype, in that they pointed out what was wrong with places we looked at. They are humane -- what more could you ask for in a broker?!

anonymous

Subject: Brokers

I do recommend Annie Rose from Berman . . .they've been around forever. But definitely stay away from Aguayo and Huebener . . .they don't return calls and in my opinion, are the least professional firm in Park Slope.

anonymous

Walter at Warren Lewis: 718-638-6500

I heartily second that! He's Walter Cole, and he's incredibly good at matching people with the apartments they ought to be in, without wasting their time.

My boyfriend and I went through an apartment search recently, and Walter was the only one who really seemed like he was actively on the job, had a clear understanding of what we wanted, and also went out of his way to seek out places he thought would be a good fit for us. Most brokers (and I registered with approx. 10) didn't even call us once!

Walter rocks.

intersloper

Another vote for Paul at Coldwell Banker. Sorry I wasn't able to rent from him.

Steer very clear from Christine Scholtz Szymanski at Corcoran. She's lazy (hah! "lazy broker" seems repetitive) and not smart. We relocated here from California just before the xmas holiday and had 3 days to find an apt the week before T'giving. She wasted our time.

In the end, it was unfortunate the apt we wanted happened to be rep'ed by her. And get this ... she gave us the WRONG address for our new home. Wrong address on the lease. Wrong address when I asked her to confirm. So we forwarded all of our mail from California and set up all our utilities for the WRONG place. She couldn't have made the process more difficult.

msboyd

As far as renting, we had a very good experience with Betancourt. They were friendly and helpful and well worth the broker fee.

We bought our place through Brooklyn Properties, and I would use either agency again.

armchair_warrior

Smokin' Joe wrote: by far, the best broker in the area is:

http://newyork.craigslist.org/

i agree, its always the best place to find a place, first you find a place you like before looking at the brokers. brokers doesnt really matter who it is as long as you like the place.

anonymous

Subject: DONT use Aguayo and Huebner

Yes, DONT use Aguayo and Huebner. The owner (Ms. Aguayo) is scatterbrained, only talks to people who are her friends, and if she's taking your info, she has no problem interupting and talking to a friend who walks in. And she ignores you if you're a woman. Plus, their site is really hard to read, they dont have enough information, and they dont return phone calls. I dont know how they manage to stay in business. :evil:

anonymous

Subject: Renting in Slope

Try Ardor New York. I've had an amazing experience with their agent Erik Serras. He's armed with this super no-nonsense approach... He's an amazing guy, and I'm yet to meet another real estate person who cared about what we really wanted more than he did. He also seems to work crazy hours--he was available whenever we called and extremely approachable! If you want your calls returned, and your best interest protected by the party showing you apartments in this craziness of a borough, he's your best bet.

sweet tea

if you do decide to look at craigslist, you might like this:

http://www.housingmaps.com/