Strange Landlord Vibes
Pros
The apartment was nice and clean when I went to view it. It’s also in a good area of The Bronx and close to lots of things. There was also no broker fee.
Cons
The owner kept making jokes. He asked me where I was currently living and whether I would be driving or using public transportation to get to the apartment showing. I assumed he was asking to be helpful, so he could let me know how to get there. I just told him that I lived in the area and then he again asked how I would be getting there and if I’d be taking public transportation. I told him I didn’t ride public transportation, but would have no problem getting there. He then asked again where I lived, and I told him “not too far away“, and he laughed and said “well I guess you won’t be telling me that then, huh”. He also mentioned how a lease had been signed for the previous month by a couple but that they dropped out because of “boyfriend/girlfriend drama”. The initial contact was made via phone after the Zillow broker gave me his phone number to schedule the viewing. The broker advised me to text first before calling so he knew who it was which I understood. So I sent a text simply saying “Hi, is this Randy“. He replied “Depends, if I owe you money. Ha ha/jk”. We don’t know each other, and I felt this joke was just a bit too familiar for strangers. I ignored it and then he followed up with “Yes, I’m Randy. I owe no one a cent.” I again ignored it and then that’s when he called and we had the phone interaction above. I was just going to write it off as a kooky guy but it left me unsettled enough to google the address and then I found this site. When I read the previous reviews with similar tones, I felt validated in declining to move forward in the process. I told the broker and he said that the owner maybe thought I was scared and that hopefully no one knocks on the door. The broker then sent several more messages stating: *He's been working with the owner for nearly 20 years *Everyone on the property has “over 700 fico” and “don’t smoke anything” *Only property in the area with 15 motion lights and 12 cameras *Owner “lives amongst his tenants” *He’s placed “5 single female tenants there past 4 years and are still there” At this point, I wouldn’t be shocked if the broker and the owner are the same person. I have no proof of that, however, I’ve never seen a broker (Steve) become this defensive over a simple declining of an apartment. Not to mention, the listing was then removed immediately. So in conclusion, I do NOT recommend this place! *PS. I did not move into the apartment, and only started the application process. However, the interaction unsettled me to the point that I felt the NEED to make this account and PAY money just to leave this single review.
Advice to the owners
Perhaps allow a property manager to handle communication with current/prospective tenants. It’s important to maintain professionalism especially with women.
Landlord is a weirdo
Pros
Clean and pest free
Cons
The landlord is a total fucking weirdo and tried to ban me from having non family overnight guests. He also tried to charge me 25 dollars for a woman and 40 dollars for a man
Advice to the owners
Get a job