I'd like to start off by saying that I don't typically write yelp reviews, but due to all of the…read morenegativity on here, I wanted to give my perspective after living in a Fineberg building for a year. I'm not saying you should expect the best apartment of your life here, but you should know that there are plenty of tenants that have had an enjoyable experience renting with this company. My boyfriend and I lived on the top (3rd) floor of a unit in Allston near Comm Ave. We had spent about a month searching for an apartment in May for a September lease (for those of you that know Boston, the real estate market is a mess) and specifically, we wanted an apartment that was no fee. A broker fee is paying $2,000 or however ungodly amount for a real estate broker to open a door for you. Since our apartment with Fineberg, we've had to use a broker to get another apartment and it was a nightmare. But that's another story. Anyways, we met with Dennis and he showed us the unit. It was a one bedroom that was about ~500 square feet. Small and old, but again, that's Boston. The previous tenants had left their apartment pretty messy, and the unit was small, but we liked it. There was also no security deposit which was a huge bonus. When we toured the apartment, we did not poke our heads in, look around, and call it good. I think people do a terrible of job of actually viewing the apartments they're considering, and then get all pissed off when stuff doesn't work after they move in. We turned on the water and tested the pressure, we felt the heat, we asked the current tenants how everything was, we checked that windows opened, we turned the stove on, etc. REALLY LOOK AT THE APARTMENT BEFORE YOU MOVE IN. So many of these reviews are "there were bugs and mice" or "XYZ didn't work". By being thorough with your review of a unit, you can avoid a lot of shit. Just my two cents. We signed the lease and lived there for a year. A couple of annoyances with building in general (not Fineberg's fault) - the walls are paper thin and a couple down the hall from us had a baby. Not sure why on earth you would want to raise a family in an apartment full of college students but whatever. We heard the baby a lot, which was annoying. The heat got a too hot during the winters, but we just cracked our window and let some cold air in. Not that big of a deal - I'd rather have it a little warm than not working at all. Our hot water went out twice in the year we were there, but we were promptly notified and it was a problem within a section of Allston entirely, not just Fineberg. We had a couple of issues with our fridge not staying cold and they supplied an entirely new appliance the day after we submitted our request, which was awesome. We also had the toilet shop flushing, and again, they were in the next day to fix things. If you submit a request, they are very prompt about following up and fixing things. It was annoying that they showed up at 8 am on a Saturday to fix it, but hey, I'm not going to complain for being too prompt. Overall, we had very few issues over our year with Fineberg. When we did have an issue, they were extremely prompt in fixing it. I would highly recommend Dennis as well, because he was very honest about everything. The ONE thing I want to note that really bugged the crap out of us - when we decided not to re-sign our lease, Fineberg gave my cell phone number to (what felt like) every broker in the city. It's required that we got a 24 hour notice before anyone came into our apartment, but for a full month after our unit went on the market, my cell phone was literally flooded with calls/text from brokers. Some of them are so rude, too - not "can we show your place at this specified time" but more like "we're coming at 7 am Saturday morning" which got super old. I work full time and I came out of a meeting to 12 missed calls and 7 texts from brokers wanting to show our place. Even after someone signed the lease, nobody from Fineberg took it off the market and I still got calls and texts for a couple of weeks. Besides that, though, we had a relatively good year and I would recommend.

I had lived in a Fineberg apartment building for the past two years. I will say they are pretty…read moreresponsive to maintenance requests and it wasn't all bad. But the people who work there OMG they are the rudest people ever. Dianne who apparently controls everything is the most dismissive and rude person I have ever talked to. She has not customer service skills whatsoever and should not be in a customer facing role. There was one month I had an issue with paying rent due to some financial reasons and I got a scholarship from my school to help me pay for one months rent. My school required them to fill out a certain form instead of being understanding Dianne was dismissive and rude and made me cry. They either need to find someone else to work there or fire her completely. Otherwise apartment was nice with high ceiling but could be better maintained and cleaner. You get the landlord special with paint and heaters. I had to keep my windows open during the winter because the heat literally made my room feel like a sauna.

We have had a great experience with CJL over the past 4 years. The team is always responsive,…read morefriendly, and happy to help in a timely manner. Shout out to Caren K. who has been a huge help with our lease renewal, always making sure we stay informed and updated throughout the entire process. Overall an excellent team to have as a renter in Massachusetts!

Tim at CJL recently helped us with the sale of our family home. It was an unusual property and he…read moredid a great job of marketing it to the appropriate buyers. He worked very hard throughout the process, keeping us informed every step of the way. We were surprised at how fast things happened, but all for the best. Tim's professional and friendly manner made him a pleasure to work with. I would not hesitate to recommend Tim and CJL!

I have been very impressed with Kyle Cabral and his team in their high competencies in managing my…read morerental property. As someone who used to manage my property (from long distance), I knew the pain and efforts involved in dealing with tenants...and honestly..after a few years, I wanted nothing to do with managing a rental from far, far away. I remembered calling and leaving a voicemail message with Southpaw about my desire to find a property management company to help me rent out and manage my unit...and..to my surprise, I got a call the same day back..and all within several hours when I totally wasn't expecting it! Within a few days...I worked with Kyle to sign my rental agreement, provide him information and access to my rental unit...and the unit was already rented out...all within 24 hours of signing my agreement to have Kyle manage my property! Wow..I was impressed! What impressed me more was Kyle's ability to manage rental properties. He took great care of tenants and property owners alike. He's fair..and not just siding with either side. He is not hesitant to tell me as an owner what I needed to do to make sure my tenants are happy (and he's happy to do the same to keep me happy dealing withe thing from repair to HOA as well). I am also very happy to see that...with Southpaw...the need to manage my rental property or handhold anything..is pretty much nil! Kyle took care of everything! And..I just saw..that I recently gave a consent to continue renting out my unit/extend rental offers to my current tenants..and he already had them signed extending for another year of rental at my unit ahead of expiration of an existing lease! That's a testament to Kyle and Southpaw's competencies and proactive approach to management! I love it that..for once..I can really sit back and trust that Southpaw can handle my rental on my behalf! For a long while, I worry about having to sell my unit if the property couldn't be rented out..but with Southpaw...I didn't have to worry about sale of my property anymore..because true passive rental income from this property is now a reality for me!

We had the pleasure of working with Boston Capital Management for the past four years as tenants…read morefor one of the properties they manage. I can't express enough how wonderful Kyle, George, and the entire team at Boston Capital Management have been. They are professional, courteous, highly communicative, and respond quickly to any needs. Thanks for a wonderful renting experience.

I've been renting in Boston for a few years now, and unlike other agents/agencies in this city,…read moreAdam Hargrove wasn't focused on scaring us about the crazy market this year. He was focused on finding us the right place. It's very evident that he's been in this business for a long time, and is not a rookie trying to get ahead. As soon as I saw him, I realized he got me my first apartment in 2009, and he immediately recognized me, and remembered the exact apartment he had showed me three years earlier. The fact that he remembered was the first indicator that he was good at his job. Each time we didn't like an apartment, Adam applied our feedback to the next place he showed us, and was honest with us about the pros and cons of each. He never pressured us to like a place, and instead of trying to talk us out of our standards, he just helped us find what we were looking for. (Another realtor we worked with spent 30 minutes telling us "This is the best you're going to get for this price/location/market.") Furthermore, when we didn't like either of the apartments he had planned, he quickly thought of another apartment nearby, and helped us consider the financial difference and value of the place. He even went so far as to ask if we could get a reduction in rent to accommodate our budget. At the end of the appointment, we had to leave to look at an apartment with another realtor from a different company. Adam offered us a ride--literally delivering us to the hands of his competitor. He is certainly not your typical realtor, and went out of his way constantly to make our lives easier, even at his own expense. Ultimately, we decided not to take the apartment, even after he had worked so hard to reduce the rent and help us make a decision. Most realtors might have made us feel guilty, but instead, Adam was totally understanding and human, and told us if we needed any more help, to give him a call. We absolutely will! (We also met quickly with Steve from Uptown Reality, and had a very similar experience - super friendly and professional.)

Just rented another apartment from Steve and Uptown Realty and couldn't be happier, this time in…read moreMalden. My husband and I tried to go through another realty company the past few years after ending our lease with Steve and had nothing but issues. Going back to Steve was the smart thing to do, and I don't think I will work with any other broker or leasing agent in Boston but him. He provides showings of apartments most other companies don't have, he stays in your price range, listens to the "extras" you're looking for, but most importantly he doesn't rush a sale or make you feel like working with you is a chore. He is the only broker I've ever met who actually does the work to earn his fee. Uptown Realty has listings for both Boston and Greater Boston, along with rentals and houses/condos/townhouses to buy. Check out their listings and meet with Steve, you won't be sorry.

Field corp/ sullivan and co are the best landlords/ management company we could ever ask for. Truly…read morecaring, super fast at maintenance requests, treats us with kindness and respect. Really unheard of in the Boston rental landscape. They clearly care for their properties and make life so much easier for their tenants. Properties are appropriately priced, with an easy online payment center. Would rent from them for the rest of my life if I could.

one of the best landlords someone can have. They are wonderful. They are fair in pricing and care…read moreabout their tenants. Maintanace is done as soon as being asked. I have a little baby and they de-leaded the apartment for health of my baby. I can't say enough of how amazing they are. I want to stay with them until I buy a home.

I recently rented with South Boston Property Managers and had a great experience. My property…read moremanager was very communicative and always very responsive. I had to leave my lease early due to a surgery and relocation and my property manager was supportive with every step of the way. They were able to work with me on both ends of moving in and out to make sure every need was met. This is high quality service and it was greatly appreciated!

I found my previous apartment at the perfect time. From the start, Craig communicated clearly and…read morewas very understanding of how stressful moving can be. Throughout my year as his tenant, he remained honest and respectable. He was quick to assist with any maintenance or household needs. He ensures the property is well maintained and is always professional. I've had no problems with him as a landlord and that can be difficult to find in Boston. I would safely recommend leasing with him!

I have been living at one of the properties just about 3 years coming up and one of the strengths…read morethat they have is Mariana! The property manager. She is attentive, she keeps you up to date on things and she gets things done rather quickly! Shes very kind, understanding, and level headed! I've enjoyed my stay because of that efficiency. I also like that you are left in peace unless you need someone to come visit for maintenance. If they have maintenance over, they give you proper notice you. Also love that they offer online payment with no extra charges. I deducted a star because the surrounding area with upkeep, sometimes can get out of hand excessive dog poop around the property , grass overgrown and an older building but overall, I'm very happy!

We have been dealing with a gentleman named Jerry. Jerry is so quick to respond to all requests we…read morehave put it. if he does not call us the same day to arrange something he shows up and has made sure that the maintenance required is addressed. So much Better than Andy who we use to deal with from the last property management who could care less about the state of the grounds or the people working so hard to live in this building. Jerry really is taking steps to make this building a better place to live. I finally feel like the building is in the hands of someone who cares about the living conditions of the tenants. We LOVE JERRY!!

Let me start by saying that I've lived in a number of apartment buildings in the last six years, in…read morethe Fenway, JP, Allston, and Somerville, and I've never had an experience with management as unresponsive as Ka Fai - except when it came to matters of taking my money. I lived in a Ka Fai-managed building for two years. The apartment was nice enough, with newly refinished floors, a coat of fresh paint and nice appliances. There were a number of nails, screws, and nailholes in the walls, but hey, this is Allston. We didn't mind. After living there for a few months, I could tell you the following things: 1. The newish, purportedly energy-saving windows were all warped and none of them closed or locked properly. 2. The heat vent to our bedroom didn't work, so it got mighty chilly in there at night. 3. There was a terrible leak in the kitchen ceiling, which swelled and bulged. 4. The dishwasher had a broken door, and frequently drained improperly, leaving a couple inches of standing water in the bottom. 5. When we had problems, and called their business phone number, nobody EVER picked up, despite the fact that they were in the basement of our building. Unless we called the emergency number, nobody would ever pick up or call back. To their credit, the maintenance guys tried to find the source of the ceiling leak and repair it several times. But it was never fixed. I came home one day and found that they had torn out the old damaged portion of the ceiling and replaced it. But - guess what - the ceiling still leaked. There was also a very strange occurrence when I came home late one night. It was the night before my senior reviews, and I came home to find that management had entered the apartment, moved an inexplicably wet rug from the hallway to my bathtub, and done who knows what else. There was no explanation and I was confused and upset about my rug, which suffered water damage. As it was after midnight and I had 12 hours of work to do before my review the next morning, I couldn't ask them about it. School consumed my attention. Then, a few weeks later, I received a bill for over $400. When I called, aghast, they claimed that I had left the kitchen sink running, and that water had filled the sink and dripped onto the floor, damaging the three units below mine. Notwithstanding that I have never left a faucet running in my life, and that I seriously doubt that my kitchen faucet sent water cascading down three floors, why would a kitchen faucet fill up a sink? Isn't that what drains are for? But I could hardly contest the charges; they would have just taken it out of my security deposit when I moved out. And oh yeah, I had a life and other things to worry about. Then, when we finally, happily DID move out, they had the audacity to charge us for the many, many screw- and nailholes that had existed before we moved in. All in all, it was an unpleasant experience that left a bad taste in my mouth. The apartment was large and sunny, and the laundry was cheap. I'm sure there are worse landlords, especially in Allston, but they're still the worst management experience I've ever had.

Just moved in. What a complete nightmare. The inspection process involved us needing to take…read morephotos of every wall because the document they wanted us to sign was "everything is good". We had to wait a day and live in our cars because they were "cleaning", and the staff acted annoyed that they had to help us process the checkin at all. I know being critical of landlords is sport this time of year, but this company really found a new set of lows.

We worked with Vena Priestly to find our condo based on many recommendations from folks in our old…read moreneighborhood Facebook group. Immediately after they suggested her, she reached out to me. Throughout the entire process, working with Vena felt like spending time with a lifelong friend. Not only is she knowledgeable and kind, but also Vena is an expert at managing buyer anxiety. We ran into some roadblocks with one seller that accepted our offer and then dragged his feet on signing the P&S for several weeks. Ultimately, we had to walk away. With Vena's guidance, we worked through that issue and secured another property within a week even in the competitive market. After that, we had to meet the new seller's one-month timeline to close, and Vena quarterbacked all the communications between the seller's agent, our lawyer, and our lender to an exceptional extent. We never felt like Vena pushed us toward something that didn't fit our needs in terms of space or finances. Plus, with each of the many properties we viewed, Vena showed her expertise in spotting issues that would mean unreasonable costs or compromises. We'd recommend Vena for anyone who is searching for a place to live.

We had a terrible experience with Lloyd and Rise Realty. The property at 32 Gerald in Brighton was…read morein very poor condition. The basement stairs were unsafe and posed a fire hazard, and the steps leading from the porch were equally dangerous. The home was filthy and in desperate need of paint and plaster repairs. Lloyd entered the property without providing any notice and rarely responded to emails, which made an already frustrating situation even worse. Oh and there are rats underneath the garbage cans and in back yard.

Recently I've moved into a new apartment that is part of the village at Brookline. Overall I have…read morehad a very positive experience there. The people working in the office were very accommodating when it came to filling out paperwork and navigating the different things that I needed to prepare before my move. In addition since moving there I have always been that with kindness and help from the staff and maintenance workers around the building.

HI ! I live here at Brookline Village apts.. for 3 years now , very nice apts... if anything goes…read morewrong maintenance is right there , the management could not be better,aways there for you . the grounds are always taken care of all year , winter up keep is great ! Very safe , close to all shopping by walking or the T .... pets are welcome . I only gave this review 4 stars because there is aways room for improvements , i am very very happy here a great place to live !! i hope this helps anyone reading this . Chris