My wife and I are relocating from Canada to Houston and as you can imagine, very few things have gone smoothly, or as we expected, throughout this entire process - with the specific exception of us finding Sean Ray from ULR. Now, the storyline is probably important here so although we could leave it with "just use this guy" we'll share some context in case there are others in similar situations. My wife will likely write another review as she'll be more articulate but I also wanted to share our experience from my own perspective. The first thing that should be known is that my company sourced and paid for everything, which included two real estate agents in Houston who would "organize" everything and after a few weeks of frustration, we decided to go out of pocket instead and try and find someone to actually "help" us. This is important, as throughout this process, every realtor we talked to simply did the Googling for us and sent us links - Sean was the only one who seemed to do any actual leg work. We had questions, concerns, and Sean spent hours/days with us, without even knowing if we'd eventually show up. For all he knew, we were just using him to do our homework for us. In fact, the first few agents ( after we fired our company sponsored ones ) made sure to tell us how to list their name as referrals before they asked a single question about what we wanted. Not sure if this is normal, but certainly was an odd experience for us. We found Sean 2 months into our process, and only weeks before we were supposed to move by reading a blog of his from what had to be 5 years ago - but it was perfect, exactly what we wanted to see. It was his honest "review" of the exact types of properties we were looking for. It could have been a review of ice cream for all I cared, it was his approach that resonated. It seemed like he put himself in our shoes and just answered the questions we had to save us a ton of time. He defined his audience, and we happened to fit the profile, and the blog read like "if I were you, here is what I would look for, and how some neighbourhoods/places stack up". A single read of his blog two months earlier would have saved us weeks of frustration/wasted time. So, we tracked him down, emailed him a little about what we wanted and he wrote us back that night saying he would provide an updated list when he got home from wherever he was. This was exactly what we expected two months earlier before the nightmare of Houston real estate ensued, so we're just glad we finally found it. So, we go back and forth for a few days ( and he doesn't send ONE SINGLE googled link ) and he puts together a top 10 list...and includes the "why" he put this place on, and why this other place was off. We then prepare to visit and do some touring around and find out he isn't in Houston any longer, but in Dallas. Of course, we expect him to pass us off to someone local as it certainly would increase his costs to continue helping us without any compensation, but nope, he drove down and took us out for the whole day to a half a dozen places from the list. My wife probably summed it up the best to me later that night that "every single one of these places is exactly what we wanted to see". So, from start to finish, our crazy frustrating experience over two months was simplified and solved in just under two weeks with Sean. As it sits now, he is helping us with the paperwork to make an offer on our preferred place and still hasn't mentioned his compensation once and I can't imagine whatever it is, it will be half of what he should get paid, but he hasn't stopped helping us yet - which is another good sign I guess having a client write a review before the service has even ended. So to summarize Sean: 1. Knows his stuff about Houston real estate ( especially luxury condos ), knows the people in the industry which helps getting attention and deals, and despite being in Dallas, seemed up to speed with all things Houston. 2. Spent time, was proactive and patient, actually helped/advised us, answered our questions, and helped us ask other questions we didn't know we needed to ask - which is critical for non-locals. 3. Seemed motivated by everything other than his own interests, which I know isn't true of course, but it makes me want to do business with someone when it's clearly not his primary motivation. 4. Took us for Tex Mex and introduced us to something called "Queso Blanco". 5. Continues to help us get moved into the right place for my wife and i.....and our puppy. Thanks Sean, keep up the great work and if you ever need any other references, you know who to ask. read more

Eric Charzarreta, of ULR / Urban Leasing Realty, was my apartment locator for my recently concluded apartment search (May 2018) in the Galleria area, Houston TX. Even though we initiated conversation for the first time a week prior to the conclusion of the apartment search, I couldn't have asked for a better apartment locator. When I started my search, I reached out to quite a few apartment locator firms in Houston, TX. However, almost all of them just replied to my queries with a list of 40-50 properties to sort through. I got the impression they were more interested in their commission rather than in really helping me draw up a shortlist of properties to tour. On the other hand, Eric first called me and really tried to understand my search criteria. After a few days, he sent me a curated list of six properties with his personal comments on the suitability of each property as per my criteria. Next, even though I was working very late evenings, he made himself available to talk over telephone at 9 pm to review the properties before our tour. On the tour, he was throughly organized - making appointments as we progressed to ensure that we were always greeted promptly on arrival at each leasing office. At no point did I feel him trying to sway my opinion towards any property. All the same, given his detailed understanding of the demographics, I was appreciative for his objective assessment on how each property met my criteria. Finally, at the conclusion of our all day tour (9 am to 3 pm), I decided start the application process and sign the lease at one of the properties. During this process, he was extremely patient and just waited for me to be done. I wholeheartedly recommend Eric for your apartment search needs. read more

Relocating to Houston and need assistance with real estate, renting, buying, selling, Patty Hatton, ULR Properties http://urbanleasing.com/ will save you a lot of your own time and effort. Patty is Fantastic!! We relocated from Australia to Houston with our 12 year old daughter; while still in Oz, I was online searching for a great realtor and honestly needed someone who was going to do a better job than what I would do. Otherwise, in the end it creates more work for me and I needed someone who was precise, understands my requirements and only delivers me quality. You wouldn't believe the Houston real estate market, it is ridiculously competitive. Something I was not prepared for. I also selected to work with Patty instead of the assigned realtor provided to us by our employment company. I can go into further detail on how we kept changing our personal needs and requirements, due to schooling, house style and sizes but basically overall Patty chop and change with our demands with no hassles, assisted with driving us to view the properties, explained and assisted with the financial and down payments processes. Nothing was an issue for Patty. Above and Beyond! She was exactly who we needed to help us find a new place and assist with adapting to living in a new country. With great tips on restaurants and local places to visit, I would highly recommend you email Patty at ULR properties. read more

I used Stony Naquin recently to buy my house inside the loop. Stony was always really accessible and responsive, was patient with my ever-changing list of priorities, had great information about the areas I was considering, and had excellent recommendations for getting bids for repairs and negotiating with the seller. Stony was recommended to me by friends who also had an great experience buying a home in the heights with her - she was a tough negotiator for my friends and came up with some creative solutions when a seller dug their heels in on an overpriced house. Even better - when I'd mention to friends who work in real estate who I was working with, they also always had great things to say about her. I've (briefly!) worked with realtors in the past who I felt I was inconveniencing with questions or requests - Stony couldn't be more different. She really cared about helping my kids and I find a safe place that would make a happy home for my family. She may start out as your realtor, but it's hard not to wind up counting someone like Stony as a friend after it's all said and done. She really cares about her clients, and I think it's important to her to help her clients find what they're looking for. Stony's the best!! read more

My wife and I just finished working with Scott and Jessica after we were referred to them by a friend. In terms of working with a new realtor, our experience couldn't have been better! While my wife and I were picky, Scott continued to take us all around the Houston area, day after day, looking for a our home. What was so great about Scott was that we felt he was more concerned about finding us a great house than even we were. Because he is very knowledgeable about construction and development, he would always give us great insight into the quality of the home, things that would potentially cause us problems in the future, and how aspects of the house would affect us when trying to rent or resell. Lastly, Scott and Jessica definitely "do their homework" and know everything there is to know about the Houston real estate market. From price per square foot in specific neighborhoods to market conditions to bidding strategies, we were so impressed by the information they told us and advice they gave us. In conclusion, I would recommend URL (especially Scott and Jessica) to ANYONE! They are professional, friendly, and most importantly, great at what they do. We will definitively use them again for our next move. read more

I recently relocated to Houston, TX from Michigan and was recommended that I work with Amanda Schroeder. She was nothing but wonderful throughout the entire process. Amanda went above and beyond in finding me my new home away from home. We toured the most beautiful places around town and she made every detail count making sure that all of my needs were met. She has an extensive network of great properties filled with great management and made sure that everyone felt welcome. Amanda spent time with me before we even looked at places to get to know me and build a relationship to better understand my interests, likes, dislikes, and so on. She was very accommodating to my schedule also including family that I brought with me to look at each place too. Amanda is a true Houstonian and made sure that we received the full experience to see what all the area had to offer. I am every bit impressed with Amanda and would highly recommend her to anyone searching for properties in the Houston area. She helped me find an amazing apartment but I know her portfolio goes beyond just apartments in helping anyone find the right home too. Amanda is professional, charismatic, empathetic, and an EXCELLENT realtor! read more

My wife and found Urban Leasing when we moved from Atlanta to Houston. We were looking for a nice apartment with hardwood floors, granite counters and that was in walking distance to coffee, restaurants, and bars. We were really worried about finding the right neighborhood since Houston has such crazy zoning and is so spread out. Fortunately we found Scott at Urban Leasing (713-775-7010). He was incredibly proffessional and quick to respond to our phone calls with any questions. What I like most about him is that he knew what we wanted without us really having to explain. He has lived in Houston and he knows where the great night life is, where the great restaurants are, and best locations to reduce traffic on commutes. Needless to say, we found an awesome apartment in the Upper Kirby area and Tonto (our dog), my wife, and I love the neighborhood. I would have definitely paid for the service, but there is no charge since the company operates on commision paid by the apartment management. Definitely give Scott a call if you are moving to Houston . read more

I needed help from a professional to find a town home for my sister and I to share. I came across Urban Leasing and gave them a call. It was late that day (around 7) but, someone actually answered the phone! I spoke with the agent Sean Ray, told him what I was looking for, and around 1 hour later he had a list of properties for me to review. Even when I had changes in my search (going from a two bedroom town home to a one bedroom apartment!) he quickly put together a list of options for me that suited my needs. Throughout the entire process, Sean was always available to me, kept me updated on properties, and was able to narrow my search down based on my personality and likes. I found a place with Sean's help within one week of meeting him and was never stressed because he did all the work. I would recommend Sean Ray and Urban Leasing highly for the individuals out there with limited time to apartment search and who appreciate professional expertise. Apartment hunting with Sean was easy, enjoyable and best of all FREE!! read more

As a young professional who was new to Houston, I was a bit anxious about learning a new city, deciding on a neighborhood, and finding an apartment all in one day. Thankfully, Scott made the experience stress-free and, honestly, quite fun. By combining my wishlist with his vast knowledge of Houston's real estate, Scott was able to prepare a terrific list of properties and provide honest input about each property in terms of neighborhood, walkability, nightlife, safety, local traffic, property management, and much more. Scott seemed relaxed and casual throughout our property tours, but his overall operation was well-organized and efficient. We narrowed down a list of 20 properties down to 7, and we saw those 7 properties in 4 hours without feeling rushed at all. For someone like me who was new to Houston, Scott took the "unknown" out of the equation by answering all my questions and providing additional input that he thought would be helpful to me. I give Scott Weaver my highest recommendation. read more

I moved from Austin recently and was really worried about finding a great place to live. I found Urban Leasing and got in touch with Scott Weaver. He was extremely friendly and immediately put my nerves at ease of finding a great place as he talked about his experience. Scott, quickly found a variety of areas that fit all my needs and scheduled an appointment with me to tour the city. He picked me up at my hotel and spent the entire day touring places. Being picky, I was unable to find one the first day, but it didn't matter, Scott went back to the drawing board, picked me up the next day and continued to look until he found me the perfect place! I was so ecstatic and the best part was...it was FREE! Yep, that's right a FREE service with an awesome tour guide who knows the city well, does all the work for you, and won't quit until your in the perfect place. If I move again in Houston I will definitely use Scott at Urban Leasing...thanks a ton Scott! read more

Clay Joyner is incredible. If I could give 6 stars, I would. Ask for Clay, and you won't be disappointed! His knowledge of the Houston area and subtleties of the different neighborhoods is unparalleled. I first reached out to Clay with a very specific set of "requirements" for my new apartment (some might say picky). I was all but certain that I wouldn't be able to find a place that fit perfectly. Clay was incredibly responsive and tailored his search to my preferences, and I had found my dream apartment within the week. Due to extenuating circumstances, I recently needed to move to a different location in Houston, and Clay was my go-to guy. He devoted multiple weekends to showing me several apartments and even hosted a virtual tour within 30 minutes of my impromptu request (I have a very busy/sporadic work schedule). I can't say enough about his work ethic, responsiveness, and devotion to finding me the perfect new apartment. Thank you Clay! read more

I had the pleasure of working with Raul Fernandez as my real estate agent as well as having Raul handle the management and leasing of my new home. He is professional in every sense of business. I really appreciate his honesty, knowledge of real estate, locations, and advice. I was seeking an agent that was not after a commission or making a sale, someone that really wanted me to be happy and feel good about this very important decision, Raul is certainly an agent that wants the absolute best for his clients. It took quite a while to choose the "right" house for me and it was not always an easy process. Raul was always patient and has a very strong work ethic. If I do buy another property in the Houston area, I would only use Raul, due to him being trustworthy and being quite experienced in real estate. He did a stellar job and glad that I was fortunate enough to work with a good person and agent. Dr. Ben Fishman read more

Scott was fantastic from start to finish! He expedited everything and heard my needs / wants very clearly in order to fill my need. I moved from Chicago to Houston, I was only in town for 2 days and had 6 interviews (interviewing was my priority) Scott made time to see me late on Monday and Tuesday afternoon. Having not been to Houston before, Scott knew exactly the type of place I was interested in - I told him to only show me the best places in my price range and good neighborhoods. He even drove me around the neighborhoods so I could see if I liked them and what was nearby. I have a darling apartment - totally affordable in a great neighborhood. I've very happy that I used Urban Leasing - they were available, convenient, and flexible making my apartment search a breeze. If you are looking for an honest, reliable realtor that will expedite your needs, I highly recommend Scott Weaver. Thanks again Scott! read more

I found ULR online. I live here in Houston but I didn't know any Realtors that seemed to have some informed insight about buying a house to live in from an investment standpoint. II called and had the pleasure of speaking with Scott. After a lengthly conversation I knew he was my guy. He was friendly and by far the most knowleadgeable about the areas I was interested in: Montrose and Washington Avenue area. The market in Houston is harsh and uncaring right now, as my wife and I soon found out. Had it not been for Scott I don't think we would have actually bought our home. He prepared us for how competitive the market is and guided us through the whole process. I really like that Scott is a genuine guy, not a "salesy" goofball. We love our home and I can't thank Scott enough. I think ULR is a great local business and I recommend Scott to anyone buying a home. read more

My fiancé and I were new in town and looking for a house or duplex, by an awesome accident we ran into Sean. Sean talked to my fiancé about the things we should know about the area, where to avoid and what to look out for. It real changed our perspective on what we wanted. After he got a feel for who we were as people, he gave us a list of great options for us. He walked us through them and we narrowed them down to a few we wanted to check out. He drove us around to see our favorites, took us around the areas to get a feel for the neighborhood, and he knew all of the people at each the places, which made us feel very comfortable. We found one that blew our expectations away; we couldn't be happier. He helped us find the spot that we got married at and we had such a good time with him, we invited him to our wedding! read more

Urban Leasing is a great company and has a great agent in Scott Weaver. I would recommend using this service to anyone moving to Houston. I moved here from New Jersey and hadn't used a free apartment locating service before. I didn't know Houston very well and I was worried that finding a loft in the right neighborhood was going to be impossible. By stroke of luck, I found Scott Weaver from Urban Leasing. I told him what I liked to do, where I usually hang out and he had some great recommendations from what I told him. He took me around to see the places I liked when I was in town. It would have taken me twice as long had I tried to find them on my GPS. I couldn't be happier with my new loft. Thank you Scott and I wish you all the best with Urban Leasing. read more

I initially had doubts about going through a real estate agency to find an apartment (I'm a DIY kinda guy) but I heard such great things and I knew literally nothing about Houston, so decided to give this a shot. This when I met Clay, probably one of the kindest most amazing human beings I ever met. Not having my car at the time, he volunteered to drive me around to what may have been 20 places (over several weekends) before I finally made up my mind. Made the process effortless, and not once did he make me feel pressured for time before he found me the perfect place. He even helped me coordinate my move. Thoughtful, considerate and extremely professional. He gained in me a lifelong friend. Don't hesitate to go with ULR and if you're lucky you'll get Clay. read more

I just moved to Houston and was really worried about finiding a place to live that met my desires: close to work, near a gym, and a social setting. I got on the internet and ran across Urban Leasing. Scott Weaver got in touch with me promptly and really listened to my living wants. With his expertise of the city, he put together a great list of apartments, and then spent the entire day touring locations with me. He took me out to lunch and further discussed my likes and dislikes about each apartment complex. With his knowledge of the leasing business, he helped me choose a great place, as well as get a great deal. I would recommend Urban Leasing to anyone in hopes of finding an awesome place to live in the Houston area. Thanks Scott! read more

I rarely, if ever, write a review - but the service I received totally warranted my taking the time to recommend Brittany from Urban Leasing. I am moving to Houston from out of state, and I contacted her (based on other reviews) and am very glad I did. I gave her my basic list of needs/wants, and she compiled a perfect list for me, allowing me to narrow it down before I flew into town for the weekend, which allowed us to make the best use of my time. She knows her apartments, communities, and areas very well. I ended up with a beautiful apartment that exceeds my expectations, and I am super happy! I can recommend Brittany and Urban Leasing without hesitation!!! If you're moving to Houston - call her! read more