This review is written with the following caveats: 1. I don't care to write reviews, which is why this is my first on yelp. 2. I didn't even rent an apartment from SPAK, but was shown around several apartments in Philly in March/April 2018. I wound up finding something more convenient for me elsewhere. With those two points in mind, I am still driven to write a review for SPAK. I tried for months to find a perfect apartment with my partner, and found out that many landlords and property managers are completely justified in receiving their poor reviews. Overall, the experience was negative for me. In one case, we found the perfect apartment, but found the property manager's office so disorganized that they couldn't find the apartment keys, and couldn't even spell things correctly on their rental agreement (it's only a legally binding contract, after all.....). SPAK, on the other hand, were the model property managers, so far as I know them. David, who showed us around two properties, was prompt and honest at the several showings we requested. He was very accommodating when I asked for repeat showings in order to include my partner, and was not pushy in any way. When he found out that I decided to rent elsewhere, he seemed genuinely pleased that I had found a place to suit my needs. SPAK's apartments were all in good condition, and didn't have any of the things which normally put you off (e.g. having coin-operated washer/dryers instead of normal ones). Although I have no experience living in their properties, the fact that they quickly answered my calls even though I rang them beyond office hours leads me to believe that they are responsive landlords. David pointed out to me the landlord's own home, which was very close to the rental properties, which probably helps reduce response times. If you can rent from these guys, I would say "go for it!". Otherwise, find a local landlord who lives near their properties and rent directly from them (as I did). read more

I lived at 629 S 49th street, apt2 for two years between 2014 and 2016 with my wife. It was a wonderful experience. I think that apartment combines a peaceful neighborhood with great comfort. Landlord is always very attentive to tenants demands, and the relationship is very horizontal. The only reason we had to left the apartment was the fact that we did not have enough money to continue paying the rent, in which case the landlord offered us going to a cheaper apartment. We would love to continue living there, but it was a bit expensive for us. Putting aside the rent (typically around 1300-1500), you living costs will be the heating (around $50 in summer, $150 in winter) + electricity, etc (no more than $50 per month). Internet and washing is free, so if you don't want to pay more than 1,500 -1,600 a month, this is a perfect place to live in Philly. Neighbors from apt 1 and 3 were lovely. Never had problems with them, although that may not be the case forever. You never know who will be up and down. But again, our experience was great with them. People are generally very cooperative, and if someone has a problem, you write an email to everyone in the building and we solve it together. If you want to live in this apartment, you will have to be able to share decisions with your neighbors. I would also highlight that the 49th street is in the middle of a very diverse neighborhood. We were looking something socially integrated, and this apartment clearly meet that wish. It is also very close from Baltimore (just one block) and everything is there, from bars and restaurants, to green stores and squares. I really recommend you this apartment! read more

Excellent landlord from move-in to move-out. I stayed in one of their properties on 51st and springfield for one year and was very pleased. I would have stayed longer or moved to one of their other properties if I weren't leaving town. When it came time to move out, I had some difficulties on my end, but was contacted by the landlord to have them sorted out. Not something they had to do when they easily could have left it unsaid and charged me to make a profit off my deposit. The apartment was clean upon move in, and they always promptly responded to any maintenance requests I had within the week if not within 24 hours. Very responsive to any concerns, often you can text one of the agents and get a quick response during business hours. Thankfully I did not have any emergencies while living there but was provided with a personal cell phone number to contact in the case that I did. Easily the most honest and transparent landlords I've ever had the pleasure of doing business with. You won't come across better customer service in real estate in Philly than with Spak. I highly recommend renting with them if you have the option. The landlords actually care about their properties, the state they're in, and the people residing within those homes. You can tell by the care they've taken to maintain the properties in their original, historical styles. Bonus perk: All pets no matter what shape, size or breed are welcome in their properties! Easily deserving of a 5/5 review. read more

In a city with so many renters, landlords aren't compelled to be good to tenants and it's hard to know what you're getting until after you've signed the lease. So it was a relief to me, after I moved into one of Spak Group's properties, to find that they are excellent managers. Maintenance issues are taken care of promptly, communication is quick, and tenants are treated like people. For example, I was out of town on Jan 1st and was given an extension to pay my rent when I got back into town. As I had always been on time up to that point, I'd like to believe that I earned the exception, but there are plenty of landlords that don't consider that sort of thing--there is no real relationship between them and their tenants. This is not the case with Spak Group and it shows. As I was moving out, David (the manager) even offered me advice about buying a home in the future, and Ryan (one of the owners) once helped me try to rescue a cat. :) I lived at 5020 Pentridge St. I found the neighbors, in the building and on the block, to be friendly and rarely had issues with noise. The grounds and building were kept clean and the apartments in the building have great amenities--including high quality washers and dryers, central heat/AC, and very high ceilings. The reason I moved out was because I needed to be in another part of the city (where they don't have properties), but I would happily rent from them again if I moved to an area where they operate. read more

I lived in 434 S 43rd Street from 2019-2020. I had a great experience with Spak from the beginning. They showed us around the apartment and made sure all our questions were answered. They let us use credit karma instead of running a hard inquiry on our credit, which I appreciated. And they made sure to go over any questions I had with the lease! Moving in was simple and fine. But I think it's the smaller moments that really showed how great they were. They were responsive to our maintenance requests, replying within 24 hours and having someone over soon. I also remember that when I messed up sending a check (switched the recipient address), they called to make sure I understood what I needed to do for next time so that it didn't happen again. During COVID when I left a bag of clothes in the hallway and other residents raised concerns, I appreciated how quickly they called me to explain where they were coming from and were very kind about the situation. Moving out was easy, they only charged us for the very noticeable damage we caused (ink in washer & scratched tub). When I sent them an email to clarify that one of those issues were there when I moved in, they were happy to give me my money back! Landlords in general have a bad rep, but I would say that Spak is definitely one of the better ones! read more

We spent this past year at 5020 Pentridge Street and are very sad to be moving out of Philadelphia. Ryan Spak and the rest of Spak group have been more accommodating and helpful than I could have hoped for, from helping us navigate the difficulties of moving to being hyper-responsive about any questions or concerns we have. The office is on the first floor of the building, so you can stop by to say hi or to let them know if you need anything. The apartments are beautiful, well made and designed, and utilities have turned out to be really inexpensive. The neighborhood is wonderful, the building is brand new and quiet, and this is the first time I've had a landlord that placed the best interests of the residents first. Could not recommend this location more! read more

My girlfriend and I started renting a house in Northern Liberties from Spak Group a few weeks ago (amid a global pandemic). There were a few minor issues with the house that we noticed once moved in, but Spak Group has more than made up for it by being patient with us in making sure that every detail gets resolved. David has been easy to get in contact with and checks back with us to make sure everything is perfect. John and Israel (who have helped us with maintenance things) have been so kind and respectful, and their hard work is not going unnoticed. During a difficult time, the responsiveness of David, John, and Israel (and the whole Spak Group team) have made us feel so welcome in our home and optimistic about the future! read more

I lived at 5020 Pentridge St. in West Philly for 3 years. I had lived in 4 Philadelphia rental properties prior to then, and Spak was by far my best rental experience in Philly. The apartment was new and with seemingly high quality appliances, and the price was reasonable based on location and that I had laundry, central air/heating, and a dishwasher in the unit! Whenever there was an issue, it was responded to very quickly and attended to with attention to detail. When the pandemic began, Spak immediately contacted their renters and let us all know we wouldn't be evicted no matter what. I would definitely recommend renting from Spak! read more

My girlfriend and I moved into the apartments at 5020 Pentridge Street in the summer of 2016. We have had an incredibly pleasant living experience here--we love the neighborhood, with many eateries located along Baltimore Ave (most of which are locally owned!) and the lovely parks that are merely blocks away. The apartments themselves are new, so all the appliances are modern and easy to use. Whenever we ran into any snags, Spak was readily available and extremely knowledgeable and helpful. If we were not moving South for Grad school, my girlfriend and I would definitely have loved to continue living here. Highly recommend! read more

We secured this apartment while long-distance apartment hunting. Spak was great about helping us feel comfortable about moving into a place without physically being there and helpful as we worked to send deposits and signatures across distance. Our time in the apartment was great. David was responsive when things came up and I always felt in the loop when larger maintenance projects were happening (we knew they were painting hallways before we walked out into wet paint for example). The whole building was lovely and pet friendly! read more

I was fortunate to find the Spak group after being displaced and finding myself homeless by the pandemic. They're the best. Truly a blessing with what they're doing as far as affordable housing. A lot of developers need to take notes! Currently, everything in my unit is new. So no maintenance issues, but they have been very prompt when something does come up. Teressa is bomb! David is wonderful. Ryan and Marsha y'all are amazing. Please continue showing these greedy developers that you can have affordable housing AND be profitable. read more

How many landlord horror stories have you heard? My guess is a whole bunch. NOT with these guys! My girlfriend and I moved to Philadelphia 4 months ago and choosing Spak Group was honestly our best call. They have been attentive, reasonable, and respectful since before we even moved in. We haven't had any major issues in the apartment, but the minor items have been handled quickly and professionally with no question. We look forward to the rest of our lease term with Spak, and have no doubt we would sign it again. read more

Just moved to Philadelphia from Richmond, VA. Ryan has been extremely helpful throughout. He is extremely responsive, despite how busy you can tell he is. He truly believes in his community and the quality of work; I think he was as excited as I was going through and showing me the apartment and the work he and his crew did. The apartments are gorgeous with quality to match. Both him and his business partner are extremely respectful and helpful. I would recommend that you consider renting from him! read more

I have lived in a Spak Group apartment for over three years. From day one, Ryan took the time to help orient me to the local area and always shows a great deal of passion and dedication to his work and to the local neighborhood. He and his business partner Marsha consistently go above and beyond to ensure that the apartment and building is safe and cared for. They have a quick response time to maintenance requests. I definitely recommend renting from Spak Group. read more

I am beyond grateful to live where I live. Ryan Spak has, since day one, been going above and beyond the call of duty to turn these studios into luxury apartments. There is actually free wi-fi in my apartment. The floors are gorgeous, the dishwasher and washer/dryer are included, and the rent is more than reasonable. He very clearly has faith in his neighborhood and he's committed to making it better. read more

Great company , i was living at 317 N 52nd st .. One of the best realty i ever rented from. They always on time and fast when you have a issue, they was nice and worked with you if you had any issues. If I could've stayed I definitely would've. Best part is spak group made it feel like family not just a realty i was renting from. Hopefully I'll be able to come back in the future. read more

I had a wonderful experience renting from The Spak Group. Both management and maintenance staff were welcoming and supportive. I particularly recommend The Spak Group to my friends who are moving to Philadelphia for the first time. David helped make the move-in process seamless, offered a wonderful virtual tour, and helped me feel welcome throughout my time renting. read more

I had a fantastic experience living at 5020 Pentridge St. The landlord and operations manager were extremely courteous, helpful and responsive. The apartment layout with its high ceilings, central heat/cooling, in-unit washer/dryer, amenities and proximity to trolley station is a pleasure to live in. I would recommend to anyone without any reservations. -Sri read more

Ryan Spak is a con-artist. He spends his time swindling his tenants out of money, neglecting their needs, and engaging in cruel mind games. He utilizes terrorizing tactics to bend tenants to his will. DO NOT GIVE SPAK GROUP YOUR MONEY, TRUST, OR TIME. read more