Found an unbelievable apartment in Brooklyn with the help of Brett Tartarkin. We had been looking for the right spot for awhile and didn't feel comfortable with anything we saw until we met with Brett. He was professional, efficient, and a pleasure to work with. He stayed on top of everything to make sure the process from the deposit to lease signing went smoothly. Couldn't recommend him enough! read more

I almost never write reviews but Ivan Palov deserves an excellent feedback! When I decided to move to NYC from CT I was very nervous as I was afraid I will end up at a place that will make me feel miserable. When I first contacted Ivan he told me not to worry because his goal is to find me a place which will make me happy and he did. We spoke several times and he listened carefully to understand what my needs are. He then made very honest and very helpful recommendations taking into consideration factors such as my commute situation. I agreed to see certain buildings he suggested and he scheduled appointments convenient for me. He also sent me a list of all documents that I needed to have on me when I go see an apartment in order to be a competitive applicant. When we met, he was on time, all appointments were very well coordinated and all buildings he showed me were really of interest to me because he knew what I wanted. If I didn't like an apartment for some reason we turned around and left right away- he didn't try to talk me into liking the apartment . We found a place that I really liked, I submitted an application right away and I now live in a place I love! I highly recommend him as he was very honest, very knowledgeable, very diligent, not pushy and overall very pleasant to work with! read more

We worked with Ivan Palov. He was very professional. Responds to emails/phone calls fast. Ivan is patient and will find what you are looking for. He is a nice, and honest guy. Highly recommend Ivan to anyone. read more

Working with Ivan Palov at Spire Group was a surprising and delightful experience. In New York, you unfortunately don't think of brokers as trustworthy, honest, and caring. But Ivan focuses on customer service. He's not just responsive and friendly. He actually cares. It was an awesome experience, and if you're in the market for an apartment you should call Ivan! read more

Watch for bait and switch and verify everything you are told if you choose to work with these guys. The guy we met seemed professional and was the least shady seeming broker we talked to while looking for an apartment however, they blatantly misrepresented apartment availability, price and the fee for the listing. In setting up our appointment we were very clear about our maximum budget, move-in date and that we did not want to see a listing where we would have to pay a fee and we even reconfirmed this when we met with their Agent Yorgan before we went to look at any apartments. As it turns out there were no apartments available for our move in date at the advertised price and to be eligible for a no fee apt we would have to move-in before our needed move-in date. read more

This review is specifically for Ivan Palov and Andrian Tchernev. I have lived in the same apartment in Astoria since 2009. It's a beautiful huge 2-bedroom apartment with a yard that I shared with a roommate and my husband. As beautiful and special as the place was, it was time for my husband and me to live on our own and find a place for ourselves. Not having looked at an apartment in 7 years, I was terrified at what I might find and the astronomical costs of the market these days. After looking for a few weeks, we found a 1-bedroom apartment on Zillow and contacted Ivan. Within 1 minute (literally) Ivan called me and asked for our move-in date, top of budget, and areas of interest. He was incredibly friendly and responsive and within 1 hour, had scheduled an appointment for us to view 6 apartments that week. Andrian (A.J.) showed us the apartments in Long Island City and Astoria, never once trying to oversell us or push in any way. While viewing one of the LIC rooftops, he even talked about considering the 'air space' around the apartments to be sure we weren't buying a view that might not be there in a year. We really appreciated his honesty and relaxed way he presented each place to us, and for that we trusted him. The last apartment we saw we fell in LOVE with, and even in our enthusiasm he allowed us to take our time and think about it. Ivan made it a point to choose apartments to show us within our budget and spoke candidly and honestly about the reality of the market and treated us like equals. The entire process from application to approval was incredibly smooth took less than a week, and Ivan was there to help answer questions every step of the way. We could both text him any time, day or night, and he always responded immediately. I can't help but feel spoiled that after not looking for an apartment for 7 years, our first brokers were Ivan and AJ. They are the IDEAL brokers you could ever wish to do business with. We would recommend working with them to anyone and plan to send all of our friends looking to move to them. They are both professional, friendly, accommodating, honest and genuinely really fun to work with. Thank you again! We are so excited to move into our (affordable!) dream apartment next month! read more

My experience is limited to working with Ivan Palov, and I cannot recommend him strongly enough. I was initially not planning on working with a broker, but when I found myself a bit in over my head and encountered strong recommendations for Ivan's LIC expertise, I decided to give him a shot. He definitely met and exceeded any expectations I had. With 9+ years of market experience, he offers guidance that is hard to find no matter how much individual research you do (nuances of the neighborhood, quality of management companies, price trends, etc.). Ivan gave us the good, the bad, and the ugly, along with his own opinion, all without pressuring us to make any given decision. He also helped us manage the lease signing & approval process and remains a resource if we have any questions. Plus, he is a blast to hang with and made our whole search process more enjoyable. If anyone is looking for an apartment hunt partner, Ivan is your guy. read more

I had the pleasure of working with Ivan and Vlad. I recently graduated from law school and am moving to NY from Boston for my first apartment. These two made the entire process, which can normally be somewhat stressful, extremely easy and enjoyable! Some of the most helpful things about their assistance was their response time, knowledge about the NY real estate market, and ability to listen to my needs. They would often respond immediately to my questions and when I had very last minute trips to NY, they were still able to meet me and show me listings. After listening to my needs, they suggested more listings and we eventually found an amazing apartment I wouldn't have found on my own (and I looked extensively). Finally, they work hard for you. When the leasing company was slow to respond, they put the pressure on and got results. The fact that their broker's fee was covered by the listing is just another plus. I would highly recommend them to anyone that's looking for any kind of listing if you appreciate responsive, dedicated, and knowledgeable real estate agents. read more

I had the pleasure of working with Ivan Palov and Val at Spire Group in finding a new apartment. The entire process from initial contact, to viewing apartments, to signing the lease, found Ivan and Val punctual, professional, and friendly. Whereas other experiences with brokers have left much to be desired, I can't recommend Ivan and Val enough. They do whatever they can to help you find an apartment, and are professional and friendly, but not pushy. These two made finding an apartment (which can be stressful at best) a comfortable and smooth processes. Two thumbs up! read more

Had a great experience with Spire realtor, Monika. We found an apartment on RentHop and Monika was able to show us the place right away and helped us secure everything we needed! I highly recommend!! read more

This review is for Ivan: Spire helped myself and a friend find the perfect 2 BR apartment, and we spent most of our time with Ivan. I'd recommend specifically Ivan to anyone searching for a new place because he goes above and beyond - his phone is never turned off. Ivan answered ALL of my texts and calls at all hours of the day. He sent live updates re: apartment availabilities and document processing. He went back with us to places he had already showed us so we could see them again for a second look. Ivan also shared with us tips, secrets, and all the in-between details about NYC apartment hunting. We left Ivan with our perfect apartment and zero feelings of having gone through a scam, as we were warned about brokers. Ivan is a friend. We never thought we'd live in Long Island City but he proved us wrong. He even lowered our monthly rent but a couple bucks - why not ! We HIGHLY recommend. read more

I've been working with Les Ehrenberg at Kurland Realty for the past few months as I prepared my move from LA to NYC. Being from the beach I wasn't sure what I was getting into and had a limited knowledge of the distinct locales of Manhattan. My friends urged me to go with a broker although being from LA I wasn't sure what the value add would be since I was only renting. My first day in Manhattan, Les pretty much gave me a walking tour of the city and showed me about 15 different apartments - all very good quality places as well as gave me a sampler of what I could get for my money in the East Village, SoHo and Murray Hill. Les not only knew the properties but his follow up was excellent and his enthusiasm for the city and for finding the right place for me was contagious. The fees were standard but well worth it. I don't think I could pick a place in NYC without Les at Kurland. read more

I was referred to Brett Tartarkin from another agent and from the moment we spoke, he made me feel completely comfortable with my apartment search and needs. Having never lived in NYC before, he made sure the transition was smooth and there was no time wasted when viewing apartments, as they all were good options to pick from. If you need a broker who won't mess around and values your time, Brett is the one to go with. read more

Avi was an outstanding agent that went beyond the call of duty to help find the perfect place for me in terms of my budget and location preferences. I would recommend his agency to anyone moving into New York looking for the best place they can get. read more

I had the privilege of working with Kosta Blyznakov who is very professional and knowledgeable about the real estate market in NYC. He was always quick to respond and showed me places that fit my budget and needs and even went above and beyond to help me find my new place in the city. I couldn't recommend him more to anyone looking to make their apartment search an easier and streamlined process. Give him a shot and you'll thank me later! read more

First off, based on the reviews here it looks like some Spire brokers are much better than others. I'd recommend looking through the reviews and finding a specific broker who has consistently good reviews. I was looking for an apartment on relatively short notice, and contacted Ivan Palov about one of his online postings. He set up not only a viewing on the apartment that I contacted him about, but many others within the same general price range (some slightly above and some slightly below) to give me a good idea of what I could get at each price point. (All of the apartments he showed me were ones where the owner paid the broke fee, which was a nice bonus.) He was professional, very understanding, and, most importantly, completely honest: He wasn't trying to push any particular place on me, and didn't hide anything bad from me. Once I decided on an apartment, he went above and beyond in dealing with the leasing office and Insurent to make sure that everything went smoothly for me. He was there for me every step of the way, and without his help, I would've had a much more difficult time getting the lease worked out. If you're looking for a NYC apartment, I highly recommend getting in touch with Ivan. You'll have a hard time finding someone else who'll do a better job. read more

I was struggling to find an apartment within my budget in New York. I spent two weeks seeing one crappy apartment to another. Ivan Palov was a real life saver! Unlike other agents, he was not pushy or self-serving. He listened to what I wanted and showed me apartments accordingly. And to top it off, when I was torn between two apartments, he gave me great advice - even though it might not have been the most profitable deal for him. I definitely plan to save his number for the next time I move. read more

Ivan Palov and Vlad Vladimirov were absolutely wonderful! Extremely professional and responsive as I needed to find an apartment in 2 days. They both went above and beyond to ensure I was prepared to make a decision in a short time. I met with Vlad on Thursday and signed my lease on Friday!I have worked with a lot of brokers in my time in NYC and they are by far someone you can trust to get you what you want/need, extremely knowledgeable of the area and won't waste your time! Highly recommend! read more

New York real estate is an unchecked war zone; there's really no way around it, only through it. So Spire Group was the first place I went. This was not on a recommendation, so effectively, it was the first dart I tossed. Everyone's needs are different, and I knew mine would be particularly challenging for whomever was going to get me as a client. I also knew I didn't want an agency that trolls Craigslist with duplicate bait and switch listings. --So I called Dimitar Peev to present the challenge. Anyone can find someone an apartment if they are looking to just get in the city anywhere at low cost; or if they have a bucket of money and the sky's the limit. So what about the person who wants to be in the middle of it all, with nice appliances, and full service... on a budget? Challenge accepted. Dimitar is a whiz with landlords and leasing agents on the phone and in person. He makes appointments, and keeps them. It was quite embarrassing that I was the one who was always late. There is an obvious rapport he has with these people, and they seem to appreciate his politeness paired with being direct. The best part, for me at least, was NEVER wondering "what's going on?" I received direct updates, even when he was still waiting for a reply. These are the kind of intangibles that everyone wants, but have a hard time requesting up front. "You aren't going to leave me hanging, are you"... who could ask that and expect anything but "of course not"? This is why I appreciate honest reviews, and am happy to leave one. If you remember anything from this long-winded review, remember these words... this is what I got for my money: Patience, responsiveness, politeness, tenacity. I'm thrilled with how the process went; and unlike someone who marries their first girlfriend, I did not find my perfect place on the first appointment and end up happy, but still wondering what is out there. Instead, I saw a nice, reasonable array of locations, amenity ranges and prices before making my decision. The apartment I selected was ultimately from a second visit that Dimitar suggested. I had seen apartments in the building earlier, and liked them; but it was so early in the process, and NYC is so big... I had to see more. Dimitar continued to set them up on my schedule, and eventually I had multiple good options. That's the sweet spot for an apartment hunter, that moment when you know you don't just have one good option, one option with huge sacrifices, and the option to give up. I had multiple viable options, for which I could start weighing positives only.... Dimitar was a big help on pointing out pros and cons, and prioritizing them all. -So at the end of the day, the job was done, and done well. I chose a building I'd seen already, but the slight delay before the second visit opened up a floorplan that was unavailable previously. Now it's mine. :) --Call him up, see what he has to say. I think if he believes that he wouldn't be a good fit for you, he'd probably let you know before wasting your time, or his own. read more

I recently had the pleasure of working with Ivan Palov while looking for an apartment in Long Island City. Ivan was incredibly knowledgeable, helpful and honest. He made the process stress-free for me especially because he was able to remember details about each apartment we saw making it easy for me to compare the differences later and ultimately make a decision. He was more responsive than any broker I have ever worked with and quick! Ivan always got right back to me and was happy to answer all (there were many) of my questions about the building I was considering. Thereafter, he kept in touch during the application and lease signing process to guide me along as needed. I highly recommend working with Ivan! read more

Ori Moshe was incredibly patient and kind in helping me through the stress of finding a new apartment in New York. I could not recommend him more. Trustworthy in a shady industry! read more

Working with Chad Ryan was tremendous. I went into the process skeptical and guarded, but Chad quickly earned my trust. He is an attentive listener, an effective communicator, and a skilled broker. He respected every preference and "non-negotiable" we threw at him. We couldn't be more pleased with our new apartment. I strongly recommend his services. read more

I worked with Ivan Palov and Vlad Vladimirov in my most recent apartment search. They were both very attentive, punctual, and responsive and worked within the parameters that I was looking for. They were respectful of my price limits and amenities requests, making sure to show me only apartments that fell within those requirements. They were great to work with and I would use them again! read more

A friend of mine referred Dan Ivanov and Kosta Blyznakov as the rental Experts. I decided to use a broker because I realized that it was impossible to find a good deal on my own. Dan did a great job. He not only helped me find an apartment but also worked really hard to have my application approved. He negotiated down the rent and made sure everything went smoothly . During the search, he always came prepared and showed me as many options as possible. He is full of energy and positive attitude. Dan will guide you through the process of renting while explaining you in detail the pros and cons of every building. What I also like is that he is not pushy. He is rather patient and he listens. I actually had fun looking for an apartment. I will make sure to recommend Spire Group and Dan to all of my friends in the future. read more

This review is specifically for Brett Tartarkin. After spending the better part of a month seeing places with brokers who either did not understand or care for our reasonable requirements, Brett showed us around and found us a place in one afternoon of showings! Every apartment he showed us was the best apartment we had seen during our month-long search. If you are tired of shuffling through listing after listing on Streeteasy and think that inventory is just meh, Brett's the guy for you! read more

I worked with Ying Huang, from the Spire Group to find an apartment in Manhattan. She was fantastic!! I was newly self-employed so it was hard to prove high income and be accepted by general landlord requirements and Ying fought hard for me to get a place I love. She also helped me fine a beautiful place and move through the whole process in ONLY 2 days because she knew I was in a time crunch. I've never met a real estate person who is so warm, caring, AND competent, and her follow-through and work ethic is impeccable! I was so grateful to have met her and worked with her. My new apartment is perfect, and I almost can't believe how lucky I got. I also know that I would have never landed in my new lovely home if it wasn't for Ying's advocating on my behalf! I would highly recommend her specifically and the whole group!! read more

My boyfriend and I were looking for an apartment about a month in advance from our move in date so we started looking all over to find the best location for us. Moving from the Upper East Side, we were excited to see how much more we could get for our money in Long Island City and Astoria. We spent a decent amount of time with 2 other brokers, but Ivan Palov from Spire is ultimately who stuck out the most and showed us a place we couldn't say no to! We are loving it and couldn't be happier with this choice. We definitely owe this great find to Ivan for knowing what to show us at the right timing and working with us on our move in date. He is the most accommodating and genuine broker we've come across. Because let's be honest, it can be tough to know who to trust with something like this. Luckily we were in good hands and landed an amazing apartment right next to his building too! It must be good, right?! read more

Although I haven't gotten an apartment yet and I decided to sublease instead, Bastian Weinhold has been extremely helpful. I'm moving to NYC from Florida and so I only had one weekend to look at apartments. Bastian made the most of that time. He responds extremely fast to emails, always answered texts & calls, and respected my budget and complicated wishlist. I will definitely be using him in the future! In addition to all of that, he also showed my potential roommate a bunch of different units as well. read more

Ivie Clifford was great to work with - She showed me numerous options in my price range and some that were great deals. She was also very responsive to my questions/requests. read more

Kyle Carscaden was fantastic! Highly recommend! He was helpful and a pleasure to spend the day with and it always felt like he was looking out for our best interests. Found us a charming and comfortable one bedroom right in the budget we wanted! read more

He was very accommodating to all my needs. I told him that I didn't have much time to look around for apartments but he was still able to quickly find me a nice apartment and get a great deal for me as well. I applied for an apartment basically an hour after I met him in person and signed the lease the next day. Would highly recommend! read more

This review is for Kosta Blyznakov with Spire Group. My friends and I were looking for an apartment for the first time and were overwhelmed with the process. Kosta was by far the most helpful and knowledgable person that we met with in our search and we will highly recommend him to all of our friends when they begin their apartment search. He was available for questions via email, text, or phone call at any time that we needed him which I felt was very valuable. Kosta did a great job and working with him was very enjoyable. read more

If I could give this agency negative stars I would; In my opinion Agent Robert Forster is dishonest, disingenuous, unethical and drastically misrepresents himself. I believe he is disrespectful of buyers' time and leaves buyers hanging in the lurch. I urge you not to use this broker and this company if you want to find a New York apartment. In dealing with dozens of brokers I have never met an agent I believe is as remarkably incompetent as Robert. read more

Recommend Ivan Palov!!!!!! He is very knowledgeable and knows all the ins outs of the market in NYC!!! Effiecent and made my apt searching a smooth process. I would refer him to all my contacts !!! read more

Trying to find an apartment in NYC is stressful, but Martina Dechevska made it so easy. As soon as we contacted Martina wanting to see her listing, she responded right away and maintained strong communication throughout the entire process. Martina kept us in the loop and advocated on our behalf to make sure the co-op processed our application in time for the lease start date. Coming from working in real estate back in FL, I was so impressed by Martina's professionalism and willingness to go above and beyond. Thank you, Martina! read more

Me and my husband moved recently to New York from Texas and we were concerned about some negative things we had heard about a difference in hospitality in this city. Luckily I got connected with DIMITAR PEEV and my experience was awesome!!! Dimitar was very thorough, very sweet and very patient with our search that took us all over as we are still new to this real estate market. He never put any pressure on us to push a deal through and showed a professional attitude throughout. He was very assertive when the situation called for it and I appreciated it as that is important to get things done especially in this city. I would definitely recommend Dimitar as a broker for anyone looking for their dream apartment! read more

My boyfriend and I worked with Ben who helped us find an apartment on the UES. We originally contacted him through nakedapartments to see one unit, but he was able to take us to see about 6 other apartments that day. He was in touch with us throughout the entire process and helped us find a great place. I would absolutely recommend him! read more

This review is for Kosta Blyznakov with Spire Group: I would recommend Kosta to anyone looking for an apartment in NY. After searching for an apartment with no luck for a few weeks, I contacted Kosta and helped me find my place that day. Kosta was able to arrange great showings on short notice, he was great working within our budget, and he helped see us through the move-in process by checking in frequently and even helping us find movers. Even when we found an apartment that we loved, Kosta never pressured us to commit to the apartment before we were ready. Overall, my roommates and I had a great experience using Kosta. He made the entire process as stress-free as possible. I have sent my friends his contact info, and I would encourage anyone looking for an apartment to give him a call! read more

ANDREI NAE IS AMAZING! I just moved in to my second apartment, and am so appreciative to say that Andrei was my broker for both rentals. Very professional and accommodating, Andrei was able to find my 3 roommates and I an unbelievable apartment at an extremely affordable monthly rent. He is always so positive and willing to offer suggestions to make different spaces more livable and comfortable in the units we viewed, regardless of the size. When it came to the application process and signing of the lease, Andrei was extremely flexible with his schedule, attended every meeting, always on email (day or night) and was extremely thorough in answering any questions we had. We could tell he really wanted us to get this apartment just as much as we wanted to. In both my experiences working with Andrei, he has gone beyond his duties as my broker to make sure that I am happy in my new home. It's truly rare to find someone so caring in the real estate/broker industry, so he's a keeper for sure! I continue to refer him to my friends and colleagues, and give him 5 stars for his amazing performance as my broker. I'll continue to use him for as long as he's in this business! read more

I contacted Ivan Palov only a few days ago, and have just signed my lease today. He was extremely helpful throughout the process, being bluntly honest, flexible, considerate, and timely in responding to all of my questions and texts/calls, regardless of the hour. You can tell how much he cares about his clients and truly wants to help you find the best option available given your needs/budget. It's clear that this is a full-time passion for him, not just some part-time job. I'd gladly work with Ivan again and he'd be my first choice if I wanted to look for another apartment in the future. read more