This realtor changed their name. They were called - "Smart Realty LLC". Watch your back with them... They managed to shadow ban my friend's review here for her honest and horrible living experience of an apartment she leased through them and managed by Jonas Equities which she is still in court almost a year after she moved out. They withheld her security deposit and endure some atrocious harassments by a senior living in the same building.. They act like their not at fault. She reached out to them explaining the issues while she was still a tenant and they DID NOT CARE nor offered her an apartment to move into despite the horrible things she was dealing with paying rent every month!!! They never offered her a new apartment nor an apology while they were closing apartment deals weekly! These careless nobody's are the low of the low while only caring to collect your hard earned cash!. I'm here to make sure people shopping for "affordable" rentals don't fall victim to these terrible traps. Do your research before signing. read more

Must say, it feels great to pay $5000 for these guys to be rude, unresponsive and useless to you when you're looking for an apartment! Thank God broker fees are ending soon. Avoid this company if you can. read more

Josh helped me to secure a great unicorn of an apartment in Brooklyn. I had put my deposit down and was in the process of signing my lease. However when my circumstances unexpectedly changed and I could no longer move forward with the lease, Josh ensured that my deposit was returned in a very timely fashion and was very understanding about the matter. In a work of dishonest NYC brokers, Josh was honest, reliable and trustworthy. I would definitely work with them again and would recommend them to any friend. read more

I got email from Josh then he introduced me to Marvin who is very unprofessional person. I had a appointment with him for viewing the unit. I was a little bit late cuz I got lost. When I get there, I texted him. Then he text back. Only "LEFT" He said he want go home and want eat something.I don't understand. Are we friends? Of course not. I'm customer. He was very unprofessional and has a lot of excuses. it was a really waste of time for me. Even I wasn't on time, he should wait or text me before leave.This has never happened to me before.  I will never use this company. NOT Recommended!! Worst company Ever!! I didn't make appointment 645. Our appointment was around 730. Then I texted him I'll be there 8. He said okay. Then when I got wrong building, I talked him on the phone around 7:50. read more

Both Jake and Josh were great during the entire process! They communicated honestly and kept me updated. And they are very nice men to work with. As a result I got the apartment I REALLY wanted and I could not be happier. Thank you SO much!!! read more

Smart NY Realty - Real Estate Agents Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

To start, I want to give Josh big kudos in assisting me with my transition into my new apartment while I was out of the state and in the middle of a pandemic no less. Although I was temporarily in Illinois due to Covid-19 related manners, Josh was extremely communicative, quick to process my application, and set up my lease signing. Josh would text/call regularly to keep me updated and to ease my anxiety-- if you know the hassle of apartment hunting in New York, you will understand how imperative quality communication is and Josh was fabulous. Josh really went above and beyond, and if the other members of the team are like him, you will be in amazing hands. Second, when I did arrive back in the city, I was able to sign my lease and receive my keys upon getting to the apartment all within an hour. Additionally, before I was even done signing the lease, I had an email in my inbox outlining how and who I should contact to set up all of my utilities and internet, as well as the link to establish online rent payment! Further, to continue the top-notch service, Josh sent me a follow-up text after a couple of days ensuring that I was happy and getting settled in the new apartment. As a Midwest girl, originally, I found the kindness and care to be really stellar and was much appreciated. All in all, Smart NY Realty really helped me find and secure my new home and ease the process by being kind, communicative, and honest. Thank you so much! read more

Josh Brick made up for all the disappointing experiences I've had with brokers. I've been searching for an apartment for months and needed to move ASAP. Josh was on point from our first communication, open and HONEST about what to expect with moving costs. He was early for the appointment, not pushy at all, and helped me navigate the application process with ease. I met Josh for viewing at 11:15 am, and before 2pm had signed the lease to my new place. Josh is very knowledgeable about the NY market. I consider him THE go-to person in finding your home. He is a businessman, but his jovial, friendly, and relatable personality made him a joy to work with. I could not have asked for better. read more

Such a treat working with Smart Realty NY! They were professional, understanding and patient throughout the entire process. The office is cute and everyone is so nice! They took my picture after! It was my first grown up solo apartment and they made it very special. Thank you! read more

I was working with Sam. Initially things were fine, he was working with my family and I on an apartment that would work for us. We found an apartment that was listed at $1575, we put in an application with all of our paperwork and the $100 application fee ($50 per person) over the next few days. I then get a call from Sam telling me that we will likely get the apartment, but that there was a mistake, and the price of the apartment was actually $1600. I didn't feel this was fair as we had been dealing with this apt at $1575 since the beginning. Sam said it wasn't in his control because the apt was rent stabilized and rent has to go up every year, he doesn't know who listed apt at 1575, and it is what it is. My wife and I were feeling like we were caught in a "bait and switch" scheme and I told Sam that we felt like we were hustled, and lied to; and we weren't interested in a higher price, we wanted the listed price in the ad. We decided to cancel our application and continue our search elsewhere. **UPDATE** Broker called to apologize for the confusion, said it was the management company who told price was $1575, but landlord wanted $1600 and they didn't know. He did refund my $100 application fee. An wished me luck in my apartment search. read more

Jake was super helpful, especially considering I was looking for an apartment during the COVID crisis. He was responsive and understanding, I was able to see the apartment no contact, and the office was extremely accommodating in allowing online payment methods since my bank's physical locations were all closed. At the lease signing, Steve and Josh offered gloves, masks and hand sanitizer. Jake and the office made everything as smooth and safe as possible. Thank you so much!! read more

I wish I could leave them six stars! Steve is the epitome of professionalism, courtesy and...he is just really nice, too! I was looking for an apartment after living in my current apartment for 17+ years so I didn't have the first clue how the process worked and Steve took great care in explaining timeline and answering my questions. I was so jittery about the whole process trying to make sure that me and my son would land in just the "right" new home and Steve UNDERSTOOD that and worked diligently to help me each step of they way. His office was also very quick to issue refunds of deposits whenever my application was not the first one in and not considered. I highly, highly recommend Steve and his associates to anyone looking for their next home. He always responded to calls quickly and went above and beyond to help my search be fruitful. I worked with JAKE and he is the model of courtesy and treated me with such dignity. He was always on time to our meetings and waited patiently while I measured rooms, etc. I had only heard horror stories about dealing with real estate brokers but Steve and the rest of his staff inspired me with HUGE confidence and actually made the process feel...not scary at all. I know Steve's central goal is to make sure people find a HOME and not just to get them into just "any" apartment as fast as possible. There were plenty of times Steve could have just told me to take X apartment but he knew I was looking for a special spot for my young son to grow up in and he worked hard to make sure I was completely comfortable and would not settle until the exactly right fit was there. THESE FOLKS ARE WONDERFUL! read more

This company is the best! My husband and I are in our sixties and have moved many times. We had the best ever experience with this team of professionals; they did not disappoint. Eli was great to work with! We highly recommend Smart NY Realty. read more

NEVER use this company or any of its aliases. I should have trusted the reviews and realized that Jake was a scumbag from the very start. Jake found me a studio in Ditmas Park that was in the process of being renovated when I first saw it at the end of November. He told me it would be ready by December 15th if not before. I trusted him (first stupid mistake), applied, gave a deposit, was approved, and began my wait. About a week into December and around 10 days from my hopeful Dec. 19th move date, I asked Jake for an update. He got back to me a day or two later, saying that it MIGHT be ready then, but he didn't want to make any promises. Excuse me? I went back and forth with him for a bit, saying I would be traveling for the holidays and needed to move in. He then told me it would be ready by the 23rd (doable, but still ridiculous.) I finally asked to speak to the manager of the apartment. On the phone, the manager told me that it wouldn't be ready because Jake NEVER INFORMED THEM OF MY MOVE DATE. He said that the 23rd was doable to finish renovating the studio, but basically said that it would be poorly done and need repairs afterward unless I could be flexible with my move date. When I went to Jake with this information and said I would need him to waive his fee for me to still take the apartment, he got super defensive, saying he'd done all he could throughout the process, even gone beyond his duties as a broker by going down to the manager's office when the manager didn't reply to his e-mails, saying that he was going off the word of the super and the management and that it was their fault the studio wasn't done, etc. I asked to see the apartment and proof of all this. I met Jake on the 19th at the apartment. He showed me his e-mails back and forth with the manager, showing when the manager didn't reply. NOTE: There was ZERO proof that he had submitted my intended move date with the application. Then I saw the apartment. I was appalled. The floors looked like they had JUST been sanded (pile of fresh sawdust still sitting in the middle of the floor) and still needed to be refinished. No cabinets or appliances in the kitchen. Bathroom still in shambles. Hardly a difference from when I had seen it three weeks prior. I kid you not, it looked like they had literally just STARTED the renovations the day before. THEN Jake had the super come in and tell me that it would be done the following Tuesday, two days from then. I said no, there's no way, if it is "done" it'll be a terrible job and I'll have to deal with the aftermath. I finally said I didn't want it, and to please refund my deposit and all fees. It was only THEN that Jake said he called the management and that they would MAYBE knock the rent down $50 and if they didn't, he would knock a WHOLE $200 off his fee, be still my heart. Nope. If the management and broker are this shady and blaming each other this much at the start, that's indicative of the problems to come. I got my deposit back, but not the $125 I spent on the application. If I had known the apartment wouldn't be ready, I never would have applied. Because of Jake's antics, I had to find a different apartment (luckily I found one that's better, from a legitimate broker), change my move date, change my vacation plans, and waste time and money doing so. Seriously. Trust the reviews. Don't give these scumbags a penny. read more

Came across an apartment on craigslist that I wanted to see so, as instructed in the listing, I text the guy (Jake) to arrange a time to see the apartment. He immediately asks for my salary and credit score, which is a bit slam-bam-thank-you-ma'am, but I understand that nobody wants to waste time. I arrange to see it that night after work. I ended up being FORTY-FIVE minutes late to the appointment 'cause I got lost outside of the subway station! Jake was nice about it despite having to wait almost an hour. I see the apartment and I LIKE IT. But I later google the mgmt company and they have HORRIFIC reviews. Two days later, Jake follows up with me and asks if I'm interested in filing an application. What? A broker in Brooklyn following up with me after a showing? Has never happened in my 11 years of being a tenant here. I tell him "no" because the broker fee is high and the Yelp reviews of the mgmt company (of the bldg) is atrocious. But he convinces me to reconsider and I ask him if he'll show the apt to my fiancee. So Jake does a day or two later. Boo likes the apt. But we don't do anything. We're on the fence about it. Two days later, Jake FOLLOWS UP with boo! Holy cow! A second follow-up! Are we living in Nebraska or NYC? Ultimately, we filed an application for the apt and got approved a day or two later. We liked the apt and, despite the uncertainty of how good (or bad) the landlord will be, we're excited to move. We would have never filed an application if it weren't for Jake's persistence and courtesy. Josh (head guy) also made himself available throughout to answer questions. Based on this service, Smart NY Realty undoubtedly deserves five stars. read more

I found Josh and Smart NY Realty in a rather odd and unexpected way but I definitely cannot complain about the end result as I will be signing a lease on a great apartment tomorrow!!! After a long, exhausting and unsuccessful apartment search, I had finally just broke down and decided to go the Broker route. I met with a few different agents but they didn't really inspire much confidence. They stumbled their way through the apartment showings and fumbled through any questions that I asked them. I had just seen an apartment and was in the elevator headed to the lobby when Josh got on the with a young couple. It was obvious from their conversation, that he had just shown them an apartment in the building and he was detailing to them the application process. With nothing to lose, I stopped him as we were exiting the elevator and struck up a conversation. I told him my story and what I was looking for. After asking me a few questions, he told me about a few apartments that he had in the area that fell within my price range. He apologized saying that he was on his way to meet with other clients but gave me his card, took my information and agreed to meet me the following day. The following morning, before I could call him, Josh called me to re-confirm our appointment. He showed me a few apartments and I just fell in love with the 2nd one that he showed me. It was just what I was looking for, in the area I wanted and it didn't break the bank. I think that what surprised me most, after all my previous experiences, was that he took the time to answer all of my questions and go through the application process with me. I sent him my paperwork that evening and just 2 days later he called me to tell with the good news. THE APARTMENT WAS MINE!!!!! read more

It was such a relief to go through an apartment rental process that was nothing like the nightmares I endured previously. I saw the apartment online, contacted Jake and even with my concern about the cost- I'm glad I went to see it because it was wonderful and in an amazing location. I was worried about having to secure by the time my temporary housing situation ended but let me tell you, Jake was the most reliable and comforting person. Applying for an apartment isn't easy and there's a lot of questions that get brought up. Through every step of the way, any concern we had, any inquiries or worries - Jake was available and easily answered everything we needed + more. The application process took a bit of time (through no ones particular fault) and during our most stressed, Jake assured me he is doing everything to make sure we get the apartment. Everyone who works at the office is really kind, made signing the lease stress free. Even after getting the keys, Jake is responding to any small move in concerns we have. It's truly been such a pleasure working with him and this company. Highly recommend read more

Avoid these cheats at all costs. They found me an apartment with bedbugs and a ton of other issues. Jake was worthless. Didn't explain there was a rent concession, MCI, bedbugs, pool with a fee, a bunch of other problems. Buildiing is 315 Ocean Parkway. These cheats are pushing the building off at 330 Ocean Parkway. Case in point this is my unit: http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/330-Ocean-Pkwy-6K-Brooklyn-NY-11218/2099094306_zpid/?utm_source=email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=emo-sendtofriend-similar-homes-image&rtoken=d168762f-53bf-40d1-bfae-5bf098666647~X1-ZUy23l7grm4emh_85kue That is actually 315 Ocean Parkway, Unit 6N. How do I know? Because that craptastic job on the tiles in the bathroom wall is my craptastic unit. Work with them if you want to move in and be forced to move out in a year by the crappy management companies that hired them. Enjoy the lies and shady business practices. read more

I just moved to New York from California, and I came across an apartment listed by Jake at Smart NY Realty. Moving is always stressful, none more so than a cross-country move, but Jake made the process quick and painless. I had a friend view the place for me, which I liked, and after sending all my documents, I was approved in a day or two. Jake then took the time to go over each page of the lease with me over the phone while I was still in California, before anything was signed, which was awesome. Once all was said and done, I was relieved to know that I already had a place waiting for me when I arrived in the city! I'm grateful to Jake for being so patient and flexible with me, and for quickly answering all my questions when anything came up. It was a true pleasure working with him and his team at Smart NY Realty, and I highly recommend them to anyone looking for a new home! read more

I worked with Smart New York Realty while looking for an apartment in Jackson Heights. My husband and I had a toddler and one on the way so we were looking for affordable and comfortable for a soon to be family of four. Also, having had bad experiences with realtors before, we wanted someone personable and trustworthy. Steve was so helpful throughout our hunt. He answered calls, negotiated with building managers and was just overall really helpful. He helped us find a place that fit our criteria, and met us at the lease signing. He was awesome every step of the way. If we ever look in this area again we'd call him! Also, would gladly refer him as well. I'd highly recommend them! read more

I have been in my apartment, for three months now. Josh worked very quickly and I received my approval and keys the very next day, after viewing the apartment and filling out the application. It was almost too good to be true. But Josh worked with me and all my anxieties about moving as well as my insane fear of being scammed, simply due to all the horror stories you hear. He was very patient, and humorous. I would reccomend him and his agency to anyone looking to move to Brooklyn. read more

I'm so happy that I have worked with this company as Jake Weisz (sp) helped me find the perfect apartment! I was originally inquiring about an offer on StreetEasy but I unfortunately waited too long. Jake swiftly sent me another offer via text with pictures that was even better. All throughout the process he's always been available via text or phone and took time to answer my millions of questions (I work in customer service so I appreciate the patience!) Zoe and Haddasah at the realty office were very sweet and friendly once it was time to pay the deposit and sign the lease. Haddasah specifically helped me go through my long lease and answered any questions. Although I read through most of it on my own, she even offered to go through the whole lease together (44+ pages!!). Would recommend and/or use again if needed!! 5 stars+ read more

I had a good experience with Jake at Smart NY Realty. He was on top of his game - efficient, responsive, punctual... and also did some extra legwork for me when I had a bump in the road during my lease-signing. He was helpful and respectful, and also just a friendly, low-key type of guy - nice change from some of the other pushier realtors I've worked with in the past. Nice office staff as well - thank you! read more

I looked at a few places from different brokers at SmartNY Realty. I was really impressed that the brokers weren't overly competitive between each other and waited for me to make the decision which apartment was best for me. read more

I would totally recommend this company. I was able to find my first apartment within a week in a great area. Josh was my agent and was very helpful, reliable, and true to his word. He was very quick to respond via email, text, and phone. Not once did I feel neglected. Please use the company for your real estate needs. Thank you guys once again. read more

I found an apartment with Marvin and the process was incredibly smooth. He responded right away when I initially inquired and he was able to meet up with me within the hour to see the apartment. I was approved within two business days and the company was able to set me up with discounts with my cable provider. I would highly recommend this company. read more

I'm skeptical of the overwhelming number of positive reviews (particularly those that mention how great their experience with Jake was) & have to wonder how many were left by friends or family members of the owner (there is a yelp page for this same business that is terrible & I imagine that they worked on curating this profile after discovering that one). (https://www.yelp.com/biz/smartny-realty-llc-flatlands) I found an apt. on StreetEasy & inquired. I was contacted via text by Jake & the next few days we texted. Jake would not respond for hours at a time & would primarily respond in the very early morning hours (1am-4am), which I perceived to be unprofessional. We scheduled a viewing & he asked multiple times about my availability prior to 6:30pm. I indicated that I could not make it any earlier because of my work schedule & we confirmed that I would view the apartment the following day at 6:30pm. At around 4pm the following day Jake texted me and he told me that he had some sort of emergency that prevented him from showing me the apt. but told me that the super had let me in. Given the fact that I am not a total idiot & the fact that he was clearly unhappy about the fact that I could not make an appointment any earlier than 6:30pm, I knew that there was no emergency and he just did not feel like doing the bare minimum required of his job. I applied for the apt. the same evening I viewed it & paid the $100 app. fee ($50 per applicant). By 9am the following day I received an alert that my credit score had been checked & at 1pm I received a call from Jake who told me the apt. I viewed & applied for was actually not available & I was absolutely livid. How could this have possibly happened? I was so disgusted with this business at this point. Jake told me there was a substantially similar unit in the same building & asked if I wanted to transfer the app. The rent was a little higher but the mgmt co was willing to pay the broker fee & I was absolutely certain at that point that I would not be giving this business a dime of my own money. The following week I finally met Jake at the viewing of the apt. that was actually available, where he disclosed that the rent he had told me over the phone when we decided to transfer our application was actually $30 more than what he previously told me. Later that night Jake texted me w/more enthusiasm than ever about the fact that I was approved for the apt. He told me exactly where I needed to bring thousands of dollars in certified funds for my security deposit made out to the broker co. (I have used brokers before and never paid anything other than the broker fee to the broker). I am a landlord-tenant attorney & I was skeptical about the regulatory status of the building & I followed up with many questions about what the money was for & essentially indicated that I wasn't giving anyone any money until I actually read the terms of the lease & decided that I wanted to enter into this year long, almost $30,000 contract. Much like my previous questions, Jake could not provide meaningful answers to any of them. Their office was going to be closed the following week & I asked to speak directly with mgmt bc I wanted the lease signing to occur before the last 2 days of the month. Josh called me the next day & gave me the info for the mgmt co & told me that I did not need to deal w/SmartNY anymore. He could not answer my questions but made a valiant effort at pretending he could (he attempted to explain the rent stabilization code (RSC) to me & it was clear that he knows nothing about RSC bc I am intimately familiar with it bc ICMYI, I am a landlord-tenant atty). He told me they require a non-refundable deposit to hold the apt. in the event that we didn't go through with the lease signing (so this deposit would bind me into signing a contract that I had never seen, or lose $2600 - if I signed the lease, this would become my security deposit). I'm not familiar w/contract law in NY & I don't deal w/it every day but this strikes me as illegal. I am familiar w/the general obligations law governing security deposits & I know for a fact that security deposits can only be held for property damage. The app. submitted made no reference to any "holding" deposit for the unit in case we backed out. Josh told me this was in consideration for the time spent by mgmt preparing all of the lease docs (which is comical bc it takes ~15 min to change names, numbers, and address on standard lease forms). We set up a lease signing & did not attend due to personal reasons. Josh texted me to reprimand me & use me as a prime example for the non-refundable deposit requirement & I told him how terrible my experience was w/SmartNY & if I had given them a deposit binding me to a contract I had never seen that I would have seen them in small claims court for every penny. He responded sarcastically, thanking me for my "kind words." Hope you enjoy these "kind words" for you and your esteemed colleagues. read more

I wouldn't go through this much hassle only to set up a yelp account and give a rating but the more I think about the poor service my boyfriend and I received considering the hefty broker's fee they charged us the more upset and disappointed I get. I got in contact with Jake from NY smart realty when we were looking for a new home. During the viewing process, it was usually difficult to get Jake on the phone. Our main way of communication was via text messages until my boyfriend "demanded" to speak to him. To this day (after moving in) we still have not met Jake in person. He did not show at the viewing instead told us that the apt would be open and that we can help ourselves in (we had to wait in the lobby area until a tenant showed up so that we could be let through the main entry doors). We went to see the apt twice and this happened both times. We received a (former smoker's apt - although we were told the apt would be fully cleaned out of the smoke and if need be necessary items such as refrigerator would be replaced (which by the way was filled with rotten left-over food and smelled awfully the second you opened it at then viewing) Now, I would like to add that we were in a very tight spot and needed to find a new home within two weeks which is probably why we "were forced" to ignore the many red flags. We submitted our application and heard back about a week later that we had been approved. (I must add that they request your full account information such as account number and routing number etc. Two weeks after submitting my private information my account was victimized of fraudulent activity and my entire account balance was cleaned out.. (unfortunate coincidence??) Two days prior to the move-in date we were asked to bring in the first month's rent, security deposit and the broker's fee to their office in Flatbush. We were given instructions only to find out upon arrival that Jake forgot to mention one very important detail that would void one of the three checks. We were not given the key at that time. Additionally they asked us to leave the two (approved) checks with them?! The second day we returned with the new third check and again no keys were give to us (although Smart NY Realty had been PAID IN FULL!) After we insisted not to leave without any keys they finally gave us the cell phone number to the super and asked us to work it out with him. They did not have the lease ready either for us either.. now this is where things started to get ugly. They asked us to come back a third day to sign the lease. At the time of the lease signing, the lease contained of 40 pages. (I must add that the lady who assisted me that day, Hadesha I believe is her name, was very professional and helpful - and represent everything that Smart Ny Realty does not in my opinion). Once completed I asked for a copy, I was told it will be mailed out a few days later. After waiting a week l reached out to Jake for the lease copy, I was told I would have to wait 1-2 months for it?! He then continued to ask me to sign a key release form claiming it was not attached with the other lease documents. I clearly remember signing it in the office earlier. I ended up signing it (again) and sent it back to him.. to no surprise never heard back, not even confirming the receipt. I found the experience with Jake at Smart NY Realty very disappointing and I would NOT recommend them. Unless you are in our situation with days to find a home and just have to the the crap as it comes. I got the feeling that the focus was about getting that broker's fee rather than serving the purpose of what the real estate industry is suppose to do - FIND HOMES for people, be HONEST and make sure your clients are SATISFIELD. I feel deceived because this was our first home together and on top of this unprofessional experience we were without gas for 16 days our first month (NY Smart Realty had forgotten to notify the main office to register our oven/stove and so had to wait until next available time), three of our windows were cracked/broken, and our safety/slide lock is missing. These things were all reported before we moved and and promised to get fixed prior to move-in date by Jake. Once we signed the lease and paid him in full it was like he never existed. We are at the end of our first month and are now dealing with all the issues with the main office directly, we were told nothing had been reported by Jake beforehand nor does he own the right to schedule any repair, so he was just telling us what we wanted to hear at the time. SUMMARY: My experience with Smart Ny Realty (Jake) is simple; dishonest, complete lack of responsibility and lack of professionalism. We are greatly disappointed! read more

I did not end up renting through Smart NY Realty, but wanted to leave a review in praise of their services. I worked with Josh to find an apartment in Brooklyn in March 2022. I applied to the first apartment that Josh showed me, but unfortunately was too late, as someone else applied right before me. That had been a recurring theme with apartments being off-market quickly, often before I could get a viewing. Josh offered to show me other apartments that were similar to the first one I applied to, and gave me access to view them before they were listed online. Through my years renting in NY, Josh was one of the most attentive and individualized agents I have worked with, and I am grateful for his kindness and candidness through the process. Though I ended up finding a different apartment outside of Smart NY Realty's docket, I will keep them in mind if I find myself looking again in the future. read more

NEVER use this company! They will lie to you, take your money, and let you miss crucial days of apartment hunting while they pretend to be filing an application for apartments that are already off the market. I should have known not to trust them when Josh, the guy I was supposed to meet, sent his partner, Steve, in his stead, who was about an hour late and then didn't have access to the apartment I wanted to see. He then showed me two other apartments which I didn't like, so I made an appointment to see the one he couldn't get into the next day. I loved the apartment and wanted to apply for it, so Steve took my documents, 1-month's rent deposit, and credit check fees, all without batting an eyelash. It all seemed pretty legit, he's an older guy who was quite nice and seemed to know his way around the business (which, I guess, he does, in a sleazy way). Two days later, I was getting a little nervous since they were being vague about whether they had filed my application and when I might hear back. They claimed to have submitted it, but couldn't pinpoint the time, and it seemed like they'd been stalling unnecessarily compared with past real estate agents we've worked with. My mother happened to google the company, and found terrible Yelp reviews, with similar stories to this one, for a company called JB Realty at the same address from a couple of years ago. This made us nervous, so we called the building and found out that not only had Smart NY Realty not submitted our application, but the apartment had been rented a couple of days before. Meanwhile, the $2000 in deposit/fees had been withdrawn from my account. I called Steve, and he was generally quite unapologetic and said he'd cut me a check that Sunday (it was Friday). I insisted on his meeting me immediately to get the money back, in cash. He did give it back, but had no real excuse for this winning combination of incompetence and unethical behavior. My suspicion is that many people, in this situation, wouldn't have realized for another week or so that something fishy was going on, by which point they'd have lost so much time that it would be very easy to corner them into another apartment. (From the beginning Steve did keep trying to sell me on the other places we were able to see that first day, and kept mentioning them even when it was clear I was going to apply for the one place). I'm not sure how many times they can change their name if they keep running this scam, but beware of Smart NY Realty or any other company Josh and Steve start running out of the same address. read more

No one likes to hand over a broker fee, especially when you've just found the place online, but I was so glad I stumbled into the hands of these capable folk. After being shown one place by Jake that wasn't really for me, he then quickly showed me another one nearby and I fell in love with it. He was incredibly patient with me as he tried to send me the paperwork (my email seemed to be on the fritz) and he was available to answer all my questions. After I put in my application and there was a concern that it might not be accepted, he called me to let me know that if that was the case, they'd return the fee. But these guys advocated for me and I am so grateful I have the apartment. I wish I was renting it through them too. Even at the office, the staff were friendly and on the ball. It definitely took some of the pain out of apartment hunting in NYC. read more

DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY!!! All they did is take my money and give me a bunch of excuses. I had an appointment to view an apartment in Prospect Lefferts Gardens on December 3rd, which no one ever showed up for. Josh told us to just go in and the apt door would be unlocked, so we did. After viewing other apartments, we decided to put a deposit down for this apartment. I was expecting to move in by January 1st 2016. After putting the deposit down and paying $100 to check my and my father's credit score, they never once called me back to see if the application went through and I never spoke to Josh or Jake again. When I would call I only spoke with the receptionist. If I asked for Josh she would say he wasn't in. We changed our guarantor twice because the landlord supposedly didn't except my father as a guarantor. When I chose a different guarantor, I waited to see if they would call back to let me know the status of our application but of course they never did. I called them day after day and the receptionist would make up excuses about Josh not being in or the landlord not being able to review our application because it was Christmas. It wasn't until December 30th that they informed me my second guarantor wasn't accepted because she had a low credit score. Which my guarantor decided to check her credit score for herself and her credit was good. They again insisted I should find a third guarantor but after all the excuses I decided to ask for a refund. I originally gave them a $1,200 deposit, but only got $1,150 back because of the credit check for our second guarantor (which they never told me they were going to charge me for). On top of this, they were still posting the same apartment on the app (HotPads) I found them in. They had the same photos that Josh sent us via text (one of them clearly showing him in the bathroom mirror taking the photo). It was telling people to contact Josh to get the apartment and the apartment was available as early as the second week of January. They're all a bunch of scammers and I hope they never get a cent from another person again. read more

DO NOT USE THE BROKER! He will lie, change already discussed prices, and add additional fees way down into the leasing process. Look up more reviews on Yelp for Joshua Brick, Brick Joshua, Smart NY Realty and JB Realty. He operates under different business names probably for this reason. Keep a look out for his phone number and address 1837 Flatbush Ave and do not go near this guy. He also has a partner named Steve that runs the same games. Josh set up an appointment with us for an apartment and never showed up. When we got there he told us the door was open in the unit and to go ahead in. As we looked through the apt and waited on him, he later called and said he went ahead to another appointment. Not sure why he thought that was ok. We called him back (while he was supposedly in his other appointment) told him we loved the apt and wanted to confirm the pricing and fees. Josh confirmed the apartment was $1400, $1400 broker fee and only a $100 app fee to which we would get back if we were denied for the apt for some reason. After we filled out the application, sent over our information and paid the app fee, Josh then told us that the owner wanted $1500 for the apt. After asking what we could do to work out the miscommunication, Josh came back and said the owner would go down to $1450, but the owner would no longer pay the $200 and $250 app to the management company, so we had to pay it. Eventually we got in touch with the owner and the owner said he never made any adjustments in the pricing and Josh only told him that we wanted the apt for $1450, so he agreed. Feeling better having communicated with the owner, we decided to simply ignore Josh and move forward with application, still willing to pay him the broker fee. We asked to see the apt again and hours before the apt, Josh decided to send his partner Steve to meet us, one of is multiple efforts to avoid talking and meeting us in person. As days went by and no word as to what the next steps in the app process would be, we became worried and asked Josh again to review the process. He then told us that none of the fees we had paid, the initial $100 app fee and then the additional $200 app fee were never refundable (although, at the beginning of the process he said any fees would be refundable). This story goes on longer than I would like to continue writing. We ended up withdrawing from the application process after other factors surrounding this apt made us feel uncomfortable. While working with him, you will notice that he prefers to deliver info that is hard to deal with like pricing via text, so he doesn't have to talk to you in person or over the phone. He puts on a great impersonation of a good person, but will do anything to his paycheck at your expense. Point of the story is Joshua Brick is the scum of the earth. read more

Josh was very helpful in finding my new home! Of all the agents I dealt with he was the most honest and kind. Originally he showed me an apartment I was in love with but it was rented to someone in-house same day and he was very helpful in finding something that I loved even more! He also checked in with me twice to make sure everything was alright after I moved in! read more

I had a fantastic experience with Joshua Brick at Smart NY Realty. From the moment I first called Joshua, he was always informative and made himself available to talk. Always appeared on time (early, actually) for all meetings and was able to answer any questions I had about the property I was viewing. Upon my application, he was able to have the landlord make their decision in under 12 hours. This is especially convenient in the rapid NYC climate of rentals. During that day he always notified me if he had questions about my application, and was never too demanding. I highly recommend their services. I dealt with several different companies - mostly awful ones -and this was by far a refreshing experience. read more

Jake and the whole team at Smart NY Realty were amazing: professional, responsive, and punctual at each stage of the process. I found the perfect place and they worked tirelessly with the management company to support me and advocate for me. I highly recommend them to everyone. The (reasonable) fee is worth it in the very stressful game of NYC apartment hunting. read more

Smart NY helped me find my apartment about a year ago. Both Jake and Josh were very pleasant. Jake even drove us from apartment to apartment when searching. When I got cold feet before renting the first apartment, they were understanding and did not keep my deposit but helped me find another one. Reliable and trustworthy. read more

It was an absolute pleasure working with Josh. The entire process from viewing to signing was seamless. Thank you so much for helping find my new home. read more

I have lived in Brooklyn for the last twenty years. I have moved seven times over the course of that twenty years. I have worked with several different realty companies. On a few occasions, I have also had to move due to circumstances beyond my control. Last July I was looking for an apartment due to Covid because I was working from home full time. I was in a very tiny studio apartment. Being home 24-7 in a tiny space was taking it's toll, and I needed to move as quickly as possible. I had very specific needs: same neighborhood, one bedroom, lots of light and windows (I could go on) and I was on a very tight budget. I found a listing I liked, and so I reached out to ask for a showing. I received an immediate response from Josh at Smart NY Realty. Josh showed me the apartment the next day, and though the apartment was not the right fit for me, I decided from that day forward that I wanted to work only with Josh because I knew he would find me a place that met my needs. Josh was extremely professional, kind and courteous. I truly felt he cared about finding me the right place and was determined to find me a home. That same week his colleague Eli showed me a couple more apartments and within a 10 day time frame Smart NY Realty had found me an apartment that not only met my needs, it exceeded my expectations. Eli was personable, professional, knowledable and just as much of a delight to work with as Josh. They both went above and beyond. I never felt that way with the agents I worked with prior to Josh and Eli. I always got the rushed, "they just want their fee" feeling, which is quite common in NYC. Even after I settled in to my new place, I would occasionally reach out to ask questions. Our business had concluded, but Josh was always willing to talk with me and answer questions. Smart NY Realty and agents like Josh and Eli are very rare. I would recommend working with them and sticking with them as I did, because in the end they found the best apartment I have ever had in the last twenty years. Top notch on every level and they really care! read more

Just moved into my new place thanks to Josh and the Smart team. They were so helpful from step one. Only wish all realtors were this accommodating. Josh even offered to lower his fee when the management was adamant that I take the day off to go sign the lease ( I didn't take him up on it since that was out of his hands ) Thanks again for making my move to NY so easy. read more

Josh was very friendly and helpful. I looked at couple of apartments with SmartNYRealty and found a great place near the subway and close to Prospect Park. Josh answered all my questions, was a great liaison between the landlord and super, and made the process very easy and fast. I applied, was approved, and had the keys within a week. It was clear Josh had a long professional relationship with the landlords and building which put me at ease. It's the first time I've used a realtor, I guess I've just been lucky in the past. I figured moving is stressful enough so decided to work with someone who's familiar with new neighborhoods and the whole application process. Josh couldn't have been more helpful. Highly recommended. read more