Berman Realty

backinbk

Anyone have any feedback on the Bermans? I just moved in to one of their properties and even though they were sweet as sugar during the rental process/lease signing, the subsequent encounters with them has been significantly less pleasant. Anyone else?

8thandprez

I live in one of their buildings and I've actually really liked them. Generally friendly and responsive. They're about 100000% better than our previous landlords on Carroll btw 8th and PPW. Steer clear of any Duffy properties...

kirby

I lived in one of their building for about 8 years, and I can tell you I hate them so much that (8years later) I still flip them the bird every time I walk past their office.

8thandprez

Kirby: why? what was the problem? I've been quite happy in their building.

smallbiz475

Subject: My experience...

I lived in a Berman-owned building for several years.

I found them to be ok landlords, however, I did have a few problems.

Whenever something needed to be repaired, there was a vastly different experience depending on who answered the phone (father or son). In particular, the son would treat you like a four-year-old. Normally, I would avoid dealing with people who display such a condescending attitude, however, they were my landlord and I needed something fixed.

When I did move out, there was a misunderstanding. They took the full cost of the misunderstanding out of my deposit without contacting me. When I called to inquire about this, they basically threatened to sue me and then hung up.

Hope this helps.

SB

backinbk

Its good to know its probably not something we did. We haven't lived in our apartment long but the few interactions we have had with them since moving in have been horrible. The son is incredibly rude over the phone when just requesting a simple repair and the father suddenly decided he wouldnt accept packages at their office (despite offering unprompted to do so during the lease signing) and refused delivery causing them to be sent back to sender. I have now been reprimanded repeatedly by both father and son over things that I felt I was blameless for. I love the apartment but I hate the fact that things have gotten off on such bad footing and I feel I cant say anything for fear it will just worsen.

smallbiz475

Sorry to hear of your experience.

The folks at 123 7th Ave (up the stairs) provide excellent package receiving services.

Good luck.

SB

belzjm

you know what i'd do...i'd print this thread out and tape it to their window. how about like this weekend on a nice busy saturday. when they see all these people looking, they'll come out to try to lure some people in for business only to realize that people are reading how horrible their experiences have been with them. only thing that's gonna help is for them to realize that people in the neightborhood are unhappy with their services.

it's worth a shot.

jamzer

Actually - they provide a pretty good service.

I lived in a Berman building for about 4 years and had a very positive experience. Both the father and son were responsive when I called about something broken or a problem. Granted, they tried to do things on the cheap, but it was a rental after all. The really positive thing was that I had to break my lease early and they gave me zero grief over it and I got 100% of my deposit back within a few weeks.

snazzybangs

Subject: berman buildings

i lived in a berman apartment for 2 years. the exterminator never came each month like he was supposed to, and we had gigantic water bugs and about 20 mice in the last year that we were there (i only wish i was exaggerating). i feel bad for whoever moved in to that apartment when i left.

santa

I just moved into one their buildings. Everything seems to be going smoothly however most of what has been said about the son seems to be true. Im happy as of now though.

also are there any good landlords in park slope. Because all I have heard is negative things about multiple people and businesses. My past landlord fixed nothing and has zero experience with being a landlord.

bolletje

My landlord doesn't fix anything either and if something breaks they reprimand us even though sometimes it is through their negligence, i.e. they never fix small leaks in the building which then go on to cause a lot of damage over time. It was aggravating to be reprimanded for not noticing a hidden leak behind my kitchen cupboards when the upstairs folks said they had been trying to get their sink fixed for months.

The building is kept very clean, though, and they are not really hostile or mean about stuff so I guess we're lucky.

cat

i looked at some berman apartments when I was looking for an apartment the first time around in p.s. You will hear repeatedly that they own tons of apartments, he or the family bought at a good time. Everything I saw that was 'theirs' was overpriced even in a high market. It really disenchanted me. I'm sure they are swimming in money at this point and what do they really add to the community ? Every time I walk by and I see Berman himself just sitting there, seemingly doing nothing, it irks me. He must be getting the last laugh - although he looks bored in general and not very healthy.

snazzybangs

they're completely loaded - when we were signing our lease berman told us that he and his wife go out to a different park slope restaurant every night of the week for dinner and never cook. plus they drive one of those gigantic box-like mercedes SUV's and park it in the lot on union near the tea lounge.

i must give them this, though - they didn't raise the rent on the apt we lived in for almost 3 years, which was nice.

kirby

and don't forget that they own that coop parking lot on Union that you are referring to, where they park their fancy cars.

jamzer

Cat - The Berman's are rich, so they should give their apartments away for free? If they charge too much for their apartments, people will not rent them. I am sure they charge as much as they can, but not so much that they stay vacant for too long. How wealthy they are is simply irrelevant.

You also ask what they "really add to the community?" Well they keep dozens, if not more, apartment in the market for people to rent. I am sure they also pay taxes. They might not post often on internet message board, but they are doing something for the community. I do not know what else they add, but who am I to judge? What do you add to the community?

cat

hi. no, i don't think they should "give their apartments away for free." Did I say that? But I also don't think, in light of their unique situation, they should overcharge and also, it sounds like - which just makes the whole thing worse - be jerky landlords. I also think .. it's not the society we live in... they could offer some under market apartments for artists or activists or people who are at risk of losing their long-time homes. why not? that would be adding something in addition to renting to those who can afford it.

and... I do add to the community actually. I do events and other activities that are specifically community oriented around environmental and other issues. But I actually think every person should do *at least* one thing outside of just going to work, shopping, eating, playing, etc.

It depends what one's definition of 'adding to the community.' being a pure capitalist business person doesn't 'add much' ... yes people have a place to live but I think it's more nuanced than that. what makes a great community.

And I think Park Slope is in a real danger zone right now of what it is and what it may become.

8thandprez

Cat, I'm with Jamzer on this one. The Berman's clearly don't "overcharge" for their apartments... if they did, they'd all be vacant and the price would come down. I looked at a number of units before renting from the Bermans and their prices were actually quite attractive (which is why I'm still in a Berman building). Certainly better than what the mortgage would be if I bought a similar apt in the area.

i certainly don't think it's necessary for every property owner to sponsor community activities or events... they own a number of properties and keep them in good repair. That is an important contribution to the neighborhood. And also, how do you know that they don't contribute? They often have flyers for various community events posted in their windows. Perhaps they sponsor some of these events.

cat

hi. I guess it depends what the definition of "overcharge" is. I looked at a few of their apartments about five years ago (I assume they have not changed dramatically since then) and I thought they were overpriced for the size and for what they were.

I'm much more 'radical' than most in how I think businesses should operate.

Thanks for your thoughts.

willregistersoon

This is probalby going to make me sound like an asshole, by why should a landlord/business person, be obligated to lose money to help support an artist or activist? I feel bad for people if they can no longer afford their rent, but that was their career choice. Hell - I'm a computer consultant in the financial world - and I thought I was making good money. But I can't afford to buy anything in the neighborhood either and can't rent a decent sized apartment either. But I don't expect landlords to lower the prices for me.

cat

I guess knowing people in the financial fields, 'glamour' fields and activists and artists, I think neighborhoods benefit greatly by diversity. it's not just "career choice." It's a world that makes it so that everything up is down and right is wrong and left is right. I mean...we don't even realize how conditioned we are to accept things are outrageous. so ...everyone should work on wall street and be robots where money rules everything so that they can take over park slope?! I don't think so. it's crazy.

If you think you should have to work crazy hard and STILL not be able to live in a nice neighborhood... what's wrong with that picture? & what about the other things people contribute to neighborhoods that get obscured and shut out because they aren't things that are ruled by money?

In this world, landlords don't do anything that don't benefit landlords. But have you ever gone to an event that's on a 'sliding scale?' That's where there is recognition that just because you don't have money doesn't mean you should be excluded. Until we can start thinking outside the box, of course, we can't even RELATE to some of these ideas -the opposite is so ingrained in our systems.

I'm afraid that it'll be hard for people already in Park Slope to get this because there's such sense of entitlement that's just bubbling there under the surface but is there. And the minute you say anything, people jump on you and say... 'oh do you want the park slope with the drugs and the gangs?" or "get a job and work like the rest of us so you can afford to live here!" it's really just crazy and so that's why I don't think these sentiments can even be looked at unless we're willing to look deeper and not jump on people but think about what a kinder society, one where real estate isn't a god, would look like.

willregistersoon

Its just like any market. Park Slope is a nice place to live but there is high demand, and low supply. This makes it expensive. There is no way around that. I have a question for you: What do you think makes Park Slope nice?

Years ago there were no fancy boutiques here, few bars, few restaurants and not much to do besides the park - and that was a dangerous place. The brownstones were run-down and the neighborhood had little appeal. Once people with money starting moving in, businesses followed, the brownstones were restored and rennovated, and the neighborhood became appealing - driving the prices up.

This is how supply and demand work. If you disrupt the equation and artificially force the prices down somehow everything gets screwed up. You have residents who can't afford to shop at local stores, the stores are paying high rent and will have to move out. Slowly the neighborhood would turn back to the way it was before.

I agree with you that the prices just seem ridiculous to me. I think I make good money and I can't afford what I want here either. But I don't expect anybody to lower the prices for me. I think expecting that is the sense of entitlement actually.

The solution could be to raze the entire place and erect concrete apartment blocs - where every apartment costs the same amount, and there's room to house everyone. But I don't think that would be very nice.

santa

the 1bed im renting costs me and my gf 1650 and is very small but its practically on top of the 2/3 and the park. I could live in Manhattan in a apartment of a similar size and pay a few hundred more a month but that seems silly to me even though I work there (for multiple reasons). I could also move futher down the slope or in windsor terrace, which I tried to do, and save maybe alittle or none at all and have a place thats much bigger but every landlord I talked to was swamed with offers and never gave me a straight answer on if and when I could start living there. Berman allowed me to look at my place and sign the papers that day.

done and done

Its fine with me that Im paying alittle more concidering the size because it removed a load of headaches. I also ended up in one of the best areas in NYC and my communte is easy. My gf has never lived in a large city and feels safer here than she did in the small town she went to college in. Overall Im happy with Berman.

thats my blog for the day

treetopview

[Edited- please see below]

treetopview

I had a good experience when looking at one of their apartments- it was in nice condition, pretty building, and the price was within reason for the market (plus, no dealing with a brokers fee, etc., etc.- which you can avoid somewhat easily but its still good). I have never had any major problems in the apartment itself, so I can't speak to that, but the buildings are generally well-maintained.

The argument that landlords should rent their apartments below market to artists is ridiculous. How can you evern begin to judge what "activists" and "artists" deserve this privately given charity? And why does anyone automatically have a right to live in any neighborhood? Yes, if I could have unlimited subsidies, I would pick to live in a brownstone in Clinton Hill. And if I made less money, I would probably live in Flatbush or Crown Heights (which I like but are less convenient) and it would be fine. You have to make your community where you can without expecting someone to hold a place for you simply because you think you somehow make a community better than others. Neighborhoods are not static- look at Park Slope and East New York as examples.

Diversity is great. So is realizing that not everyone that makes a lot of money is a "robot." If you truly are an artist or an activist, why does the threat of having to live in a not-so-nice neighborhood seem to threaten or insult you? Personally, I think the government should do more to subsize housing in all neighborhoods- I would love for more lower income children to be able to attend a public school like ps 321 and I would really love it if local taxes did not impact public school fundings as much as they do. These are paths towards true diversity and equality, rather than asking people to subsidize self-important and self-appointed community benefactors.

rose

TreetopView wrote: I would really love it if local taxes did not impact public school fundings as much as they do.

They actually don't. Unlike in many other areas of the country, the schools in NYC are not directly funded by property taxes. There are complicated formulas that determine how much money each school gets, which factor in number of students, special ed and limited-English students, number of teachers etc. Not to say that schools in higher-income areas do not end up with extra $ for various reasons. PS 321 in particular has a lot of "extras" because it has a very active PTA and parents directly contribute lots of money. But anyway, local property taxes do not account for the disparities.

cat

Subject: some responses...

[quote="TreetopView"]I had a good experience when looking at one of their apartments- it was in nice condition, pretty building, and the price was within reason for the market (plus, no dealing with a brokers fee, etc., etc.- which you can avoid somewhat easily but its still good). I have never had any major problems in the apartment itself, so I can't speak to that, but the buildings are generally well-maintained.

that's good. I'm glad to hear it!

<<The>>

even this way of framing things proves my point about "entitlement." "the right???" to live in a neighborhood...? I can't say more. It's so insular at this point ... and I understand it. It's hard NOT to be that way I guess in this climate. Except when I lived in Park Slope (and I moved a year ago because the b'stone I was living in was sold for a large sum! ), I did not think that others did not deserve to live in Park Slope because they couldn't afford it. Just looking at it that way ... makes me cringe. But I realize that a lot of people look at it that way. ugh.

<<Yes>>

Well I moved and I *am* working on my new community. I feel sad about what is happening to Park Slope and I do feel sad to have left. And having been previously in a gentrified neighborhood in Manhattan that once had a lot of neat vitality and now is all chi chi, I think it's a loss. I think this attitude is also what drives it.

<<Diversity>>

Iknow that but I also know that unfortunately the people I know who make a lot of money (and I was once one of them and left by choice) don't do anything but make the money and then spend it. If you are outside of that , then kudos to you!! I don't meant to sound extreme but sometimes it's good to hear people with differing viewpoints. Maybe somewhere in the middle is truth or something.

<If>

It doesn't. I left PS a year ago! I still do a lot within the PS community but I think it's the community's loss and it's not just me. and I see lots of people who left or had to leave and I think Park Slope suffers for it.

<<Personally>>

No comment.

smallbiz475

I agree that landlords have absolutely no obligation to financially support the community beyond taxes. (It is the NEW American way.) However, I do hope that they take some pride in helping craft a neighborhood that is an enjoyable place to live. For instance, I hope that many landlords give some additional flexibility to the many mom-and-pop stores rather than replacing them with more deep-pocketed national chains.

In any case, I do expect a landlord to represent their property truthfully and to meet their obligations under a lease. I found that the Bermans did meet these expectations. However like many landlords, they were not the most pleasant to do business with.

Finally, the growing popularity of million dollar condos (one floor of a brownstone) has driven the cost of housing in Park Slope beyond the affordability of many of the long-term residents. IMHO, this will change the flavor of the neighborhood forever.

I feel that Park Slope is just a microcosm of the greater NYC picture. Unless you work in financial, medical, or legal services, the options for affordable housing are going to be continually limiting.

SB