"First (and most likely only) place you should go for apartment hunting."
The place itself is gorgeous and very inviting. Being asked to wait here is something to actually look forward to.
Originally, the apartment I wanted was taken. But the agent I worked with found me and my two other friends a great apartment in Brighton that we immediately acted upon with no hesitation, thanks to his smart recommendation. My experience with other agents has been people that have no social skills nor any knowledge of what they are showing, resulting in a "if you like what you see, let me know" kind of situation, whereas this agent knew exactly what we were looking for and gave us a great breakdown of what to expect and know about this apartment.
This place is your best bet, do not bother with other places.
David H.
"Unlike every other realtor we met with, Preview ACTUALLY showed us nice, liveable places."
My girlfriend and I had to find an apartment in Boston all the way from Wisconsin, so we flew out and met with about 8-10 different Realtors. With all the utter crap we were being shown, we were on the verge of giving up before we met with Dustin at Preview Properties.
"Dustin," we said, "we've seen the crappy apartments. We're not undergrads. Show us something nicer." And unlike every other Realtor we met with, Dustin ACTUALLY showed us nice, liveable places.
But that's not all! Dustin helped negotiate on our behalf once we returned to Wisconsin, but he went above and beyond our expectations. When we couldn't have our first choice he found us a great other place and worked that one out. Not only that, but when there was a problem with the keys, Dustin picked us up after we got in from a red eye flight from LA (we were traveling) and took us to get the keys himself.
All in all, Preview Properties is great, and Dustin Wonnell is the man.
Ask for Dustin. He's awesome.
Gabriel U.
"I cannot speak highly enough of this place and will use them again in the future."
In my 10 years in Boston I had never had a positive experience with a realty company... that is until I found Christian at Preview (via Craigslist). He showed me a model unit in a building and although there was no unit available, he kept in touch with me over the next few months regarding open units. After the scams and dishonesty I've seen in realty and property companies I was glad to find an honest realtor who listened to my requests and kept me informed... and didn't ask for for any deposits until I knew I had an apartment on lock. And of course the gift box of essentials was a nice gesture on top of an absolutely wonderful experience. I cannot speak highly enough of this place and will use them again in the future.
Melinda B.
"Working with Preview Properties was a refreshing experience that restored my confidence in Boston-based realty companies."
Working with Preview Properties was a refreshing experience that restored my confidence in Boston-based realty companies. In particular, this recommendation goes out to Christian, who was attentive, friendly and honest. More agents should be like this guy.
Anyone who's lived here for a couple of years is all too familiar with agents who are aggressive, deceptive and dishonest. They'll tell you anything to get their commission, or at least that's the impression that rubbed off on me after years of being gypped.
Our agent was professional from the start. He met us precisely as we had scheduled, told us exactly what he was going to be showing us, and truly listened to us when it came to what we did and didn't want in an apartment. There was no awkward "hard sell" and he wasn't hesitant to tell us when he thought we wouldn't like a place because of something on our "Do Not Want" list. (Other agents would have shoved EVERY apartment in our face and made us feel guilty if we didn't like it.)
When moving day came, everything was organized and ready for us. We even had a nice little welcome box with house essentials to get us started. That's going above and beyond. And when you're dealing with the pain of "Allston Christmas", this really counts.
Thank you for restoring our faith in Boston agents! I'll probably call Preview again for future rentals.
PS: The "welcome box" was awesome and very helpful. Moving day is always hectic and it really sucks to plop down at the end of the day and realize you need a million things. I'd like to make a suggestion for the gift box: add a shower curtain liner and rings! That's a #1 after a day of sweaty moving. :)
Annette A.
"Preview got the job done and made the process as stress-free as possible... I would definitely go back to Preview in the future and have already encouraged a couple friends to do the same."
Had a great experience with Preview Properties. I finished undergrad this past spring and am moving to Boston this month to begin grad school, so I was looking for an affordable studio in the Brighton area with easy access to the T. Preview got the job done and made the process as stress-free as possible.
On the day of my initial appointment to look at potential places, I arrived at the office to find that either me or the agent had gotten mixed up and he wasn't there to give me my tour. Not a problem... within 5 minutes they found another agent (Noel) who immediately went to work putting together a list of places I might be interested in. Within 15, we were out in the neighborhood looking at 5 or 6 places that all fit my general criteria. Not having a lot of experience apartment hunting, an unscrupulous realtor admittedly could probably put one over on me, but Noel made it clear that he was there to set me up with a place that worked for me, not just whatever would get him a commission. By later that afternoon the initial paperwork had been taken care of and Noel pulled everything together so I signed the lease the next day.
I'm not at all surprised to see the abundance of positive reviews here. No pressure, no headaches, friendly office... plus they work primarily in the Brighton area so they really know the ins and outs of the neighborhood, which is a big plus. I would definitely go back to Preview in the future and have already encouraged a couple friends to do the same.
Joe M.
"I couldn't be more pleased with the service I received."
I worked with Ross at Preview Properties to find my first apartment in Boston, and I couldn't be more pleased with the service I received. The first two apartments I saw just didn't do it for me, and Ross understood--there was no pressure to get me to take an apartment that I didn't really want. He waited with me in the office for an hour for another apartment in the area to be available for viewing. That apartment turned out to the THE one. When we learned that another prospective tenant had already applied for the place, Ross had a chat with the owner, and before the day was over, we had a deal, and I had a great new apartment to call home! Ross even offered to help me move. This guy is THE MAN. Woot woot!
Diana H.
"I would absolutely recommend using Preview Properties to people looking for places in the Boston area."
My experience with Preview Properties was great! In the past I have used other realty agencies in the Boston area and was extremely disappointed with the lack of information realtors had on the places I visited. This however was not the case with Preview Properties.
When I started my search I found one listing on Craiglist for an apartment and contacted Preview. When I called I got in touch with Dustin who was way more helpful that I could have imagined. He understood what my roommates and I were looking for and showed me several apartments that fit our criteria that same day. Not only did we find a great place, but the process was quick and Dustin made it extremely convenient for us. He was flexible with our schedules and patient with our requests, concerns and questions.
All in all it was a fabulous experience and I would absolutely recommend using Preview Properties to people looking for places in the Boston area.
Alison M.
"Preview Properties gave me the best real estate related experience I have ever had."
Preview properties gave me the best real estate related experience I have ever had. The agent I worked with, Jean Paul was patient and found my roommate and me an apartment that suited us perfectly. Admittedly, I can be a little hard to work with, because anything real estate related makes me very anxious. This was never even an issue. This firm is professional and very respectful to both clients and tenants. I would recommend to them to all my acquaintances and friends seeking apartments in the Boston area!
Alexandra B.
"This place is as good as it gets in terms of realty service."
This place really is as good as it gets in terms of realty service. Tim Fitzpatrick helped me and my roommates find a place. He was very helpful and responsive throughout the entire process. These guys are straight shooters who don't pressure you into making any decisions and are focused on meeting your needs and helping you along the way. They also are quite helpful in negotiating with landlords. Everyone that I interacted with in the office seemed friendly and helpful. I'll certainly be using them again and would recommend them to anyone looking for a place in Boston.
Colin K.
"Go no further than Preview Properties."
I came to Boston knowing that I was going to have to find a place in a week. In the middle of August, it's easier said than done. After going to several different real estate agents and scouring Craigslist, I finally went and talked to Preview Properties. Yes! They showed me to 5 places, one of which I signed for by the end of the day. They know how to LISTEN to you and show you only what is asked for.
After I selected an apartment, they were spot on when meeting both my and my landlord's needs. Go no further than Preview Properties.
Jeff G.
"The best thing about working with Preview is that they can show you so many properties"
They have the best selection; they are the most organized, and our realtor was a lot of fun and never put pressure on us or got impatient with our indecisive tendencies or any of our requests. We instantly made friends and it was very low stress.
The best thing about working with Preview is that they can show you so many properties, and they help you keep track of all the pros and cons of each with a really well organized spread sheet. You can take notes and the spread sheet tells you which places have parking, laundry, heat/hot water included etc. Then when you move in they give you a great housewarming gift.
I have probably worked with a dozen realtors and companies and I have never been so impressed with the service anywhere in Boston. Hats off to these guys!
Emmy S.
"Three cheers for Preview Properties!"
I had a pretty bad day making a last ditch effort for an apartment a week and a half before September 1. Then I called Alden, and he brightened it right up and relieved all my stress. I called him around 3:30 and by 4:15, he was showing me apartments. He showed me four apartments that were all exactly what I was looking for, no more and no less. He was really laid back and didn't pressure me at all, and it seemed like all the other people in the office were pretty similar. So three cheers for Preview Properties!
Jess C.
