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Best Apartments
Categories: Home Services Real Estate Apartments Home Services Real Estate Property Management Apartments, Property Management [Edit]
119 W 23rd St(between 7th Ave & Avenue Of The Americas)
New York, NY 10011
Neighborhood: Chelsea
(212) 367-8788
- Nearest Transit:
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23 St (F, M)
23 St (1, 2)
23 St (N, R)
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 9 am - 7 pm
Sat-Sun 10 am - 6 pm
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
Lease one of our newly renovated apartment homes and *receive one month free!*
57 reviews for Best Apartments
57 reviews in English
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Review from Amy S.
New York, NY
1/20/2012
I worked with Gabriel and have NEVER had such an easy experience renting in NYC. I had a pretty small budget to work with (I'm a student) but was realistic about it. I have lived here long enough to know what you can get on a small budget, and I feel confident that Gabriel showed me the best apartments available. I chose a great find on the UWS, way under market, with exposed brick. It's one of the biggest NYC studios I've ever seen, and I love it; I'm already having fantasies of living here forever!
Brokers can be really hard to deal with and sort of slimy, but Gabriel was honest, personable, and seemed to know the city well. I was also able to negotiate a decently low broker's fee with Gabriel's partner, Sam, and I feel really good about how much I spent total. I would definitely recommend Best Apts to friends looking for apartments, and DEFINITELY tell them to be sure to ask for Gabriel! -
Review from Kelley K.
9/6/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Adam Feingold and Tod Seper are not the usual sleezy douchebag brokers you've read about in previous reviews. Naturally, brokers want to close deals and get paid, but Adam and Tod don't make you feel like they're just after your money.
In the crazy zoo that is NYC's rental market, you want your broker to be persistent but not overbearing, and that's exactly what I got from this team.
Adam is the owner's brother, I believe, and Tod is basically Adam's wingman who goes out with you and shows the listings that Adam finds. They are both genuine and amiable guys. I lost the first apartment I wanted, partly because I was being indecisive and went out to see other listings with a broker from CitiHabitats who was slow and inept. My mistake. Nonetheless, Adam talked to his brother and was able to guarantee that I would get a similar apartment the next morning that was not yet on the market. So when I went out with Tod the next day and found that I liked the apartment (2 bedroom in the East Village for $2150/month), I didn't waste any time filling out an application and getting it off the market with a first month's rent down payment.
It took two days to get all the paperwork from our guarantor, but Adam wasn't pushy and made sure no one else could take this listing. We were even able to move in two days before our Sept 1 move in date! The floors had just been redone, and it took a week before our kitchen cabinets and sink were finished, but now we live in an awesome, relatively inexpensive, newly renovated place in the East Village! Thanks, Adam and Tod! -
Review from Matthew M.
Manhattan, NY
2/8/2012
My wife and I were looking for an apartment on the UES and got in contact with Scott at Best Apartments. Scott took the time to understand exactly what we were looking for and showed us several apartments that fit our needs. Scott was always able to provide helpful information about the neighborhood and each apartment we saw. He was never pushy and we always felt that he had our best interests at heart. Throughout the whole process, Scott was always very professional, responsive to our emails and calls and on time for appointments. Best Apartments was negotiable on the broker's fee and was able to get us the move-in date we wanted. We would definitely recommend Best Apartments, and Scott in particular, to anyone looking for a new apartment.
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Review from Jessica S.
Manhattan, NY
2/9/2012
First of all i just have to say that, i contacted a lot of people and NOBODY was as helpful and responsive as Scott Nelson. I can honestly say that he went out of his way to show me exactly what I was looking for and was so easy to get in touch. He truly cared and was honest about the apartments I was seeing and when I asked his opinions. I am now living in a really big studio t that he found for me for an amazing price and I love it. He walked around all day with me, easily worked around my schedule, and did not care in the slightest that I was very specific in what i wanted! I never got the impression that he was just trying to sell anything to me and I really felt he wanted me to be happy and cared what I was looking for. Scott is for sure the way to go when dealing with Best apartments, I would absolutely recommend him to any of my friends and family if they were looking for an apartment... and I will!
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Review from Jessica D.
Chicago, IL
1/14/2012
Tara is a superstar! She is extremely upfront and honest. I don't know how anyone would give this place a bad review, but as another reviewer suggested, there are very many brokers within the company and the service depends on each individual broker. I would recommend Tara, she is extremely easy to reach either by phone text or e-mail. She knows how to negotiate with the landlords even if You have bad credit, and she is fun to work with! She was upfront about the fees, which were negotiable, and showed me exactly what I wanted. I hope you can look past the bad reviews and give Tara a chance, not speaking for the other brokers, but she deserves it.
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Review from Angela L.
New York, NY
8/4/2011
We called Sam D. about an apt and he said there was a $2000 broker fee on a $1525 apt. When my husband asked if it was negotiable HE HUNG UP ON HIM! Who makes a living hanging up on people?!
He also told us the apt had only been on the market for a week. LIES. We found it on their website listed over a month ago at $1700. They haven't been able to rent this for a month, yet they can hang up on prospective clients. Unreal. -
Review from Jenny R.
New York, NY
11/13/2011
I've met with four or five brokers over the last two weeks during my apartment hunt, and Best Apartments was the only one that continually lies in their listings about taking dogs. They told my roommate and I that everyone does this, but all of the other places we've looked at actually do accept dogs, and every time we called regarding one of their listings, they said even though they advertise it as being okay with dogs, it's actually not. To sum up, many brokers lie, but the listings from Best Apartments are the most consistent and overtly duplicitous.
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Review from Julynn B.
Brooklyn, NY
3/19/2011
I was motivated to sign up for a Yelp account just so I could make sure people would not make the same mistake that I did. I am doing you a public service by warning you about Best Apartments.
I used this service to relocate to New York City. I made an appointment to see them, and I still had to wait an hour to get an agent to show me an apartment. Then, after we arrived at the location, the agent did not have a key to the place. I had a plane ticket to fly out later that day. I had to change the day of the ticket to stay an extra day. After hassles with the lease and incorrect paperwork that kept having to be FedEx'ed back and forth, I received a phone call about a week before my move-in date.
The broker called to say that the apartment I had looked at was not available and there was a mix-up. They said they had another apartment for me in the same building. I had to agree to the apartment without even looking at it because of their mismanagement. Also, they said that we could not move-in until after my work start date. I told them to see if there was any way to move-in earlier. They called back and said yes, they made special arrangements for me to move-in the Saturday before. I asked for a copy of the new lease.
After days of phone calls back and forth, they finally said that they would leave the lease in my new mailbox. I felt uneasy about it, but there was nothing I could do from thousands of miles away. I haggled with them about contacting the property manager. I finally got the phone number, and while on the road with my entire house packed up, the property manager informed me that Best Apartments was wrong in saying we could move-in on Saturday, and it would not be available until Monday (the day I was to start work!).
I called Best Apartments and they said that I must have misunderstood them b/c they said that MAYBE I could move in earlier. They refused to make any concessions and stopped returning my phone calls. Save yourself a migraine...DO NOT USE BEST APARTMENTS. They are under-handed and deceitful.
You can read the rest of my reviews--I am generally motivated by positive experiences to write reviews. I am not one who is easily angered, but thinking about this experience makes my blood boil. -
Review from Suzy A.
Astoria, NY
5/12/2011
This establishment should not be in business. They lie and cheat fledgling new yorkers to sign leases and pay fees for services that were not provided. My friend had a terrible experience with these people. They are not qualified to run a business. They coerced my friend into signing a lease and fooled him into paying a $500 fee for no reason. When asked for a fee breakdown, the broker said the $500 was for "everything, you know everything we did today". And when questioned further, the broker threatened to take my friend to court!?
Don't ever work with Best Apartments. My friend will most likely be taking them to small claims court. -
Review from Mel G.
New York, NY
4/1/2011
I'm not sure why I wasn't surprised by looking at the other reviews on here, but in all honesty you HAVE to AVOID this place. It's been tough searching for apartments in a competitive and expensive environment like NYC, and realty offices like this only compound the issue.
First, Salvatore had me meet him at his "office" at 4 pm. I work all day and dont have time to be running out during the day, but I stepped out to see the apartment he had listed on Craigslist. When I got to their offices, it was setup like an unprofessional factory. I should've taken that as a hint but waited anyways. He left me at the front with another agent and a form to sign, giving personal information as well as agreeing to pay 15% of annual rent on one year leases and 17% on two year leases.
I asked if I had to list my work line because they're monitored and can't take personal calls. I was more than obliged to list my cell. The agent responded "I mean who cares? We'll get that information anyways. Leave it dont leave it. I'm not going to call it" in a rather snarky tone.
I guess I should've thanked him because I didn't give them any information and decided to leave. This other agent chased me out asking if I were waiting for Jeff and I said no. And he responded "rude b****"!
Are you serious? How is this place even allowed to operate still. Craigslist should block their ads because these other reviews aren't exactly depicting anything else besides lousy service. I'm glad I ran out rather than wasting even more time.
If it's too good to be true then it definitely is. Don't take this ridiculous service and go elsewhere. There's a ton of realty offices across manhattan clamoring at the same listings. If I'm going to pay $3000 in broker's fees I'll wait to do that with someone that doesn't call me names -
Review from M C.
New York, NY
7/19/2011
Ready for the truth?
My roommates and I have an apartment through Big Apple Management, which apparently, uses agents from Best Apartments. Last year, we made the mistake of not doing proper research on this company since we were pressed for time in finding an apartment. Our lease is up at the end of this month, and brokers are starting to show our apartment.
Today (7/19/11): I get a call from one of my roommates, "It happened again." A male broker attempted to enter our apartment, UNANNOUNCED, to take pictures while my roommate was STILL in the apartment. Needless to say, my roommate was pretty upset, given that the same thing had happened yesterday, but with a female agent. MY roommate got both of their cards/info and plans on speaking with the management company and/or Best Apartments.
Yesterday (7/18/11): Sometime after my roommate had informed me of the breach upon our apartment, I get a call from a woman named Shavaun from Best Apartments, asking if one of their brokers can show the apartment. I ask if I can call her back at this number, she says yes, and I proceed to get in touch with my other roommates. About 10-15 minutes later, I call her back and tell her that they can show it around 7pm. At this point, I knew that the broker had entered our apartment without our permission, because they really don't give a shit about that sort of thing; they're only trying to make their money. Anyway, I call back two minutes later to ask for the broker's name, and Shavaun sidesteps me after I asked TWICE, saying, "Oh, I don't know who'll be showing it at that time; I'll have to check." Later that evening, when I got home after 7:30pm, I discovered our door UNLOCKED, with no one inside. The last ones inside our apartment was the broker from just past noon. When my roommate got home 10 minutes after me, he confirmed this since an item he carefully placed was not in its original position when he left in the morning.
Saturday (7/16/11): Still in bed, I get a call from Best Apartments around 10:45am, asking if it's ok to show the apartment around 11:15. Confused, I didn't respond immediately, but then she suggested noon, to which I agreed. I get out of bed, make my room presentable, and proceed to head to the shower around 11:25, to which I hear our buzzer go off. "WTF? Why are these people 30 mins early," I thought. Just incase they tried to enter unexpectedly, I had put some clothes on and waited in my room to hear the front door unlock. After about 5 minutes, nothing, so I go shower. At around 11:50, as soon as I get back to my room, I hear the lock on the front door unlock. I was playing music loud enough to be heard from there, so I knew that if the front door was opened, they'd know someone was inside. Well, I didn't hear anyone, so I got dressed and went to open the door to find GUESS WHO?! YES! Broker and clients! Tall, slim, asian broker lady had a look of shock on her face after I opened the door. I was nice about the whole situation, only because the three girls standing behind her were being dragged along. Anyway, after I had asked if she was the one who buzzed earlier, broker lady jokingly mentioned that she had someone try to "jimmy my lock". (The broker from Best Apartments just admitted to trying to break into my apartment? I'm pretty sure that's illegal.) I let them in and they took a look at the apartment. While the three girls were in my room upstairs, the broker and I were alone downstairs, and she asked me why my roommates and I weren't staying. I told her the apartment has its issues, and quickly under her breath, she said, "Don't say anything!"
(FYI, in this 3BD 2BA apt, the upstairs room has no heat, is deathly freezing in the winter, and hot as balls in the summer. There's no residual heat from downstairs, and surely the room is a violation of tenant's rights. Also, the tub drain in the 1st bathroom backs up consistently, so you always have to buy Draino. If water pools on the roof and the gutter drain is blocked, there is potential for the ceiling in the 1st room to leak.)
So after the girls come down, and they're ready to leave, we hear another buzz. Soon after, it's ANOTHER broker, this time, a tall caucasian guy with three other guys, here to see the apartment at noon. The women leave, and the men enter, see the apartment, yadda yadda, they leave. After the fact, I wonder: Two brokers showed up, but I received a call for only ONE, so why did one broker show up unannounced, and who was it? Given the previous testimony, I'm guessing it was the female broker.
Epilogue: My other roommate has attested to yet another female broker showing up unannounced, and that was sometime in late June. Folks, how can you place trust in a company whose employees openly and blatantly invade your privacy, and place your home and valuables at risk by sheer negligence by something as simple as not locking a door? Please, answer me this. Do yourself a favor and stay far, far away. -
Review from Aaron B.
New York, NY
1/15/2011
Notice that these reviews are almost all 5 or 1 stars. This should tell you that *the individual broker is everything*. Best Apartments is a collection of random brokers! Make sure you deal with one recommended on here.
I'm giving 5 stars to EDUARDO 'Ed' REYES. I can't vouch for anyone else.
Ed saved my ass when I had a hard date to be out of my current apt.
1. Ed works all hours, was always on time, always answered his phone and never broke an appointment.
2. Ed didn't try to push me out of my spending zone.
3. Ed was upfront and flexible on fees. Unless the landlord pays the fee, you are going to pay 1month, 10% or often 15% of annual. Ed never even suggested a 15% in all the apts we saw.
4. Even when the first two apts I applied for had already gone (don't expect to be first in every time), Ed stayed positive and kept coming up with excellent alternatives that matched what I wanted.
5. Ed pushed the leasing agent on my behalf. "So is there anything else my client can do to improve his chances?" And as it turned out I could give them info on overseas assets. Result.
6. Unbelievably, Ed is a genuinely nice dude. In Brokerworld this is rare. -
Review from tony s.
New York, NY
11/17/2011
Was supposed to have a deposit sent back to me. I've waited 7 weeks and counting. May have to pry the money from their hands in small claims court for a simple deposit return.
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Review from Ryan M.
Manhattan, NY
5/7/2011
after seeing some great apartments that were right within our budget on the website my wife and I made an appointment with Best to see them. I gave the list of apartments I had seen to the broker who told us "those are old listings and probably not available" and then told us "you will need to increase your budget substantially if you want a 1 bedroom." I kept asking to check some of the listings I had found and, surprise, not available. I got some BS story about the website being difficult to update, stuff like that. They did show us some apartments within our price range that were either run down and dirty and/or extremely small and impractical - total bait and switch. At the end of the day we were reminded that we should increase our budget. That said, we found a place on our own much larger and nicer and in a better area than anything they showed us right within our budget....and with no mandatory 15% fee.
These people just see you as a commission, there are so many other choices you can go with if you feel it necessary to use a broker. -
Review from Virginia R.
New York, NY
4/15/2010
NO, NO, NO, NO. Turn away right now. Go find someone else to get your hopes up on an apartment and then find out AFTER you have already put in your application that the apartment has 1) already been rented 2) doesn't accept guarantors or 3) someone is living there and the place isn't for rent.
Hey, I'm in NO WAY exaggerating and being a drama queen about this place, trust me- what do I have to gain? My boyfriend and I lost three apartments during our search of entire Manhattan due to these reasons. The realtors are friendly and hipster cool but they STACK apps here, people.
F this place, I'm out and will never be back.Comment from Howard F. of Best Apartments 6/29/2010
Virginia, We are very sorry you had a clearly… More » -
Review from Jennifer L.
New York, NY
7/24/2010
Save yourself a lot of trouble and stay far far away from Best Apartments Inc. Apartment hunting in the city is stressful enough without the added aggravation of dealing with those people. Calling them a bunch of liars and scam artists would be being kind. .
I set a meeting time at their office with one of their agents to go view a no fee apartment I had seen listed on Craigslist, which I re-confirmed over the phone the day before. I dragged myself there bright and early on a Saturday morning in 100 degree weather, which was all the more fun when the agent decided not to show up. I was given a form to fill out and sign while I waited for them to find me another broker, which basically stated that all their apartments were no fee, but that there was a 15% minimum New York State something or other charge that I would need to pay. Basically, a fancy name for a fee. So no, their apartments are NOT no fee.
I still really wanted to see the apartment I had come for, so I waited and the manager eventually sat down with me to review my requirements. I told him up front I did not want to pay a fee, and he rambled on about how that was all "negotiable" and crossed out the part about the NYS charge on my form. Sketchy. I told him it was not negotiable, and that I simply wanted to see the apartment I had come in for. Surprise surprise, that apartment didn't exist. Turns out that Best Apts puts up fake listings to bring you into the office, at which point they get you to sign a form agreeing to a fee, and then try to sell you on whatever they have. So they lie, lie, lie, and then try to cheat you. They are a waste of time.
Learn from my mistake. Stay away. -
Review from g g.
Brooklyn, NY
5/8/2010
definitely STAY AWAY. what a SHAM! I made an appointment with an agent. not only the agent that I set up a time with, and confirmed by phone before going there was "out with clients", the guy they passed me to was a complete a**hole that treated me with complete disrespect and when I complained with the manager, they all looked at me as if I was crazy. hello? again - STAY AWAY. lost my precious free saturday hours with these unprofessional "real estate brokers". GRR.
update: after reading the previous reviews here, stating the same things as me, I wonder if there is a consumer protection entity we can report this place to... going to check this out. -
Review from eric w.
New York, NY
8/16/2010
A broker is defined as a party that mediates between a buyer and a seller. Best Apartments failed to mediate between me (buyer), and the apartment (seller) I was expecting to view.
I spoke with a Best Apts "broker" about viewing a no-fee apartment as listed on Craigslist. The "broker" agreed to meet at Best Apartments' office before heading to the location. When I got there, she gave me a form to fill out with a signature line at the bottom indicating that I agreed to pay a fee. But I thought this was no-fee...?
Then she shuttled me to another "broker", who had no knowledge of the location I came to see. It took him ten minutes to find the listing, and then tell me that it was only available for viewing tomorrow. Meanwhile he was trying to shift the discussion to for-fee apartments. He explained that we couldn't see the apartment today because it was dependent on the landlord's schedule. So... where was the value-add here?
Instead of going to see the apartment I had spoken with Best Apts about, I wasted half an hour of my time. If you have a hard time giving one star reviews, this is a great place to balance out your ratings distribution. -
Review from diana y.
5/1/2008
Don't try to intimidate me and don't raise your voice. Just don't do it. I might be small, but I am scrappy as hell and I will take you DOWN, a**hole, kicking and screaming. I understand your office looks like a torture chamber, but that doesn't mean you get to take your frustration out on me.
Best Apartments? BEST? Come on.Listed in: It's Not You, It's Me
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Review from Juston P.
New York, NY
7/28/2008
I want to begin by asking people to click my user name and notice that I am NOT prone to giving out 1 star reviews. This is, in fact, my first.
I'll start with the ending: they kicked my girlfriend and I out of the place. Want to know how that could have happened?
Well first, the guy called us liars. He said that since we were looking to move in approximately 4 weeks, we were going to just waste his and his agents' time. My explanation that my lease was up in a month only caused him to tell me about how long he's been in this business and he knows someone who's just there to jerk him around. He added that he'd closed 80 apartments last year alone.
A bit shocked but still polite, I persisted in asking if he had any apartments that fit our budget. Well, he said, there'd be no point in having the discussion. You see, he's been in this business for years. He even closed 80 apartments last year!
It was at that point I said that while it was clear he thought very highly of himself, this wasn't helping me find an apartment. In a show of lofty theatre, he ripped up the rental form and said he was going to have to ask us to leave.
I strongly discourage anyone from stepping foot into Best Apartments' office. In fact, I strongly encourage everyone to report them to the Better Business Bureau. -
Review from Isabel L.
9/6/2009
Patricia Alburtus
- she puts up fake craiglist postings. claiming to have 1350 studios but when you call she says their gone. That's 3 weeks ago and i still see the same exact 1350 studio listings on CL.
- asked me to find a guarantor for paperwork BEFORE she even scheduled appointments. totally bluffing me !!
NOTE to new renters: if your annual income exceeds 40 times the rent you do NOT need a guarantor.
- got really impatient and had major attitude on the phone as we were trying to schedule an appointment.
DO NOT use her....do not fall into her trap !!! She's the agent that makes the industry look bad !! -
Review from Eliza P.
New York, NY
8/29/2009
I didn't read these reviews before going through the whole bait-and-switch, rudeness, condescension, etc, and so now I find I have nothing else to add except this: Looking into that broker's eyes was like looking at blank television sets. Never having met her before, nevertheless my body had the recoiling reaction of an animal in the presence of pure evil. I had the remarkable urge to pry open her jaw and spit down her throat.
Thank you.
P.S. Whatever you do, do not respond to ads posted by Patricia. Lies, condescension, and bullying. But mostly lies. -
Review from Marilyn H.
Brooklyn, NY
8/19/2009
I wish I can also give this place 0 stars but, whatever. Reading these reviews prompted me to add my own experience with this place, because after all, I worked here. So here goes:
Let me begin by saying I was employed by Best a few years ago as an administrative assistant. My duties included typing up new leases for new tenants, updating leads (vacancies) on the computer and entering new vacancies in the system so that brokers know what's available, handing out applications to prospective tenants, you get the idea. But after about a year of doing the same mundane work, (real estate is not my thing) I decided it was time to move on, which I did.
Well, tax time came around. I was shocked to learn that I was issued a 1099MISC. For those of you not familiar with that form or taxes, this particular 1099MISC is for people who are either self-employed or who work on commission. Well, I didn't fit into either of those categories, because I was a salaried worker, who had report to my boss for the work that I needed to do, plus I was given a week's vacation. Needless to say, I was furious!!! And let me tell you, working there wasn't a picnic. Yes, Best does hire people off the street, and no they are not licensed. They would encourage everyone working there to actually get a junior license, but they still had to report to a "senior broker". What that means is the person calling you back on an ad is actually the person reeling you in for an actual meeting with a "broker".
Now back to my dilemna regarding my 1099MISC. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that I wasn't a broker nor was I self-employed so I did what I had to do, got in touch with the IRS. To make a long story short, the IRS refunded me the money that I had to pay taxes on, plus had Best re-issue the correct form, which in my case was a W-2. Even their bookkeeper gave me a hard time because he knew I had reported Best to the IRS for failing to pay taxes on my wages. Oh, he too got reported to the BBB, because he took his time sending me what I needed.
So Yelpers, read the reviews about Best Apartments. Take it from someone who used to work there. It is accurate. And for those who ended up having a good experience, consider yourselves damn lucky! -
Review from ben -.
New York, NY
7/7/2006
In my quest for a new apartment, I've come across 6+ lower level brokers from Best Apartments. They always flood craigslist with postings with gorgeous pictures that aren't real. They are the masters of bait and switch. In general, the quality of their apartments is pretty awful. I've had to go into their office 3 times just to see places. Everyone tells me they've got *the* place for me, but they're all tiny, dirty and awful.
Some of the lower level brokers are very nice, and some even call back with more apartments.
I'm so infuriated with Best Apartments I can't even write anything funny or interesting in this review. As a firm, they are horrendous. STAY AWAY. -
Review from Chantelle K.
New York, NY
2/27/2008
Completely shady and will resort to illegal means and threats to try and rope you into signing a lease - even if you've only submitted an application for a credit check.
My advice: apartment hunting in the city is stressful enough - you don't need these fools to add to that. Stick with CitiHabitats or Ardor.Listed in: Buying an Apartment in NYC?
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Review from jennifer m.
New York, NY
2/27/2008
Working with Best Apartments, specifically the 23rd St office, was overall, an extremely unpleasant experience. My requirements were simple; I needed a proper, spacious, 3-bedroom apartment and was willing to accommodate a higher price to get what I was looking for.
We found something acceptable, but not ideal, in Tribeca and put an application on it to take it off the market. In the meantime, we found something better, and declined to take the first apartment after approval. The broker went ballistic, refused to give back my refundable deposit, and threatened to take us to court for a fee when we never signed, or intended to sign that lease.
Apartment hunting in NY is stressful enough as it is; Best Apartments only heightens that stress level and never has your best interests at heart. Go with citi-habitats. -
Review from Anne G.
New York, NY
2/22/2010
Bait and switch - that's all Best Apartments is about. I was looking for an apartment last summer and contacted them about a number of postings on Craigslist, by various brokers. All of them, even if posted only minutes before, turned out to be already "taken". Sometimes I was told that immediately, other times upon showing up at the office to fill out the paperwork and see said apartments. But of course they had a number of other great apartments still available, only "a bit" more expensive... And then I'd see the same postings over and over again on Craigslist, for the apartments I was told were already taken.
While one broker who showed me around was a nice guy who honestly explained that he was only working there because he lost his regular job, the "bosses" at the main office are nothing short of rude and obnoxious.
A horrible experience altogether. It's curious that there were two 5-star reviews posted on 2/20/2010 by Yelpers who have no other reviews. Apartment seekers beware.Comment from Howard F. of Best Apartments 11/1/2010
Anne, I'm sorry you had a frustrating experience with us.… More » -
Review from deanna l.
8/23/2009
flat out rude. Asked about an apt that was posted 3 hours before i made the call...
Patricia Alburtus, She told me that all she had was an apt for $1495, and I tried to clarify thinking maybe there was a misunderstanding...THEN SHE HUNG UP ON ME. B*TCH -
Review from mae s.
ASTORIA, NY
4/16/2011
F*ck you, BA. And you're shitty hidden fees.
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Review from Jade M.
New York, NY
Updated - 9/1/2009
I'd just like to back up my experience that I had TWO separate experiences with Best Apartments, with TWO separate associate brokers, and both experiences were Bait and Switch.
I also waited 2 years to write this review, so I had a lot of time to think about my experiences in NYC, and my experiences with many different brokers from many different companies. I'd like to clarify that I have absolutely no problem paying 15% for a brokers fee and I have done so in the past without thinking twice. I've moved about 5 times in NYC in the last 6 years and have dealt with about 20 different brokers by now, and Best Apartments still leaves a horrible impression, 2 years later. Just thinking about them reaffirms the initial experiences I had, on those two (2) separate occasions.
I also know a woman who has *worked for them* (not Marilyn H., below) and she says that they are among the lower end spectrum of real estate firms to work with. On many other message boards (other than Yelp) you will hear customer complaints about Best Apartments as well.
And if you actually made out with a good experience, then consider yourselves DAMN LUCKY.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/13/2009
BAIT AND SWITCH! BAIT AND SWITCH! UNPLEASANT! UNPLEASANT!!!! CRAIGSLIST BAIT AND… Read more »
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Review from Anna L.
4/29/2010
I had to find an apartment really quickly because I was going out of town during my move-in date. I went through so many different listings on craigslist....and I mean SO MANY. I was looking for a studio/1 br convert for under 1700$ that was clean and either was a 1 floor walkup or elevator. Yea sounds impossible right?
After looking at many listings of different buildings that scared the heck out of me I found Aileen through craigslist. She was GREAT. Now the process did not come so smoothly for me. After looking at a few apartments, we found one in an elevator building that was getting remodeled.
Unfortunately after putting in my application, the landlord said the move in date was not possible because they weren't done with the remodeling....so by then, I was super close to the move in date and I was panicking even more to the point where I made back up plans to move in with one of my guy friends and put my stuff in storage!
However, Aileen kept searching for apartments for me that would suit my taste and ...my mother's. My mom is funny when it comes to apts. She needs to see them before I can move in and if she hates it, she'll refuse to ever visit me again. So Aileen had a challenge! She was very patient and persistent in finding me a replacement apt and she did! I now live in Hell's Kitchen in a lux building (elevator, laundry, doorman, gym, nice neighborhood) - studio/1 br convert...for...1580 a month! niceee.
In addition, Aileen referred me to a great moving company, Shea's Movers and helped me get acquainted with the neighborhood. Thanks so much Aileen! :) -
Review from Victor L.
Brooklyn, NY
5/7/2007
I think I was the only one who came away with anything remotely positive about this establishment. I'm pretty sure Kevin, from Houston, is still there as a part-time broker, and he's the bomb. He never pressured us into anything, was very relaxed, and incredibly nice. He didn't keep a constant flow of chatter which was nice, he would just take us to the apartment, and we'd look around while he stayed quiet unless we asked him questions.
Ben is right, they flood craigslist with tons of listings, and as usual, people get out the bad listings first. Be patient and ask to look for more, if the broker isn't up for it, he or she is not the right broker (low or high level). We got beyond the first two apartments he showed us, which was actually incredibly nice but a bit small for two people, and thus we went back to the office to brainstorm a little more. Kevin was more than willing to help. We ended up in Gramercy, and found a dream of an apartment, a bit on the expensive side, but we were floored by the amount of space and the building was incredible (153 East 18th btw. Irving and 3rd, check it out).
If you get beyond the first bad post or two that you initially set up to see with them, really push them for more options, I'm pretty sure they just have a lot of good ones.
One note though: they don't tend to call that often to let us know they are coming to show new tenants the apartment. I've been sleeping (albeit late) and they would kind of walk in. I didn't mind I was happy to talk about how good the apartment was. Doing it in boxers was a little embarrassing. -
Review from Erika C.
New York, NY
8/2/2008
I really wish I could give this place lower than a 1. I'm not sure who we dealt with--perhaps the notorious kevin. He had long hair and looked like a total dweeb.
I can't imagine that insulting and attempting to intimidate potential customers is really the best way to go. I think that their strategy is to bat around new New Yorkers who have no experience and no home. I can't imagine who else would put up with them. -
Review from Brian M.
Costa Mesa, CA
Updated - 8/21/2009
UPDATE:
AS I SAID BEFORE, DO NOT USE BEST APARTMENTS.
I should have posted this a long time ago. So, if you read my previous post, you will see that I had a terrible experience with the degenerates that call themselves "Best Apartments". These degenerates attempted to cause me grief by taking me to small claims court here in Manhattan. After wasting a few hours of my life in court, I eventually prevailed and had a judgement of $2700+ dollars removed.
So if small claims court is something you find interesting, and if you like to deal with the scum of the earth, then please do business with these clowns. If not, STAY AWAY FROM THEM. Brokers in general aren't needed anymore, but if you do need one, reach out to one of the more legitimate and professional services. Check their ratings with the Better Business Bureau as well. I made the mistake and did not do my research ahead of time. Never again.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/10/2008
STAY AWAY FROM BEST APARTMENTS. I had one of the most unpleasant experiences I've ever had in the… Read more »
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Review from Liz S.
New York, NY
4/19/2011
This review is for SUSAN RYAN with Best Apts. I had a wonderful experience with her. I had been through DOZENS of brokers during a nightmarish two months of relentless searching. Most of the brokers I met simply wasted my time (and cab money) seeing apartments that did not fit my criteria at all or were repeat apartments that I had already seen. Susan was one of the only brokers who actually listened and cared enough about my needs, budget, and time. Rather than showing me a dozen apartments that didn't work, she showed me a very well-edited and small selection of apartments that were very good candidates. I also really appreciated her honesty and candidness and genuine decency. I have already recommended her to a friend who got a beautiful apartment through her as well, and will continue to recommend her to many more.
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Review from Bill I.
Brooklyn, NY
7/13/2008
My roommates and I responded to an ad posted by "Samuel" but were quickly passed off to a guy named Jakob who was the epitome of the sleazy salesman. He kept trying to fast-talk us into looking at more and more expensive apartments and like other posters every place was 'THE PLACE' for us.
I knew we were in trouble the minute I stepped into the office and it was just a room crammed with desks a la' 'Boiler Room.' They claim to have the most listings so I guess it is possible to find a good place with them, but the apartment we looked at was falling apart.
Do yourself a favor and keep looking at other companies, or better yet deal directly with a landlord. -
Review from Julie J.
4/28/2010
I had a fantastic experience working with Tyler Kane Whitman at Best Apartments. I was actually referred over to him by a friend and she promised me that he would find me exactly what I was looking for.
In the past, my boyfriend and I had used a real estate agent from another agency that didn't have access to many listings, or just didn't try very hard. We ended up in Hells Kitchen because that is all she showed us and it seemed like a cool place. When our lease was up for that apartment, we decided that we wanted to try the UWS, but she told us there wasn't much in our price range (under $3000 for a 1BR) - so she ended up showing us some more stuff in Hells Kitchen and we fell in love with an apartment that was $500 more than our budget. This was when we decided our third apartment was going to be exactly what WE wanted, not what the realtor wanted. So, needless to say, we were pretty skeptical prior to going into meeting with Tyler.
Our first day meeting with Tyler, he asked us what area we would like to live in, the amenities, etc. This was a difficult feat for him because I wanted an UWS brownstone and my boyfriend wanted a high rise in the Financial District/Battery Park area. The following day, Tyler called me and asked if I was available to meet him to see a few places. He was very patient and worked damn hard trekking all over the city with us. After a few days, he finally found us an amazing apartment in Battery Park City with a doorman, walk-in closet (umm hello, every NYC girl's dream!), large dogs accepted and gorgeous water views for under $2500. We didn't even have to pay him a fee because the building took care of that for us. In the end, I didn't get my UWS apartment, but I gained an amazing downtown haven of calm and quiet city life.
ANY time I hear of someone looking for an apartment in NYC, I ALWAYS give them Tyler's contact information. He really is a great real estate agent and has really awesome personality. I don't know about any other agents at Best Apartments, but who cares about them, really.. call Tyler! -
Review from Alayna J.
New York, NY
2/26/2010
I dont know about all these other negative reviews, but my experience with these guys was nothing but exceptional service. Maybe its because the economy is in the toilet right now, I dunno, but they found me the most amazing deal....
I was planning to move to Manhattan from Boston and had looked online for apartments. I emailed numerous brokers to set up an appointment for the week I was in town. Many of them took days/weeks to get back to me, but when I emailed Best Apartments, I got a call within a couple of hours from Jason and we set up an appointment.
I get there and Jason meets me at the door and takes me over to Stuart (the older gentleman that other reviewers may have been referring to). They asked me what I was looking for and I listed all off my criteria. Even though other brokers were trying to tell me that I couldnt afford much in my price range, especially in Midtown, Stuart looked through the database and found five apartments that fit my description. A couple of the places were a little above my price range but he insisted that the rent could be negotiated. Of course I was skeptical, but he was right!
Then, Jason took me around to the apartments and I fell in love with one. I rushed back to the office to fill out an application but I was nervous because I was asking for $50 off of the already reduced rent price. Stuart said he was going to try to negotiate either the lower rent or one month free. The next morning I get a call, he got me BOTH! Oh, and I told them I only wanted to look at no-fee apartments, so I didnt end up paying a broker fee either.
Jason took me back to the apartment that day to help me take measurements. Then when I was having a hard time getting in touch with the super, I called Stuart freaking out. He called the property management company right away and had it taken care of for me immediately.
Basically if you are looking for an apartment, your best bet is to just go in and describe what you want, and they will find something for you. Craigslist used to be good for apartment hunting, but now you probably have better luck finding a "missed connection" than you do a trustworthy apartment! Step away from the computer, put away your iphone, and find an apartment the old fashioned way: go down to the broker, tell them what you want, and let them work their magic. -
Review from Laurie F.
New York, NY
5/5/2009
Okay, I just want to start off by saying I have nothing to gain by writing this review, as I realize it's going to be viewed skeptically since I seem to be one of the only people that had a really GOOD experience with this business.
So a friend of mine saw a three bedroom convertible in Chelsea that his roommates didn't want to take (their budget was a little higher than mine) but he insisted that it was a great place. He put me in touch with Nyasia Casey of NYC Best Apts. so I could view the apartment. I set up an appointment to view the apartment with her. Beforehand, I saw these reviews, and was HIGHLY suspicious of the company. At the last minute, she couldn't show up, and she sent a coworker of hers. I was less than impressed, to be honest, because he didn't seem to know anything about what Nyasia and I talked about (he was polite enough and all, but still), and I was worried that I was being taken down the same path that some of these reviewers complained about.
Anyway, that afternoon, Nyasia called me and we discussed what my roommate and I liked and didn't like about the place (our 3rd roommate was moving from out of state and didn't see that place). She gave me a lot of honest advice about how the difference in our bottom price range and top price range would REALLY affect the quality of the apartment we could get (NOTE: my roommate and I confirmed this fact ourselves when we set up viewings with owners from craigslist). We set up appointments for a Saturday and she agreed to show us at LEAST four places, depending on what listings were rented by the weekend.
Saturday arrived, and Nyasia showed us FOUR different apartments (the fifth was already rented the morning we arrived). They were all different styles but all of them had characteristics that I had stressed were important to us. I felt like she really listened and didn't try to sell us on anything. Ultimately, she said, we were the ones that had to live in the space, so she didn't want to push us into something we didn't like. We found out during the day that our out-of-state roommate would be in town on Sunday, the next day. We agreed with Nyasia that we would narrow it down and show our other roommate some choices the next day.
Nyasia came to the area for the SECOND day, and showed my other roommate the places we decided on. She was really nice, and didn't seem put off by the fact that we asked to see the same properties two days in a row.
In the end, we didn't end up selecting an apartment that Nyasia showed us, simply because my landlord had an opening in a place that we just couldn't turn down. It was awesome. When I called Nyasia to tell her, she actually congratulated me and didn't seem annoyed at all. That's when I decided to sign up here and write a review (yeah, I actually joined this site just to put up something positive, because I had THAT good of a feeling after the experience here).
What I can say about apartment hunting in NYC (that might have saved some people here some grief) is that you need to open your eyes and open your mouth. If you want a no-fee apartment, say it loud and clear, and don't settle for less. If you're willing to sacrifice space for location (because NYC is usually a give/take for a good apartment) or if you're priority is a lot of storage or not having a crazy walk-up, your broker should know. Tell him/her if you have a giant queen-sized bed so they know not to show you spaces with tiny rooms. Everyone looks for something different, so if you want something, say it. And if you decide after my insanely long review, and all these other pissed off people's reviews, to go with nyc best apartments, I'd ask for Nyasia Casey. -
Review from Christy S.
San Francisco, CA
6/16/2010
Really sad I didn't look at Yelp first. Same bait and switch stuff others were complaining about. The most infuriating moment was when after the 1st bait and switch they kept us hanging on for 2 days with a second apartment (claiming the first was an innocent mistake) - they even called to specifically tell us it was still available a half hour before we met up with the creepy scammer guy, and, shocker, it wasn't available when we showed up. I looked it up on google when we got home and found it had been rented 3 months earlier. (At least I learned to google everything after that day).
I think the best part was when we showed up the guy didn't even have the guts to tell us he'd lied. He mumbled that it was rented and started babbling about how we should come look at a different apartment. When we refused to go with him he tried friendly persuasion, confusion, bullying, acting innocent, being snotty, - a whole arsenal of sub-standard scam artist personalities. We kept asking him point blank why he'd lied and he just looked at the ground and mumbled things. So not only was he a scammer, he was really, really bad at it.
It was a total waste of everyone's time - I reported them to the BBB.
