SCENE: It's midsummer, and my west-of-Broadway (WOB) friends are t-minus a week or so until their lease is up, and they can't find a suitable new apartment. If that wasn't crunch-timey enough, WOB friends' PARENTS are driving in from St. Louis to help move in a matter of days. Needless to say, there were hair trigger tear ducts. Worse, they were spending all their precious time lolly-gagging around with Juan from Citi Habitats. Juan was a really great guy, and spent considerable time with the WOB friends showing them apartments, but he didn't know Inwood well, and it was looking like the WOB friends would have to settle for a place in Washington Heights. It just wasn't working. Plus he pronounced his name like he was hocking up a loogie. "HGHGHGHGHuan." This would not have been so annoying on its own, but he corrected you if you didn't say it like he did. I mean, HGHGHGHGHonestly. And so, in a moment of desperation, WOB friends marched down to New Heights Realty, and I went along to help look at places. Maria was our gal. Oh, Maria. WOB friends were looking for a one bedroom. Maybe two. West of Broadway, north of Dyckman. Monthly budget = X. That was the entirety of their criteria. Maria instantly, boom boom boom, had three apartments to show that met it. One of the three exceeded it, and the WOB friends snapped it up. All in one day! You might consider this a stroke of good luck. True to a point, in that every good apartment scored in New York is scored thanks to a healthy dose of right place, right time. But you did not tag along with Maria on that sunny June morning. The apartment tours would have taken far less time had Maria not stopped to talk to every other person we passed on the sidewalk. Girl straight up KNOWS HER HOOD. Knew all of the supers of the buildings that we checked out too, and with more than just a passing professional casualness. She talked to everyone with such authority and familiarity that, were she more threatening looking, you could have taken her for Dominican mafia.* She also laughed at all my jokes. All of them. And she said something about how I should be on TV. This made me love her immediately and want to do anything to make her happy. And how often can you say that about your BROKER? If you're moving to Inwood, you need someone who knows the nabe, and will make you completely forget how much you want to rip your hair out over the process. You pretty much need New Heights. * I secretly hope there is a Dominican mafia, and that they meet at that random billiard hall on Post. read more

My friend used New Heights Realty to buy a coop and raved about how great John Shortall was to work with. That he didn't pressure him and seemed to know all the good apartments and practically everyone in the neighborhood. He called him "Mayor John". When it was time for me to start looking for a West Of Broadway rental in the spring, I knew John was the person to work with. He worked within my very tight budget and showed me the best apartments for what I could afford. When he mentioned East of Broadway apartments being more within my budget and more numerous, I let him know that I was not interested at all, and from that point on he didn't push the subject, because it clearly was not an option for me. Just for comparison, I went to A.N. Shell Realty on 211 and Broadway to see any other options, and they didn't have anything available 'WOB.' They also got defensive when I explained that I wasn't interested in East of Broadway and sort of ganged up on me to have me explain why I wasn't interested. If you know Inwood, you understand why 'EOB' is not of interest to many people. I have had enough bad experiences in that part of the neighborhood to rule it out. And ganging up on a potential client is not the way to bring in business. I did not get approved for the apartment and building that I chose the first time around and was very disappointed. But, John stuck with me on what I wanted, and kept pursuing this building and apartment type. Eventually I was approved for the place I wanted and was thrilled. John was very helpful with the whole process, including preparing me for the lease signing up at the office in Westchester, and followed up with me after move in to see how things were going. John Shortall at New Heights Realty provides a very personal experience in finding your new home in Inwood, and I can't imagine having worked with anyone else. I highly recommend him. read more

Five stars don't do New Heights justice! The team at New Heights is outstanding! My partner and I began a search for a co-op in Inwood last summer. As first time home buyers, a 2 week trial with several realtors was all we could handle. We decided to change gears a bit and visit realty offices in our neighborhood (Inwood), we walked into New Heights, met Rebecca Pelletier and breathed a sigh of relief! Rebecca took the time to explain the process of purchasing a Co-op unit & to ask questions for a sense of what we were interested in. Unlike other realtors we encountered, her patience and willingness to find answers to all of our questions (trust me, we had tons) was a huge stress relief. She showed us units in our price range and never tempted us with places we couldn't afford. Rebecca emailed and called even while away from her office. She even contacted us while we were out of the NYC area to update us on our offers and explain what to expect next. Rebecca worked with us every step of the way and was completely invested in making our first home purchase go as smooth as possible. Rebecca is honest, friendly and caring while at the same time professional. What more can we ask for?! Although we mostly worked directly with Rebecca, we feel confident saying that everyone at New Heights seems very dedicated to their work, customers and community. We're so happy to have gone with New Heights and are loving our new home. Go with New Heights, you'll have a wonderful experience with realtors who go above and beyond their job description! read more

What can I say about New Heights Realty that hasn't already been said? I worked with John Shortall to find my new apartment this past summer, and I can't recommend him enough. You can tell when someone is going the extra mile for you, and John consistently exceeded my expectations. He lives in Inwood; he knows the area very well and loves it, and it shows in the way he works. From our very first interactions, he was patient, friendly, quick to answer e-mails and return phone calls, and very thorough in his responses to my questions and thoughts. He never pressured me into anything, and he thoroughly addressed all of my concerns (even some that I worried would seem silly). When I chose an apartment, he ensured that the application and lease-signing process went smoothly. He even picked up my keys for me when some scheduling conflicts prevented me from doing so myself. And he followed up with me after I moved in. I've worked with some bad and mediocre brokers before, so I know how an excellent broker can make an incredible difference. I can't speak about the other agents at New Heights Realty, except for one with who was very helpful and friendly to me when John was out of the office (I believe that her name is Maria -- my apologies if you're reading this and that's not your name!). But I definitely believe the many positive reviews that have been posted about them over here. Five stars for a first-class experience. read more

I have just relocated to a fantastic apartment in Inwood from upstate New York and cannot recommend New Heights Realty highly enough. I had the great good fortune to work with Rebecca Pelletier. Because I was commuting from upstate to look at apartments, I had limited time to shop around. Given Rebecca's thorough knowledge of the market, she was able to focus our search to those apartments which would best fit my needs. By the end of our first afternoon, I had identified the perfect apartment and, after a review the next day, made an offer. We were in contract in about a week. Though I was upstate with limited cell service, Rebecca and I easily kept up communication and I always felt as though I were "in the loop." I trusted Rebecca and really felt that she was a welcomed partner in this process. She presented the information allowing me to make an informed choice. For example, as a new New Yorker, I had no immediately identifiable resources for such thing as legal or mortgage services, but Rebecca was able to offer suggestions and they all worked out beautifully. The team that I was able to assemble with Rebecca's help led to one of the smoothest closing I have ever had. I feel very fortunate to have worked with Rebecca and highly recommend New Heights Realty. read more

In November of 2009 i was in the market for a new apartment. I began my search in riverdale, ny but learned about the beautiful neighborhood of inwood. The first realtor that i happened to find online was John Shorthall from New Heights Realty. I could not have found a better choice as a realtor. John was very friendly and professional. He began to show me some listings, but quickly realized that i was new to the process (and was really stressed out!). John was able to guide me through the first-time homebuyer process. Although i may have driven him crazy by seeing listings multiple times and calling at all hours asking tons and tons of questions, he always seemed to be up to the challenge of helping me out. I reallly enjoyed his laid back style of showing apartments, as other realtors that i came across seemed to be very pushy and not very personal in how they interacted. I have only good things to say about New Heights Realty as a company. With the interactions ive had with the rest of the staff, they have been very friendly and helpful. I ended up finding a great apartment and am loving my new life in inwood. If you're looking for an apartment in the upper manhattan area, stop by New Heights or just check out their website, as you will not be sorry you did! read more

Moved here from Austin Texas back in August, I was going through another realty company that was giving me the run around. We came up to Inwood Manhattan and met John Shortall the day before we had to leave, all hope was lost before him. We went to his office and told him what we wanted and where, he then said I think I have a few places for you two......WOW!!!! came out of both of months but time was really running short. We saw few places and decided which one and John said he would work on it for us while were back in Texas. A week later John gives us a call saying you are now residence of Manhattan, got us everything we ask for location and price. After getting here we thought maybe that would be the last time we had heard from him but boy we were wrong about that, he gave us a welcome package of cool things to get us started in the big city. I warned him that he just became our Google for the area, so now at least once a week I go by there and he always welcomes me in and gives me tons of info on where to find things, he even helped me find a job at a local Yoga place that had just open. I think I might name one of my kids after this guy. He went above and beyond what I had expected, a friend for life. Thanks John and New Heights. read more

Professional - Knowledgeable - Honest - Driven - Patient - Dedicated Five stars for New Heights Realty Staff and more specifically for John Shortall, the real estate agent who went above and beyond his role and responsibilities while helping me to find an apartment. John Shortall was recommended to me from a good friend who lives up in the neighborhood. I'm so glad that I had a chance to work with John. Right from the start I knew that I was in good hands. He knows the neighborhood like the back of his hand, a veritable walking fact book! Even better, people (many were former clients that he helped find apartments) were stopping him in the street to say hello and chat. Not only is he excellent at his job, but you can tell that he really enjoys it and that he has a special knack for connecting with people....naturally! How refreshing is that? The entire process was completed in a very short time and we looked at many apartments, it was hard to decide which one was nicer.....I'm looking forward to moving into my bright, clean, affordable and close to the train apartment - Can't wait to explore all that Inwood has to offer....Thanks again to John! read more

I was referred to John Shortall at New Heights Realty through a friend of a friend. I had decided Inwood was probably my best bet for getting more space at a lower price than I had been paying on the Upper West Side. My deadline was fast approaching and although I had already worked with several realtors in the area, I wasn't happy with any of the apartments I had seen. As soon as I started working with John, things changed for the better. He quickly came up with several good apartments in Inwood. I chose the one the one that had the best view, was rent stabilized, was in a building with a excellent reputation, had a nice amount of space and layout for the price, had good light and was on a quiet street. What a find! John was also very understanding when at the last minute I had a case of the jitters and almost pulled out of the deal. He didn't pressure me. Instead he just listened patiently and let me reason it out. I'm glad I came to my senses and went through with the rental. I've been here for almost a year and I'm very happy with the place. Thanks, John!!! read more

I agree with this last poster! I had such a great experience with New Heights Realty. When I rented my apartment I was forced to move up from down town. I was not happy with the idea of moving at all! Inwood has pretty parks etc. so I got used to it...but first I worked with another agency that never got back to me and they were rude when I told them my budget. New Heights Realty was a breath of fresh air! I sat down with a nice man- I can't remember his name but he has a cute dog...maybe it was John too? Anyway he listened as I told him what I was looking for and only showed me things I could afford. Why tempt me with stuff I can't afford? Other agencies did that...any way he showed me several places and made the process very easy. I don't particularly like their bathroom but when you gotta go!! Well- they were all very nice, very professional, very warm and respectful...and I even got a "goodie bag" at the end! UPPDATE: Come to find out that guy I worked with was John! John Shortall! (He sent me a postcard!) and he does sales & rentals in Inwood... read more

John Shortall of New Heights Realty helped me immensely with my move to Inwood. I was unsure about moving uptown from Lower Manhattan and so I asked John for a tour before deciding on Inwood. He was really gracious about it, showing me a few apartments and pointing out the unique qualities of the neighborhood. It was clear that he knows nearly all of the business owners, building owners, and the supers, and his advice was invaluable. I moved into one of the great apartments he showed me and am very happy here. Since the move, I have found myself in need of advice about finding services in the neighborhood. Every time I have asked John for his opinion, he has helped me make a great connection, be it with a massage therapist, yoga class, or dog acupuncturist, and he spent a lot of time with me making sure I had the information I needed. John is really nice, smart, and honest. I have recommended him to friends and they say the same things. John Shortall and New Heights Realty make my neighborhood even more livable and wonderful. read more

We found Lisa Castro of New Heights Realty by accident after attending an open house she was hosting. She listened to our story, background, price range and what we were looking for in our new home, and suggested we look one neighborhood north in Riverdale. Lisa knows both the Inwood and Riverdale neighborhoods very well, having lived in the area herself and owning property for many years. She stayed with us through the entire co-op purchase process, answering all our questions (sometimes many times over) and providing calm and context throughout what can be a stressful experience. She even told us that she showed what is now our apartment to another couple first, but while walking them through, had a sense that it would be right for us. To feel known, listened to and taken care of through such a process is a great gift indeed. We would work with Lisa again in a heartbeat and recommend her highly. read more

My husband and I were busy going to open houses and were lucky enough to meet Rebecca Pelletier from New Heights Realty at one of the very first ones. She was the only Realtor we met during that early experience who took the time to really find out what we were looking for and truly understand what fit our needs not only at that moment, but also down the road. It was a breath of fresh air! She was exceptional at explaining the process of buying a Coop and supported us in completing the daunting task of the board application. She was always easily available and was supported herself by her wonderful team of colleagues at New Heights. The entire process of purchasing our Coop would not have happened without her amazing guidance and support. My husband and I strongly recommend working with Rebecca and her amazing team at New Heights Realty for all your buying and renting needs. read more

We met with Maria on a rainy Friday afternoon/early evening, after having called her that morning (she was recommended by a friend who had lived in Inwood for a decade). She walked us around Inwood, showing us progressively better apartments, but was never ever pushy. As other reviewers have said, people on the street knew her by name. The apartments ranged from okay to lovely. We went with the last place we looked at, which is a dream. We signed the lease that afternoon/next business day and couldn't be happier a year later. This was one of the easiest, most positive experiences renting an apartment I have ever had, after 15 years living in Manhattan. Thank you Maria. Highly, highly recommended. read more

We met with Maria on a rainy Friday afternoon/early evening, after having called her that morning (she was recommended by a friend who had lived in Inwood for a decade). She walked us around Inwood, showing us progressively better apartments, but was never ever pushy. As other reviewers have said, people on the street knew her by name. The apartments ranged from okay to lovely. We went with the last place we looked at, which is a dream. We signed the lease that afternoon/next business day and couldn't be happier a year later. This was one of the easiest, most positive experiences renting an apartment I have ever had, after 15 years living in Manhattan. Thank you Maria. Highly, highly recommended. read more

I was frantically looking for an apartment for a July move-in and was recommended by a co-worker to look in the Inwood area by going through New Heights Realty. I worked with John Shortall, and he immediately made me feel at ease about the whole moving process. Working with an extremely tight budget, I was hesitant that there would be anything available in my price range, but John found a handful of options that fit my price range and desired apt criteria. He really listened to what I was looking for, was reliable and refreshingly honest. It was the ideal broker/apt hunt situation and could not have gone more smoothly. read more

We very recently sold our apartment through New Heights. Rob Kleinbardt was our agent and made us feel completely comfortable from the first time we met him. This was our first time selling a home and we had already moved out of NYC; Rob was completely trustworthy and transparent about the process. He kept us well-informed and was responsive and respectful of all our questions and concerns. We highly recommend New Heights -- while we worked directly with Rob, we were in brief correspondence with other agents at their office along the way, and all were equally courteous and professional. read more

If you are looking for a place in Inwood, come straight to New Heights. My husband and I met with John Shortall at New Heights, and he was amazing. He's not your "typical" broker -- the kind who pressures or scares you into taking something right away if you're unsure about it. He never showed us anything that was above our max price range. He's lived in the neighborhood for 16 years and knows everyone. He's just an all-around good guy, and he will find you an apartment that you love -- and you will actually ENJOY the process! read more

My husband and I recently worked with Rebecca Pelletier. We sold our co-op, and were nervous about finding a new home in time for us and our child. Rebecca was not only incredibly diligent, understanding, on top of every detail, but she also was - is - incredibly personable, and it made a world of difference. She is a true professional, and she is TRULY interested in helping her clients find the right fit. I hope we won't be moving for a long time, but she will be first on our list when that time comes. read more