These guys helped me find an apartment a few years back and I am just now writing a review. They are a small company, so very "hands on". They listened to our concerns and what we were looking for and pretty much stayed within our budget at the time. I no longer live in that apartment, but we had a great experience. We worked with Paul and he was top notch. This agency is highly recommended. read more

Both Elizabeth and Paul are extremely professional and knowledgeable. They did a beautiful job staging my apartment, and the pictures were magazine worthy. I listed my place right before the interest rates started to increase, so it was a challenging time, but I felt supported throughout the entire process and appreciated them for listening to my questions and for respecting my decision to start the listing at the higher end of the spectrum. I felt they treated me just as they would've treated anybody with a larger and more expensive home. They live in Brooklyn, and they know and love the different neighborhoods. They're open and are great at communicating with their clients. I highly recommend them. read more

We have now worked with Garfield Realty directly on two deals, and indirectly on one deal. We first met them when we were searching for an apartment. We noted that they were the best listing brokers that we saw. We already had a buyer's broker, who was a family friend and knew the neighborhood we wanted to move into. We ended up finding a place to buy that Elizabeth and Paul had listed. Even though we were on opposite sides of the closing table, they ended up being much more useful to us during our buying process than our own buyer's broker. When it came time to sell our apartment, we had no hesitancy to hire Elizabeth and Paul as both the listing brokers to sell our apartment, and the buyers brokers to help us buy our next home. There's so much to say about them. I'll list some highlights. Their staging was wonderful. They went as far to ask about the best time of day to photograph our apartment, to get the best light. We loved how they staged our apartment. I honestly wish they had staged it earlier, when we were still living there. They have a real eye for what makes your place appealing to buyers. They legitimately care about real estate in New York City. It's a passion for them. It was so fun to work with them. As I mentioned, we met them when they were representing the people selling us an apartment. When we sold our apartment, they treated us the same way that they treated our friends parents who were selling a $3 million brownstone with them at around the same time. Our sub-$1 million sale always seemed like their top priority, Even though it was earning them a fraction of her sale. If you were looking for brokers who are passionate about their work, legitimately a joy to work with, efficient, knowledgeable, organized, incredibly hard-working, and just overall good people that you can feel good about supporting in business, I would look no farther than Garfield Realty. read more

Paul Paglia and Elizabeth Kohen just handled the sale of our Windsor Terrace home, and everything went perfectly. And good thing it did, because - Brooklyn being what it is now - there was a lot riding on this, right? It was the biggest transaction of our lives and we were stressssssed out about it. We interviewed a bunch of top agents; Paul and Elizabeth won because they were the best prepared, because they're parents so they understood what it would mean to stage around a toddler, and because we like that they're independent. We thought they would be good partners for this super high-pressure, high-stakes deal. And we were right! High five! Through every step of the process, they were calm, professional and detail-oriented. They never missed a single step, which is amazing considering how many steps there were. They strategized carefully beforehand, and everything unfolded exactly as they'd planned and predicted. They staged the place beautifully - one of those situations where afterwards we were like hell, why didn't we think of that, our place looks way better now. Our strategy here was to hire the absolute best, do an A+ job, invest in this process and hope it all pays for itself. We believe that it did. We got exactly the deal we wanted. read more

I felt compelled to thank Garfield Reality for the really outstanding services my boyfriend and I received from the group. We've had terrible luck in the past with brokers, management companies, you name it- that have made the process of apartment hunting in NYC absolutely soul sucking. And then Michael & Paul walked into our lives and we were blown away with their kindness, help & mutual respect. There is nothing quite like the NYC apartment search that can test your limits, and Michael & Paul made us feel human again. So thank you, thank you, thank you for being so damn amazing! read more

A couple of years ago, my partner & I were looking for a rental. During our search we dropped into Garfield Realty & met with Paul Paglia. He was very helpful & friendly. He showed us a number of solid options that same day. Though we eventually ended up renting through a different realtor, we always remembered how great our experience with Paul had been. This year when we were ready to buy an apartment, we knew we wanted to work with Paul again. It was probably the best decision we made. As first-time home buyers (actually, now: owners!), Paul couldn't have been more patient and knowledgeable. His advice and expertise was invaluable. I truly don't know that we would have gotten the great apartment we did without his help. Yeah, Garfield is smaller than other companies, but because of this, I felt we were given much more attention. If you're looking to buy or rent in "brownstone Brooklyn," I would most certainly meet with Paul & his team. read more

NYC rentals move FAST. My girlfriend and I fell in love with the first place Paul Paglia showed us and we were the first people to see it. He met us at the apartment on a Saturday afternoon after we had texted him just that morning. Later that day, we were in his office putting down our deposit and submitting our application. We got approved on Monday and signed our lease on Wednesday evening. Throughout the whole process, Paul acted with equal parts professionalism and courteousness. He helped us through every step of the application, informed us of new developments, and responded promptly to every inquiry we made. As quickly as everything developed, we never felt rushed or pressured by him. I would recommend renting through Paul and Garfield Realty to anyone in the market for an apartment. It was an absolute pleasure doing business with him. read more

We saw a place with Paul, and he was very good to work with. Ultimately, someone else got the apartment before we could (NY real state moves fast!!), and we ended up finding an apartment through a different Realtor. But Paul was helpful friendly and very knowledgeable of the properties he was showing and building construction in general. He didn't pressure us or make us feel anxious, and it was a very positive experience. read more

I could go on and on about how awesome Elizabeth and Paul were throughout the process of the sale of our apartment. We started the process smack in the middle of COVID. Our apt was so cluttered that I couldn't even imagine how I would be able to get it ready to show. First, they had us take pictures of every spot in the apt and then they made us a list of every single item in every single room that we had to get out in order to be ready for sale. It only took me one week since their instructions were so explicit and compreheThen they popped by once (in masks) for a quick in-person viewing so they could figure out what they needed for staging. They spent almost two full days staging our apt and it was gorgeous. Almost made us not want to move. We had lookers there whole time but people seemed to be afraid to take the leap. Elizabeth and Paul remained calm and more importantly, kept us calm. We got the offer we had hoped for. All in all, I wholeheartedly recommend this team. I would fly a plane across Brooklyn to praise them if I could afford it. read more

We recently worked with Darrill Rosen and Garfield Realty on finding our new apartment in Ditmas Park. As first time home owners, the process was often stressful and confusing but Darrill expertly guided us through. He always provided positive and helpful insights that we found invaluable. Strongly recommended! read more

We worked with Lia at Garfrield realty for a rental. She set up over a dozen appointments for us in Cobble Hill/Carroll Gardens/Brooklyn Heights and came with us for many of the showings. She even worked tirelessly for us while she was on holiday with her family and was responsive throughout. We were very happy to have such a patient, thoughtful broker working with us. Her insights into the neighborhood and quality of life-tradeoffs and the various apartments were invaluable. When we settled on a unit, Lia helped us prepare an application and advocated for us in negotiations with the landlord and his broker. We highly recommend her services and would go back to Garfield again. read more

We worked with Lia Wiedemann at Garfield to help us find an apartment or a house in Brooklyn last year, and she was wonderful. It was our first purchase and a steep learning curve for us in the crazy world of NY real estate, and she not only guided us through every step of the way, but she made everything run smoothly- like clockwork. Garfield in general was much more personable and attentive than the big, corporate, anonymous agencies that make you feel like a cog. Lia is friendly, punctual, responsive, full of integrity, and lacks any of the pushiness so typical of brokers (something the sales agents noticed too, and this helped smooth the way with them whenever we saw a place we liked). We ended up finding a great place and a great real estate lawyer through Lia. Working with her was a dream, and I would recommend her and work with her again in a heartbeat. read more

Dealing with Paul was a dream. He was friendly, honest, professional and organized. I had seen many apartments and dealt with many brokers before I came in contact with Paul. Out of all of the brokers he was the only one that seemed to have consistently positive reviews. All of the others were hit and miss. I cannot recommend Paul and Garfield Realty enough. He is a rare find! read more

We worked with Paul Paglia who is very personable, enthusiastic and a great salesman. He can put a great spin on a terrible property, which is why you should take whatever he says with a large bucket of salt. Paul *enthusiastically* endorsed the building at 152 8th Avenue in Brooklyn and assured us that the landlord, Charlie Cross is fantastic. This was far from the case. We lived in this building for over a year. However, the building is in poor condition and the landlord, Charlie Cross, was unresponsive, absent, or at best very, very, very slow to fix any problems. It also took the landlord over 4 months to return our substantial security deposit once we moved out. He explicitly informed us that returning our money was at the bottom of his priority list. He only returned our security deposit once we filed a small-claims court suit against him. During our time living at 152 8th Avenue we experienced the following problems: - the apartment was filthy when we moved in with urine stains all over the toilets and food left in the fridge and freezer - flooding in the building (both ground floor apartments had over an inch of sewage and rain water). This was never cleaned up properly, which accentuated an already existing mold problem. - There was black mold growing on some of the walls. The air quality was so bad it was making us cough. We bought an air filter, which we deducted off the rent. The mold was never professionally cleaned. - After the flooding, the building had a fly infestation with dozens of flies swarming in the basement and through the apartments on the first floor. - Non-functional washers and dryers. Some of the washing machines did not function at all, others leaked water all over the floor and did not actually clean your clothes properly. - Poor lighting in the hallways inside the building. Many of the lighting fixtures had low-watt lightbulbs and did not have all of the bulbs in them. At one point the lighting was so bad that we put in the proper amount of bulbs. The landlord subsequently removed the additional bulbs. - Some of the tenants did not have working doorbells. This was particularly problematic for one tenant who had to sit outside and wait for deliveries and repairs. When we were planning to move out, we explicitly informed Paul Paglia of the worst of these problems (namely the flooding and the mold) and the landlord's poor behavior so that future tenants could be aware of these issues. While Paul and Garfield Realty may have some good properties, if he tries to show you a rental at 152 8th Avenue and praises how great the landlord is, be aware that this place is a lemon and not worth living in. read more

Even though I have lived in NYC for 10+ years, I was a neophyte when it came to brokers. So I was hesitant when I reached out to Paul Paglia of Garfield Realty, but I am so glad I did. Even though I was looking for places on the lower end of the rent $ spectrum for Park Slope, he treated me with the utmost courtesy and respect (ha, unlike some other brokers!). He responded to my texts/emails/calls promptly, always showed up on time for appointments and was a consummate professional. He is also very easy to talk to, patient and knowledgeable. He quickly determined what I was looking for and helped me find exactly that. I couldn't be happier with my experience. I would recommend these guys to a friend! read more

As a former real estate agent from a neighboring Park Slope agency, I have to give kudos to Garfield Realty for being such a personable, friendly office in what can be a very cut-throat market. I worked with Elizabeth Kohen to co-broke a deal and was so grateful for her hard work, professionalism, and kindness, even when dealing with a difficult client. I have since referred people to her, only to receive rave reviews. Not only is she an excellent agent who really knows the market, but she has the personal touch that makes the sometimes stressful process of buying a house, a great experience. Her dedication and the personal attention she gives to her clients are what makes her the agent you'll want to work with. read more

We moved here from Portland, OR a year ago, and contacted Paul Paglia based on referrals from others who'd worked with him and liked him. As parents with a pre-school age kid, we were in the Park Slope sweet spot,with tons of families seeking the exact same type of place in just the right area. Paul showed us a wide range of places, just so we knew the lay of the land, sharing with us the inside scoop on each location, it's school zone, it's proximity to the park/groceries/parking/etc. After a week or so of looking, he got word of a former client moving out of a building that was perfect for us. He spoke with them as well as the landlord and made sure that we were able to see it before anyone else, and it was (is) perfect. We scooped it up immediately. On my first tour of NYC, I went through a bunch of brokers, and each made me feel like I was just an appointment. Paul understood what we wanted, our hopes and fears at the price levels, and eventually triangulated it all to find a place we loved. read more

Paul and Elizabeth at Garfield worked with me diligently, and earned every penny of their listing commission. First, they walked through my condo and gave me a detailed list of the renovations they recommended. Then they recommended two general contractors they had worked with before, and walked through my condo with each one, going over each of the upgrades. I also found a third contractor on my own, and Garfield did the same walk-through with him. The most affordable contractor's bid was much lower than the other two. He also said he'd complete the renovation in less time than the other two. It was a bit hard to believe. But I hired him because of Garfield's recommendation. Well, he did a great job, and completed the renovation within the promised time frame. I wonder if very large brokers can offer the same level of hand-holding that Garfield provided. On the other hand, some small brokers don't want to pay for membership in REBNY. I don't think their listings get the same exposure that mine received. I came to this conclusion because I was considering another small broker. But on their website, I noticed the phrase "Price Reduced" on several of their listings. Not good if you're a seller! I was reluctant to give any broker an exclusive listing at first, because I thought it would limit my exposure. But I was wrong. Garfield's membership in REBNY generated plenty of exposure. In just two weeks, we received 7 offers over asking price, and about half were from buyers represented by other brokers. Garfield also suggested a tiered commission so that buyer agents could earn a commission bump for bringing offers 7% over the asking price. I think it worked because 3 of the 7 buyers made offers which qualified. Because I gave Garfield an exclusive listing, they paid for most of the staging. They told me upfront that they don't provide a fancy master bed or a fancy couch, so I kicked in $2,000 for additional staging. They staged my condo beautifully and took impressive wide-angle photos. They always replied to my emails quickly, and they got the staging, photography, and marketing done in record time. Once I went into contract, the buyer expected financing from Bank of America. But in the 11th hour, Bank of America made a fuss about something in the condo association's insurance policy. (Tip: never use Bank of America.) At that point, Garfield got their preferred loan broker involved, and he helped us close about 30 days later. I can't recommend Paul and Elizabeth highly enough. read more

Beware of Carlynn Matern: She doesn't share your listing with any other Realtor (MSL) I had my place up for sale and so did my neighbor Carlynn work for another Reality agent. She took our buyers and diverted them to her apt. she was selling. She told our buyers they don't want to see these apts. they are no good. How do we know this? We planted a few people to see what happens. Carlynn comes off nice but she's not play well with others. read more

Paul is a great guy. He's not like most real estate folks. He's straightforward and honest, which is rare. He's also flexible, which is awesome for busy young professionals. He's willing to work with you also. I know that if I'll be in the apartment search process again, I'll turn to Paul and Garfield realty first. Thanks! read more

Paul Paglia is the best. He made the process feel easy and light. He is very helpful and honest and so easy to work with. He is also the realtor who is showing our place to others and has always called ahead before coming and has been great throughout the whole process. read more

Darrill at Garfield Realty was extremely helpful and kind to my boyfriend and me as we looked for apartments. He understood our apartment wants and must-haves and sent us relevant listings that we enjoyed. I recommend having him as your broker! read more

Absolutely perfect, is how my wife and I would characterize our recent Brooklyn co-op purchase through Garfield Realty. They were the dual agents in the transaction, and they were patient, punctual, and totally fastidious about every detail. We were impressed with their business sense, too. We could sense that they went the extra mile to get their sellers the best price, without ever coming across as unsympathetic to our needs. Highly recommended. read more

My family and have worked with Paul at Garfield since we moved to Park Slope from Astoria seven years ago. We went to so many Realtors who showed us things that were just not what we were looking for but everything Paul showed us was just what we were looking for. Two weeks later, we signed a lease on the fourth place he showed us. Over the years, we sent all our friends moving the the neighborhood to Paul and he found nearly all of them places. Even the ones that didn't find something were pleased with the level of service and attention to detail. Cut to six years and two kids later and we were looking to make an upgrade. There wasn't a question in our mind to go back to Paul. We went to every open house for a three-bedroom in Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, and Prospect Heights for a year. A YEAR! And Paul was with us every weekend, sometimes six open houses in a day. Once we finally found the perfect place, Paul was there to help us a first-time home buyers to walk us through and make the process of writing the largest checks I've written in my life pain- and confusion-free. Whether you're looking to rent or buy, I can't recommend Paul and Garfield Realty highly enough. They really took care of us and I know they'll take care of you. read more

We've just gotten a place through Garfield Realty and Paul Paglia has made everything extremely smooth and hassle-free; and it wasn't an easy task! We've just moved to the country from abroad and all our paperwork (banks, ssn, etc) is still half-baked. He has been extremely understanding and helpful offering us all sorts of options. By the by, our place was advertised on CL as no-fee, I and that's what it was! No hidden charges or anything of the sort. Really nice guy, polite and easy-going, highly recommendable! read more

I felt I needed to write this review after working with Paul Paglia. He was so prompt with his emails, answered our million questions patiently, and even was available to us while he was away on vacation. He didn't pressure us at all, which has been my experience with so many other brokers. We have been trying to move to Park Slope for a few years now, and thanks to Paul's help it all worked out perfectly! read more

I had a great experience with Elizabeth Lahart of Garfield Realty. She listened to what I wanted, researched apartments, tirelessly emailed me with possibilities and showed me everything I was willing to see. Elizabeth educated me every time we met, teaching me about mortgages, maintenance, comps, giving me lists of attorneys, appraisers, inspectors, articles on how to read co-op financial statements and myriad other aspects of the home buying process. She came to see where I was living at the time and advised me about buying that apartment even though it was not anything she would receive a percentage on. All in all Elizabeth was incredibly knowledgeable and generous about sharing her knowledge, hard-working and professional. She is also very pleasant and personable. You could not ask for a better real estate agent experience. read more

Lia was awesome! Helped us to get our apartment in a sellers market. As first time home buyers she guided us throughout the process and made sure that all parties involved in the sale were on top of things to make the sale as painless as possible. Thanks so much Lia! read more