Bad experience of bait and switch that actually cost me money. Why you should trust my one star:…read more I'm a ten year yelper with 500+ reviews... also 21 one star reviews here, in hind sight I should have read them first! **EDIT AFTER READING OWNERS RESPONSE: made me laugh. How vague he/she is. The lack of clarity and specifics is an indicator of how bad they are at communicating and being transparent!
I've been holding off on writing this review, because I've been enjoying my holiday and am trying to put 2020 in the past. But I get a bit of joy knowing that somehow this review might give some owner or some leasee or some buyer enough information to not work with Bruce Jay. Given how crowded the real estate services community is in Los Angeles, I implore you -- don't waste your time here.
Why? Communication, and transparency. In a world where technology is calling to question the value of the realtor community, a major differentiator between such companies should be attentive, clear, timely and honest communication. My experience was fraught with email chasing, delays and bait and switches. I was making an aggressive offer on a rental property on Laurel Ave and the offer time stamp associated with it, which had implications on my rental I am currently in (as I need to give notice).
The situation involved Jonathan and it involved a bait and switch, as follows: initially, my aggressive offer/terms were rejected via email. But, as the market price set by Bruce Jay was too high and the apartment sat vacant for two months, Bruce Jay realized they would accept and emailed me that they would entertain my offer, I'd need to apply online which had a $50 application fee (which also guaranteed me a copy of my background check). At first I was thrilled by this. As I had told them, I wouldn't go higher, so their email was interpreted as acceptance, bar any major background check deficits (which I don't have, I'm a good renter with high income and good credit) I paid, I applied and then after applying I was expecting to move into signing.
How wrong I was. My terms were evidently not accepted, and we went into a round of price hassling and eventually Jonathan said they could accept if I commited to moving in effectively in two weeks -- which I was ok with and I would take the financial loss with the overlap of my other month to month apartment. I waited for days for owner confirmation, each day counting agains the notice I would need to give to my current landlord (each day delayed would cost me money, essentially). I emailed, I called, no response for I seven days (between December 14 and the 21st), and some excuse about "bad internet" (see photo). Anyway, Jonathan finally came back and said they couldn't accept in a short, curt email. This all happened over the course of about three weeks in December.
I never did get a copy of the background check as was promised based on my application, and when I inquired they told me via the same email I used to apply that I'd need to come in with an ID. And to top it off, Jonathan tried to sweet talk me into choosing them when I officially move to LA and look to buy a property, which I'm going to do in the next year or two... yeah, no thanks.
The company is smoke and mirrors and lazy in communications. As a successful business owner I will tell you -- if you don't have transparent, clear communications, you won't have buyers and no one will want to work with you.