JMH Realty Concepts Inc

What's the lowest rating I can give?. \r \r [PLEASE AT LEAST READ THE TL;DR AT THE BOTTOM IF YOU DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THE WHOLE STORY]\r \r I could go on for hours about how horrible it was to deal with this realty company, but I'll try to keep it brief. First let me say that I consider myself pretty easy going and non-confrontational. When I was shown the apartment I asked if it would be cleaned and painted before move-in (the previous residents had been there 5 years and the place was pretty filthy), and they assured me it would. Cut to move-in day. THE APARTMENT WAS A DISASTER:\r \r -Stove: Broken and unusable\r -Microwave: Broken and unusable\r -Refrigerator: No handles on the doors and had a yellow layer of filth on the inside\r -Broken floor boards, wall sockets, garbage disposal, doors, closets, you name it\r -The walls were a yellow-ish color (clearly not painted) and the carpet was frayed, coming away from the wall, and smelled like urine\r -There are sooooo many more things I could add (for example: bathroom sink covered in hair and shaving clippings, like COVERED in them).\r \r When we made a list of the damage we observed and politely brought it to the office we were told that there was no way they would fix everything. They basically laughed in our faces and told us they also wouldn't clean/paint anything or change the carpet--that was on us if we wanted to do so (even though they had previously agreed to do it). The only thing they would fix was the appliances.\r \r We decided to just bite the bullet and deal with it (what choice did we have!?!) and were happy they would at least replace the UNUSABLE appliances. Cut to 4 weeks later, they decided to renovate our entire kitchen without our consent and without notifying us. TEAMS OF WORKERS ENTERED OUR APARTMENT DAY AND NIGHT. They stored all of their equipment and supplies in our living room so the only place we could go was the bedroom (and obviously, WE HAD NO KITCHEN). When we complained they again just laughed in our faces because they knew there was nothing we could do. THIS WENT ON FOR OVER 6 MONTHS.\r \r Finally after things settled down (6 months later) everything was fine, no complaints. \r \r Then came our move out. We obviously did not renew our lease, and we made sure the place was SPOTLESS (we had a sense they were crooks). We even took a video, pictures, and had a witness there to verify. I honestly thought we would be fine (I mean, the apartment was a shithole when we moved in!).\r \r Well, of course THEY KEPT OUR ENTIRE SECURITY DEPOSIT. I was furious; we had to clean up after the previous tenant (of 5 years) by ourselves and endure construction (without a kitchen) for over half our lease! When we pressed them for an explanation they cited things like: \r \r -missing light bulb\r -broken doorstop\r -re-paint fee (they didn't paint before we moved in!)\r -new carpet fee (they refused to give us new carpet!)\r \r In the end I was moving out of state and was just so fed up I couldn't deal anymore. So yea, I let them get away with it. But, I hope you don't.\r \r tl;dr: Moved into a filthy apartment with no working appliances (and a litany of problems); landlord refused to fix anything but appliances; landlord decided without notifying us to renovate entire kitchen; spent 6 months in heavy construction with no kitchen or access to our living room; landlord kept our entire security deposit at move-out for no reason\r more

I was a tenant of JMH up until this summer for 7 years. They run a solid & professional shop & knowing how landlords can be in Philadelphia, I was very happy to work with Alan. Everything is clear, fair & straightforward. It's run like a business and if you keep your affairs in order you will have no issues. more

I have nothing but good things to say about Alan and the JMH team. They were prompt, efficient fair and, dare I say, kind. I got to the point where I enjoyed dropping into the office and saying hi to the people there. It was a very positive experience. I rented from JMH for 3 years, during which time they remodeled the kitchen and installed hardwood floors in the living room. They did so respectfully and quickly (which isn't easy to do). The contractors they use for home repairs and service are all respectful and easy to deal with, I never felt intruded or inconvenienced. Look, it's a rental agency that deals with a lot of units. They have a set of rules that they adhere to; you play by the book, they'll treat you great. They may come down hard on people who screw around with silly service calls or late payments; but I wouldn't know and I wouldn't blame them. I respected their business, they respected me as a client. It was a great rental experience, and I'd rent from them again. \r more

I rented with JMH for two years and it was absolutely horrific. They were unbelievably rude and were unwilling to listen to our concerns. They were difficult to deal with in the office, often making us jump through hoops for simple needs. They made promises about our apartment that they never followed through with. If you work a normal job with normal hours, it doesn't matter, they're still never open to help you anyway. more

I rented with JMH Realty for 7 years (2 different apartments), and both my experiences were great. Alan Folkman and his team are extremely well-organized, efficient and reliable. The entire team is very responsive to any issues or concerns I needed addressed—I usually received a response within a few hours to questions or concerns (even outside of business hours). I only had a couple of minor issues in the apartment, both of which were fixed within 1-2 business days. \r \r In addition, if I had any special requests, Alan would not only inform me upfront of any costs for using their services, but also made sure to give me ideas for cheaper options that I could do myself. \r \r My only complaint is that the women in the front office can be pretty curt, but you really only have to deal with them in the initial few days while signing the lease. Plus it’s the nature of the realty business in a busy city like Philly, and in my opinion, efficiency counts for a lot more. I must also say that they got a lot friendlier after the lease was signed and you became a tenant. \r \r All of the paperwork was done on time and the whole process of lease signing etc. was very organized. You also receive regular updates by email about trash-pickup (in case of holidays and changed dates), ways to conserve electricity/heat, and other helpful tips like controlling for bed bugs etc. \r \r Alan himself is great. He genuinely cares and tries to make your stay as comfortable as possible. For the second apartment I rented, the owner (who was using JMH for property management services) turned out to be an abrasive and rude man, but I was very glad to not have to deal with him, and only deal with Alan and the JMH team—that made things a lot more convenient and my life a lot simpler, which speaks to the importance of having a good realty company who know what they’re doing and do it well. \r \r Even after I moved out of the apartment, everything was done promptly. My questions and concerns were answered as quickly as they were while I was a tenant, Alan offered to provide a reference for my future landlords, and I received almost my entire security deposit back (whatever little was not returned was reasonable). \r \r I’ve now moved to the suburbs, but if I ever move back into Philadelphia, I’m sure I’ll be going back to JMH. more

Alan Folkman and his team at JMH have been managed I property I rented in Fairmount for three years. Upon signing the lease, Alan gave me his cell phone and told me to call at any time with any problems I may have. Regardless of the problems (leaky sink, dishwasher, doors - all things the owner, not the property manager, must decide to replace), Alan was always forthcoming and timely. He is professional, efficient, thorough and proactive. I trusted him completely. Anytime there was a miscommunication between myself and JMH, Alan took full responsibility and immediately fixed the problem. His staff as the 22nd Street office was equally professional. I moved out of town or I'd continue using JMH. In fact, when we received our security deposit back, a VERY minimal amount was subtracted for standard cleaning and painting. Any repairs, replacements or minimal damage was not withdrawn as JMH is not looking to profit off the tenants (a pleasant surprise). Well done. more

Alan Folkman and his team at JMH have been managing my property in Fairmount for more than 10 years. Alan is professional, efficient, thorough and proactive. I trust him completely and can count on him to give me the best advice possible. He continues to demonstrate his concern for both the property owners and the tenants and cares deeply about doing what's right. I cannot imagine handling the challenges of being a landlord without him and recommend him to both tenants and owners. more

I still remember the first time a potential tenant told me that I needed Alan Folkman’s help at JMH Realty Concepts, that was over 25 years ago. I had purchased a building in my twenties and subdivided it into 6 units. While showing the apartments myself, a potential tenant felt sorry for me and gave me Alan’s phone number. Making that call and having Alan become the property manager was as monumental or more than buying the property in the first place. Alan instills confidence in property owners, he has the best contractors who are professional, trust worthy and pay attention to all of the small details, Alan makes sure of that. Alan is constantly developing and refining new processes aimed at making things better. Nothing slips thru the cracks, when it comes down to it, it is his honesty and professionalism that separates him from everyone else. I completely trust any decision that Alan makes, he is one of the most honest people I know. The tenants that he and his staff have chosen have always made it so easy for me. Alan goes out of his way to always help, whether it be providing guidance or just a call out of the blue asking how things are going. His staff remains loyal to him because he is loyal to them. Over the 25 years that Alan has been my property manager, I have lived in Boston and Philadelphia and without Alan Folkman I would have been lost. I give Alan Folkman the highest recommendation, there is no one better! more

I have owned my home in the art museum and was 'rescued' by Alan Folkman after trying to be my own property manager. He was concise, efficient, and most of all honest. I felt totally comfortable with his decisions concerning my property, respecting his opinion. He is a hard worker, reliable, and an ambassador for my property. Landlords and tenants alike can only benefit from his involvement. I highly recommend JMH for property management! more

I have been using JMH Realty for over a decade as a property manager for a unit that I own. Alan Folkman has kept me informed of all developments relative to my property. My unit is rented nearly 100% of the time and is well maintained. Alan has reduced unnecessary costs, kept me in compliance with local real estate ordinances, and reviewed and maintained the proper level of insurance as a condo owner.He has also brokered difficult and potentially onerous disagreements among condo owners regarding common property. Lastly, and perhaps most improtantly he has been a tireless advocate for the neighborhood and for owners of rental properties in general through his proactive involvement with city council and other regulatory agencies. In summary, I cannot imagine a better experience as an owner of a rental property. more

I've been using JMH as my property manager since 2004, and could not recommend them more highly. They were recommended to me when I bought my property, and I can certainly see why now. I live out of town and therefore am completely reliant on my manager to take care of things. Alan Folkman, the person I deal with at JMH, has been the best: prompt at responding, conscientious about getting problems solved quickly and well, good at handling a wide variety of situations and people, and fair. It has kept both my tenants and me happy for seven years. I couldn't ask for more. more

I have been using JMH as our property manager for the past 6 years as an out-of-state landlord. I have been a reluctant landlord, but the best thing about my experience is working with Alan Folkman and his staff. Alan is a true professional who cares very much for his tenants and his landlords: we are all equally his clients. He is communicative, organized, and passionate. Real Estate may seem dry, but when your Life's investment is being tied up into a gigantic scary thing in this Economy, it can be very emotional as well. Alan gives me his most honest service, but has been there with a hug when I needed it too. If you are looking for exceptional service and an exceptional relationship with the people you do business with, look no further. more

I have been a rental property owner and have worked with JMH Realty for the past 4 years. In that time, I found the management and especially the principle, Alan Folkman, to be very responsive to my needs as a rental owner. They have provided both timely and excellent service to my needs and those of the renters. I would highly recomend JMH to any tenent or property owner.\r \r Ted Ellis more

I lived in a JMH property in the Fairmount area for a year. At first I was weary, the agent could be very direct and sometimes that equates to being a difficult individual to work with. However, my experience was anything but bad.\r \r Our initial complaints upon moving in (light bulbs, dirty hallway) were resolved with no hassle and promptly. Later, we had water damage from the unit above. The landlord called me back the immediately the next morning (they were closed when I called) and took care of it, again, promptly and was completely paid for by JMH. And lastly, upon moving out me and my roommate were initially charged a carpet cleaning fee. When calmly explained that this was not stipulated in the lease and that we had ensured a very clean move out. Without any fuss, and with civil agreeance, we were refunded the amount.\r \r Without regard, I would recommend these guys. It's pretty hard to come by good landlords in this city and we really lucked out. more

I lived in an apartment maintained by JMH for five years. Alan, the overall manager, was always professional and very responsive to my needs, even when I did something as silly as locking myself out of my apartment. When I first moved in, the maintenance was okay. Many times it was clearly done in a rush. As time progressed, the maintenance became much stronger and therefore the workmanship improved significantly. more

I rented from JMH for 2 years and was sad to leave- staff were very accessible and easy to work with. They offer a large selection of apartments with reasonable rates. I highly recommend their company. more

My experience with this Company is excellent! I am a Tenant and have never had a issue every time I called they responded in a timely manner! I love the office staff .. are so cool...they go out of their way for us in our unit! excellent customer service! more

The office staff are friendly, efficient, and hard working. The maintenance staff is responsive, talented, and accountable.I would definitely recommend them. more

Do not rent from these animals. The receptionists and agents are rude people who will give you false information about the application process and steal your application fee. I have NEVER met more unpleasant and miserable people in my life. And do not for one second believe any of the other ""positive"" reviews by renters - they are obviously phony and planted by the staff of JMH. more

The Worst place I have ever rented from!!!! more