I will begin this review by immediately expressing how great of an experience I had with Vesta Preferred, and in particular with Kristin Uyl. If anyone is in need of finding a new apartment and has no idea where to begin, I highly recommend contacting Vesta Preferred. I recently had to move out of my beloved Lakeview apartment, and to say I was unexcited to do so is an understatement. I was not too keen on trying to work with an apartment "locator," as I have not heard of or had very good experiences with them in years prior. HOWEVER, I was given Kristin's name and contact information by a very good friend of mine, and I cannot express how thankful I am that I contacted Kristin for help when trying to find a new apartment. Kristin went above and beyond for me when trying to help me find a great new place. She asked about every single particular that I may want (or not want) in an apartment, listened and adhered to my price range, my priorities, etc., etc. She is definitely a hard worker and did her research: she emailed me a list of about 14 places we could possibly look at, requesting I pick my top eight so that she could set up appointments with those I was genuinely interested in. I loved every single of the 14 places she sent me, and it was hard to pick out only eight. However, the ones we visited were perfect, and I could tell that she really had all of my particulars in mind. What's even better was how personable and accommodating Kristin was (and still is, even after I've already all settled into my new place). Kristin picked me up the day of our viewings and drove us to each and every one. After looking at each place she listened to my honest thoughts, likes and dislikes, and answered honestly all my questions (especially those that I believed the apartment managers were giving dishonest or fabricated answers to). The absolute BEST thing about Kristin was how non-pushy she was throughout the entire day. Dealing with someone pushy was my biggest hesitancy in using a service such as Vesta Preferred, but Kristin has changed my mind for the better. She was like a friend tagging along with me while viewing apartments instead of simply someone trying to make a profit off of me. She honestly cared how I felt about each and every place, especially as she knew how unhappy I was to move. The fourth place was my favorite (and the one that I ended up signing), and I couldn't have asked for a better "new friend" to have been with me at the signing that day. She knew I didn't want to make a huge decision like this by myself, but also knew that I unfortunately had to, and also knew that I was under a great deal of stress while doing so (I just finished law school and just moved while studying for the bar exam, so she knew that everything was an additional stressor...and finding a new apartment to live in was quite a big stressor!). She was a great support system, helping me weigh the pros and cons, as well as considering and discrediting the justifications for signing the place. In sum, if it weren't for Kristin, I do not believe I'd currently be living in an apartment that I'm in love with and that already feels like "home". Kristin has been great even after the signing of the lease. She has followed up with me to see how the move has gone, what I need help with, and, most importantly, she genuinely cares. I couldn't have asked for a better helping hand while dealing with such a stressful situation. I have put quite a few of my good friends in contact with Kristin, and each has loved her and has had a great experience. If you are in need of finding a new apartment, you will be doing yourself a disservice if you use anyone other than Vesta Preferred, particularly Kristin Uyl. read more

We can not recommend Matt Williams enough! We were beyond overwhelmed when my spouse and I learned we needed to move from New York to Chicago in 3 weeks for his new job. We were also preparing for a trip abroad and had two days to come to Chicago and look for apartments. I searched for apartments online but thought it would be impossible to find an apartment and someone trustworthy that could assist us in the process. We had used apartment search services when we lived in Chicago previously but found they wasted the client's time, showing very few apartments in one day that are not even close to what the client wants. As I searched for apartments on Zillow, I would contact agents but would not hear back, find unprepared professionals or people that would show me anything and everything outside of my search. One night, around 2 am I found this listing and contacted Matt about it. First thing next morning, I heard back from him. We e-mailed back and forth on the same day as he was gathering information on what we were looking for. By 5 pm on that same day, I had a full list of apartments that had every single one of the items we were hoping to find. The list included thorough information on each place. I was beyond impressed as Matt was so prompt, professional, open to feedback and ready to help - I still am. Matt stayed in touch from the time we set up our meeting and continued to address my concerns. I told him I was nervous with the amount of time we had to find a place but he reassured me our picks were solid and that I would not be disappointed. Nevertheless, he respected my concerns and made himself available for an extra day which gave me great comfort and even more confidence in Matt. I can not tell you how much these things are needed in the midst of a chaotic move! On the day we scheduled to see our appointment, Matt was early and had the apartments ready to show. One thing I noticed was that he carried himself professionally not only with the clients but all others we met - from the doorman to the current tenants to the landlord. His conduct was admirable. When it came time to decide which apartment to rent, it was hard to choose one as even the ones at the bottom of our preference list met all of our needs and wants. As I sit in my new home, I am so thankful to have found a professional that takes the clients' need for a home and his own work seriously. I had peace of mind in finding an apartment in Chicago because Matt was my right arm. He took initiative, stayed in touch, was sensitive to my concerns, upfront about the process, knowledgeable about the market, and responsible as well as professional with the clients and others. He continued to do so after the process and has stayed in touch. I can not recommend him enough as we know if there is ever a need to move again, we will be calling Matt. From the bottom of our hearts - THANK YOU! read more

Ok, so check this out if you are currently as frustrated as I was. Long story short: Purdue Grad, moved from Indiana, took a job out by O'hare, and wanted to live in the city - experience the heart of Chicago. With 'too tight' budget constraints the first time around I landed in Belmont Gardens...and since November, it has been terrible - I have been robbed (not even two weeks into my lease), the neighborhood is awful, nothing to do, lackluster management at my current location, and a 'rat' problem. So I opted for the 1/2 mo. early termination fee and began to do work to get moved....again. I worked with at least 8 professional leasing agencies and 15+ independent landlords over a two month period....Apartment Guys, RENT, Planned Property Management, Rent Here...apartment savvy, and on and on and on. Agencies said "It's impossible to find what you're looking for at that price, in the area you're looking for" and they ended up showing me mediocre places that I would've had to 'settle' for. I had invested so much time into the search I wondered if I would ever find anything! So, I called Vesta Preferred, and Aaron immediately went to work for me. It was amazing. I could hardly keep up. He collected all kinds of information from me and made the effort to get to know me and what I wanted and the same day I was checking properties out online! He always followed through on what he said he would as far as calling, and to all the obligations he made to me. He also did a fantastic job doing his job! He used my target search area and respected the boundaries of where I wanted to be...not showing me apartments or making suggestions of places he knew would waste my time. He respected my budget-my max was my max, and he made it work. After understanding who I was and what I WANTED and what I NEEDED, he made a good compromise of both and found me an amazing one bedroom close to the lake, in a much better neighborhood, close to everything I requested, even with some of my wish list items, and under budget! He proved every other agency wrong - it wasn't impossible, it just took some effort. Might I also mention that I know he went above and beyond for me behind closed doors with the agency and put forth effort he didn't have to, to get it done for me. Aaron/Vesta Preferred are getting 5 stars from me only because I can't give them 6. There is a reason the last place I used to look for an apartment was Vesta Preferred. I strongly recommend Aaron Shadrick and Vesta Preferred to anyone who is either lucky enough to just be starting their search and reads this, or to someone who is finally happy to have read this and found the answer. read more

WOW! I can not say enough good things about Ryan Pyatenko ! I 500% recommend working with him and Vesta! I was incredibly overwhelmed with having to relocate from Washington DC to Chicago with less than a month's notice. I started the search on my own and quickly realized I was in over my head. I had heard that there were some groups that help renters for no fee. I was skeptical and assumed that this service was probably only for very wealthy renters but then came upon Vesta Preferred Realty Yelp site and read all the positive reviews from renters like myself! I messaged the group on Yelp and heard back almost immediately! Ryan reached out within a few hours. From the beginning, he made the process very clear and patiently answered all of my questions! He sent me a huge list of options within that SAME DAY! I made comments, asked a lot more questions, and Ryan adjusted the list as we went. The amazing part of this entire process is that I didn't want to spend an exorbitant amount traveling to Chicago just to view apartments (Prime summer time means flights were like 600$ plus!). Ryan reassured me that I wouldn't have to visit and he would view properties on my behalf and create video tours/photo walk throughs. I was apprehensive and didn't love the idea of not seeing places in person. I can not tell you how impressed I was with how much information Ryan gave me. He toured over his recommended 5 properties for me and sent me MULTIPLE videos from EACH property with a variety of floor plan options. He then took about 10-15 pictures of the amenities and the apartment spaces to supplement the videos. On top of all this, he would upload and send me the information almost immediately after viewing the apartments. I was so so impressed and so incredibly thankful. Ryan really supported me through this process and made my life so much easier. He made himself 100% available and was in contact with me all day, over the weekends, and at night! I wasn't ready to make a decision so Ryan even went and saw another place for me! That ended up being the place I chose so I appreciated his flexibility and willingness to go above and beyond! I wasn't sure how the process would work once I selected and applied for a place. Ryan continues to check in with me, helping me to troubleshoot application issues and make sure I'm doing ok! I highly recommend him and Vesta! Let's all give a shout out to top service! ***One other thing I'd like to note, Vesta seems to have relationships with a HUGE number of luxury apartment complexes in the Chicago area. Their large list of resources made a difference as I had a lot of options to choose from. read more

As everyone knows, moving is one of the most obnoxious and frustrating experiences that humans ever have to deal with. The only thing worse than the actual MOVE is finding a place to move to. After living in a semi-acceptable but mostly haunted hi-rise for 4 years, my roommate and I decided to find some new, better digs. We started the search the way everyone does, Craigslist. After seeing the same pictures used over and over again for allegedly 'different' apartments, we made a few appointments that should really have sitcoms based after them. One Realtor tried (in vain) to convince us that the 'second bedroom' (read: den) would work out just fine if you didn't mind using the hall closet as your bedroom closet, because den was void of a closet. Another one told us that we shouldn't worry about the shower being located in the main bedroom, because we could set up a semi-custody schedule of when it was okay to go into the other person's bedroom to shower. It was hopeless. After having enough of being jerked around, we started searching the web for reputable and well-reviewed real estate companies, and found Vesta. I am SO happy we did. We worked with Brad Robbins who took a detailed inventory of our wants and not-wants, our budget, and our preferences. Within a day he had several listings for us (all awesome) and made the appointments for viewings based around the best times for us. During the viewings, he let us ask the questions so that we got a good sense of the place, but was always sure to follow up on things he knew we would want information on. The absolute best part --and what I think makes this company unique -- is that you never get a sense that the agent is motivated by the sell. There was never pressure to sign, and we could tell that he seriously cared about us finding something we wanted. That's great business. You can just tell that they pride themselves on establishing trust with the client. It was always easy to get in touch with Vesta, and if there was a listing that we found on our own and were interested in, Brad would be back to us with the details on it extremely fast. I can't say enough great things about this company. When I finally decide to be a grown up and buy something, I will be using them without a doubt! read more

I was referred to Vesta by one of my good friends. I was looking for a place in the city as I recently started a job here. I can't speak about everyone else who works at Vesta, but the person I worked with, Andrew was such a great person to work with. He was on top of things from the beginning getting all of the information he could about me to find a place for me that fit all of my needs in terms of distance from work, the type of space I wanted, and budget. After our initial consultation he was very quick to follow-up with me with a list of places that I might be interested in. From there, I choose the options that I liked best and he scheduled showings based on my schedule. At the showings, his professionalism and experience showed as he was good about asking the right questions to the leasing agents at the buildings we were viewing, as well as keeping track of all of the important details in writing. Finally, his professionalism showed throughout the process as he followed up with me at least every other day about the next steps in the process. Now, your mileage may vary in this regard as I was looking for a place to move into within a month. One obstacle I came across was that I was applying and going through the process the week of Christmas and New Year's. Thus, I had problems getting in contact with the leasing agent and general communication problems with the leasing office of the building I was applying to. It was frustrating and overwhelming due to my close move-in date. However, Andrew made sure follow-up consistently, not only with me but with the leasing office to make sure things were on track. When he would get in contact with someone from the leasing office he would make sure to follow-up with me right after. All in all, I don't think that this process would have gone as well or as smoothly without the help of Andrew from Vesta Preferred Realty. If the rest of the firm is as professional and good at their job as he is, I would highly recommend anyone to use Vesta in helping them find their new home read more

I contacted Vesta Realty on May 30th because I had a very narrow window to find an apartment for my daughter who will be moving to Chicago for her 1st job. I also did not have the luxury of searching live because I was in another state. I had found a listing for an apt online and called Vesta to check availability. The receptionist transferred me to Andrew Castillon to assist me. I liked Andrew as soon as he introduced himself. After I explained what my location and pricing requirements were, Andrew took charge and got the ball rolling. He immediately conducted a search and had a listing of matching properties emailed to me in under 40 minutes. Initially, we had booked a flight to Chicago on June 2nd to apartment hunt ourselves, but after connecting with Andrew we coordinated all our showings through him. When we arrived in Chicago Andrew had already sucessfully lined up 3 tours for that afternoon. Meeting Andrew in person was even better, he is an absolute gem. He's informed (this guy knows his trade), professional, prompt, engaging and upbeat. My husband was super impressed with Andrew and that in itself is no easy feat. Andrew stayed in contact from start to finish, keeping us informed on his communication with the properties and eventually making sure that the selected property handled the application process timely. Andrew also responded promptly to all questions even when he was otherwise engaged. To sum it all up, the trip was a success, NO stress ( thank you Andrew) and it turned out to be a great Chicago adventure. Andrew has my highest recommendations, you will not find a better choice in a broker. read more

Scott Tran is the best Realtor I have worked with. I have worked with many realtors and I always had to fire them because I didn't appreciate how they wasted my time, took me to places that didn't fit my criteria, and they worked very slowly. Then I met Scott! This is why he is excellent, and you should ask to work with him: 1. He understood the value of my time. 2. He listened to everything I said, and didn't try to force me to look at places that I wouldn't be interested in. 3. I gave him the impossible task of finding a high end apartment with a low end budget, and he found me, not 1, but MULTIPLE places I would be excited to live in based on move-in specials making them appropriate for my budget. Moving doesn't have to be a horrible experience, imagine that! My time is extremely valuable and Scott didn't waste any of my time, all of the places he took me were all places I would be happy living in, he made it so that I was choosing the absolute best place for myself and not "what I could tolerate" which is how I felt when working with all of the other realtors even at very reputable companies. You know how when you want something done you always end up doing everything yourself, because no one cares as much as you do? Well, this was the first time I could trust someone to do the work for me, and not worry about the quality because Scott delivers on his promises! I truly believe that Scott Tran is one of a kind, and he has made me a lifetime customer. I think you would be making a mistake if you don't use Scott's skills in helping you find your new place!! Good Luck! read more

I'm telling you... Aaron Shadrick is your guy! After the misfortune of dealing with a number of disinterested agents through Craigslist, working with Aaron was such a breath of fresh air. First off, Aaron didn't just ask what we were looking for, he *understood* what we were looking for... even better than we did sometimes! For example: one of the things I mentioned to Aaron was that we wanted something in the South Loop or West Loop where we'd be more in the mix of things. As we viewed places, we mentioned interest in a phenomenal building in the South Loop, and Aaron reminded us that though it was a great building, there wasn't much within walking distance. With each place, he helped us consider the pros and cons based on our search criteria--he was never pushy or impatient and always positive that we would find exactly what we were looking for. Also, I've got to add... Aaron is very busy. And I have to admit, at the start I was concerned about moving forward with him, thinking we wouldn't be a priority. Man... he made us feel as if we were his only client. Aaron always made time in his schedule to accommodate our crazy schedules. Even in the middle of his own moving day, he came out to show us an apartment we were interested in just so we wouldn't miss the opportunity to snag it. Professional, personable, knowledgeable, thoughtful, and dedicated are the words I would use to describe Aaron. I am so very impressed with Vesta Preferred and the way they conduct their business after working with Aaron. Request him... you will not be disappointed! read more

Exceptional Homebuying Experience with Nikki & Vesta Preferred Realty! If you're looking for a real estate professional who is knowledgeable, dedicated, and truly invested in making your homebuying journey seamless, look no further than Lachezar (Nick) Tomanov and his incredible team at Vesta Preferred Realty. From start to finish, our experience was nothing short of outstanding! Nikki made the entire process effortless. All we had to do was describe the type of homes we were interested in, and he took care of the rest--handpicking the best options, organizing viewings with a perfectly planned schedule, and keeping us informed every step of the way. His attention to detail and ability to anticipate our needs made everything stress-free. Communication was top-notch. Nikki was always available, quick to answer calls and texts, and provided invaluable advice that helped guide our decisions with confidence. His negotiation skills are second to none--he fought for us and ensured we got the best possible deal on our dream home. Beyond Nikki's expertise, his entire team at Vesta Preferred Realty was fantastic. They worked seamlessly together, ensuring every detail was handled with professionalism and care. The level of service and dedication they provide is truly unmatched. We couldn't have asked for a better experience, and we are beyond grateful for Nikki and his team's hard work. If you're buying or selling a home, trust me--you want Vesta Preferred Realty on your side. We can't recommend them highly enough! read more

I never write reviews! But I felt compelled after my experience with Vesta Preferred, more specifically agent Lindsay Thompson, mainly because finding your dream place can be such a stressful & discouraging process to begin BUT it all comes down to who you contact for help.. seriously! I was searching for an apartment during the biggest move in month of the year (aug-sept)... I didnt know who to ask for help, but somehow got hooked up with company after company, hopeless agent after agent from random links online---they provided little hope, made my options seem so limited... that I almost settled for.. well crap! However, before throwing in the towel completely...Lindsay Thompson reached out to me.. THANK THE HEAVENS. Because compared to these 3 other companies.. I couldn't believe the professionalism & efficiency in not only getting the ball rolling & fast... but doing all of this via email/text messages/phone calls because I was swamped with college/family stuff. She made the appointments to fit into my schedule perfectly & picked me up no problem at all from my place :) There are SO many things to consider when moving, and you want an agent, like Lindsay, who can bring these needs to the surface... inquire about specifics you may have possibly failed to realize were important. It's not easy to do alone, but when you find someone who can actually listen, match your needs, & not waste your valuable time.. you won't lose hope or give up & I swear... eventually find your dream place :) I did! read more

I recently had a new job offer and was given three weeks to move from Minnesota to Chicago. I knew nothing of the area and was completely overwhelmed from finding an area of the city that would suit my style, with the amenities and price point I was looking for. Thankfully I saw an ad in Craigslist and Kristin Uyl from Vesta Preferred was ready and willing to help. Not only did she listen to all of my ridiculous requests and long drawn out emails but she was able to offer expertise and insight that you normally wouldn't find. I only had one day to view and choose an apartment and did not have time to waste with apartments that misrepresented themselves. Kristin through Vesta's extensive network gave me a list of about 20 apartments with actually relevant, unbiased information on each of them. After I had picked five apartments to look at, I met Kristin at Vesta where she was kind enough to drive myself around the city for the entire day. Furthermore, after three hours my meter was expired while she was willing to drive me all the way back to Vesta just to put more money in the meter, I decided to stay on schedule and risk the parking ticket. So instead she called another employee at the office and had them put more money in the meter for me! This is truly a wonderful company dedicated to customer service. I recommend over and over again and will be using for all of my housing searches for as long as I am in Chicago - 5 stars. Also, the best part, it was all free for me:) read more

When my employer told me they wanted me to transfer offices to Chicago, I was very excited to take up their offer. Searching for an apartment in an unfamiliar city that is far from home can be difficult though. I have never used a real estate agent to help find an apartment before, but I decided to give Vesta Preferred a try. I emailed Vesta on a Sunday night and within 30 minutes I received an email back from Greg saying he would be more than happy to help. I told him I would be up in a week and gave him a wish list for a perfect apartment. The next day I received a call from him and immediately after that he sent me several great choices on an easy to use website that showed pictures and extensive features and information on each apartment. The Saturday I was in town he picked me up at my hotel and had a total of seven visits set up. We did not make it to all seven apartments, because I found the perfect apartment early on. I just moved in and I loved it - Greg was wonderful and I am very grateful to have found him. He was extremely professional and fun to spend the afternoon with. I was considering bringing my German Shepherd with me, but he is a restricted breed when it comes to housing insurance and it severely limits the housing options. I was impressed that Greg went above and beyond to find some great options for me. Overall I would highly recommend Vesta Preferred, it is something I would do again in a heartbeat if I ever move again. read more

I currently live in a 2 bed/2 bath in Gold Coast but have been wanting to move to a studio for a while now. I didn't really know where to begin, as this was a different and much more stressful process than searching for a 2 bed with a roommate. I reached out to Madison Termini knowing that she was an expert in this area; I wanted someone that I knew I could trust to help me find my new home (and avoid the headache of weaving through legitimate apartment postings versus illegitimate ones!). Working with Madison Termini and Vesta Preferred Realty was a true pleasure. When I reached out to Madison she responded right away and really took the time to understand what I was looking for in my new home. She provided me with options that met all of my criteria. Upon viewing the rentals, Madison toured with me and asked our leasing guide questions that even I didn't think about - it felt like she was truly looking out for me as a renter and wanted me to be fully informed before making my final decision. Madison even drove me from rental to rental and finally back home, which was above and beyond what I expected of her. All in all, it was a very efficient process and I ended up applying for my new home the same day as viewing! I would recommend Vesta Preferred Realty, specifically Madison, to anyone, and will absolutely be using them again should I move rentals in the future. read more