Ford Realty Brookline

I decided to write another review on Ford Realty. Extremely professional services, help and expert advise throughout the entire process. I strongly recommend this fantastic office for outstanding services!!!

We were three out-​of-​town grad students who didn’t know anything about Boston and just needed a place to live.
So Ford Realty hooked us up with a last-​minute place, alright — it worked out ok-​ish though we’ve had real problems with the maintenance on our place and we aren’t staying a second year so…
I have a problem with the fact that our realtor didn’t shoot straight with us and I think took advantage of our ignorance of local custom and laws. Told us the place was great, landlord attentive (spoiler alert: Was. Not.) And when we asked about parking, «Sure! There’s parking a-​plenty, all the on-​street parking* one might want!»
Except, Parking* in Brookline = only during the day; parking is illegal at night meaning if you don’t have a driveway you have to rent space in a private lot for ~$ 200/​mo. The decent thing to do would not have been to just flat gull us on that one fine point. We would have looked elsewhere if we knew how coo-​coo bird-​brain awful the parking situation in Brookline is.
You’re pretty much stuck with a realtor if you want to get anything nailed down for rentals in Boston, and these guys I guess seem to be in charge of the crummier places in Brookline. I’m sure there are probably worse out there. But be warned: They work for shady people, and they themselves aren’t high in the running for most-​decent-​folks-​of-​the-​year.

My boyfriend and I were searching for our first apartment together in Brookline, as we are beginning grad school in Boston this fall. After countless questionable Craigslist posts and plenty of emails to realtors that never received responses, we were starting to feel hopeless. Maybe we were too out of our own league to try to find an affordable apartment in Brookline, one of the nicer parts of Greater Boston, as grad students. And to find one with a parking spot included, still in our budget? It just seemed impossible.
Then, we met the beautiful soul that is Cheryl LaFond-​Lewis.
Cheryl was prompt with her emails, understood exactly what my boyfriend and I were looking for, and was able to find three properties in our price range and location. After looking at all three, we ultimately fell in love with the first one we saw. However, we were the second application submitted for that particular listing, and it unfortunately fell through for us.
However, Cheryl was determined to find us a great first apartment, and managed to find us another open apartment, in the exact same building as before, for even less rent.
In the timeline of a week, we looked at four apartments, fell in love with two, and ultimately snagged an apartment that was way below our maximum price range — including private outdoor space AND a parking spot.
We feel like we had such an incredibly lucky and wonderful experience, and Cheryl was the perfect realtor to have as new renters to the market. She’s persistent, kind, and is genuinely invested in the well-​being and success of her clients. I would recommend Ford Realty, and Cheryl in particular, for the rest of my time in the Brookline area.

Arlene was amazing at helping us look at a bunch of places around Brookline. I ended up with a dispute with our landlord later, and she was super helpful in getting me some of the original rental documentation.

Kama and Ford Realty is great! Since helping us find an apt, she’s helped 2 friends in the last year. She really works to understand you, your budget, and your needs to find you the best apt on the market. She’ll advise you on market information to help you feel good with your decision and search.

We had a fantastic experience working with Arlene Lehane! She went above and beyond her scope of services to exceed our expectations. We rented a home through her company that needed to have some work done before we moved in. She managed to work with us and the homeowner in a way that created a joint effort for us to be able to move quickly not given up the quality of the renovations. Also she worked with the owner to make sure that the renovations were going to be realistic from a scheduling and cost perspective making both sides content with the end result.
We have just moved in last weekend, and we are very happy with the overall experience. Thank you Ford Realty for making it happen!
Leandro

Being a renter in this town can feel like being a second-​class citizen, if you’re not in the right hands. I bounced from one realtor to another, grappling for a helping hand in this weird (November) rental market, growing more stressed out as the days ticked away.
Then I happened upon a property being advertised by Ford Realty in Brookline Village. Cheryl LaFond-​Lewis was prompt in her correspondence, easy to talk to, and she showed me a beautiful property that simply wasn’t for me.
This is the point where I usually lose the realtor’s interest and start all over by myself scouring craigslist, pulling out fistfuls of hair in the process.
Here’s where Ford Realty is different: Cheryl called the next day to follow up with me on the property we’d seen. When I told her my decision not to take it, she was very understanding, and encouraging of my search process.
So here’s where Ford Realty is REALLY different: Cheryl emailed me the next day with a property that was so perfect for me that angels sang when I opened the link to it (something no other realtor who showed me property had done). Cheryl was going to be out of town starting that afternoon, but sent the OWNER, Arlene Lehane, to show me the property, and to handle all of the logistical details.
Lo and behold, the pictures didn’t lie, and I found my perfect apartment. The ulcers started to heal, finally. Arlene met me on a Sunday to sign the lease paperwork, and immediately addressed my concerns with the property manager. This, my friends, is great customer service, from an agency with experience, and one which treated me with as much respect as if I had just purchased a $ 3,000,000 home.
I would recommend Ford Realty to anyone looking to rent or buy in the Boston/​Brookline area. The entire experience left me feeling first-​class.

We had the best experience with the Ford realty. The owner Arlene and her agents are the kindest, most understanding people to deal with. We are so grateful for all the work they put in in finding us a beautiful place to live in. Thank you FORD REALTY !
M.Austin-Ley

Kama is wonderful.
Spunky, sense of humor and laid back while still being on top of the «transaction». I felt completely at ease finding my new apartment with her and will recommend her in the future to any friends looking for a new place!

We have had nothing but a great experience working with Kama at Ford Realty. She has taken all of our concerns and gone out of her way to make our move easy and pleasant. When we moved into our new apartment, Kama made sure that everything was in order for us. She has been a pleasure to work with. I recommend her to anyone looking for an apartment in the Boston area!

Kama is a fantastic agent!
She helped me and my two roommates find an apartment in Brookline Village. She found us the perfect place, she would always keep us in mind and call us to update us with listings. I am happy to have worked with her and if whoever reads this is looking for an apartment I suggest you go to the office and talk to Kama.

I do not think I can say enough good about Ford Realty.
Working with Kama was without a doubt the most pleasant experience I have ever had working with a realtor. She is honest, proactive, and has a clear love for the work she does. My roommate and I were looking for a dog-​friendly apartment, which is a challenge in itself. We also had two cars.
There is not enough space in this review box for me to tell the full story of how above and beyond Kama went for my roommate and I. Not only did she get us a fantastic apartment, but she followed up on every step of the process, including after we moved in. When I needed to find a second parking spot, since the apartment only had one (something we knew at the time of the lease signing but figured we would «figure something out»), Kama again went above any beyond to assist.
Kama is stellar, but I also had the pleasure to briefly work with her colleague Arlene, who was also incredibly helpful.
I have lived in Boston for six years and have moved just about every year. I have had every apartment experience one can imagine. And with a dog and a car, it becomes even more difficult. Ford Realty is a fantastic company and I cannot recommend them strongly enough!

We had really good luck with Ford Realty– Kama was very helpful and we love our Brookline Village apartment.