Some frank comments on Aguayo & Huebener from an independent source

Looks like the topic of the past few days is Aguayo & Huebener's (perceived?) lack of service from a Brownstoner thread. Enjoy, folks!

(The winner is this part: I sold a co-op with A&H and while they were very knowledgable, I found them surprisingly lacking in attentiveness -- they seemed to treat the sale as a low priority. The first open house we held, they sent one agent, who refused to show our roof deck and brought her lunch, which she proceeded to sit at the kitchen table and eat as the first visitors made their way through the apartment. I could go on, but won't.)

1. Hello,My name is Elisabeth and I am the listing agent for this property. The house is in prime Clinton Hill, not Clinton Hill East as speculated. For more details on the house or the exact location, simply call our offices, Aguayo & Huebener, at 718-788-8200 or 718-622-9300 and indicate that you are interested in H343; our sales staff would be more than happy to answer your questions or to schedule a viewing. Our web site is www.ahrlty.com if you would like to preview this property as well as our other wonderful listings. The house is a legal two-family that has most recently been configured as a double duplex (there are indeed four floors), with a lower 2BR 1.5BA duplex and an upper 3BR 2BA duplex. However, it is being delivered vacant and thus there is much flexibility on the configuration (enjoy it as a spacious single family, or rent out the garden level and enjoy an upper triplex.)The property also has a bright and airy garden. Thank you for your interest.
2. elisabeth, you give great customer service. can't the rest of your office do the same wrt the washington condos?
3. Elisabeth: Aren't you ashamed to be working for Aguayo & Huebener?
4. I think it's great Elisabeth posted here. But if she's still reading, I still think A&H should post more specific location info. Keeping it hush-hush just breeds mistrust. When I was looking to buy, I came to assume that any broker that didn't give a fairly specific location was stretching the truth at best. And if you're not, then why lump yourself in with all the sleazeballs and bait-and-switchers out there who call 25th Street "Park Slope," etc.?
5. I asked an Aguayo agent once why they didn't post an address and she told me that other firms would "poach" their listings - i.e. they don't ever want to split the commission.
6. I think everyone's being a little unfair to AH Realty. I'm not associated with them in any way, but I've lived in BK since '92 and they're one of the small local firms that have been around and selling these neighborhoods before they were "hot". I can attest from personal experience that the realtors there are knowledgeable and forthright about the neighborhoods, the market, and actually know something about the ins and outs of housing and real estate law because they've actually made a career of this; they work their asses off for both buyer and seller, which is more than I can say for the larger coporate firms whose employees are shockingly inexperienced on a multitude of levels. Cut them some slack.
7. I've used A&H on both sides of transactions in the past. Overall I thought they were ok. I agree that their website could use some work, and I don't like the way they're pictures are alway of the floor of rooms trying to emphasize the size of the space (oftent means that bedroom shots are of the bed alone...).
   I believe I met Elizabeth, and if it is the same person I met, she was really great. Very up to date on everything, responsive and approachable, so I commend her for being on top of this blog. Like the other poster said, cut her some slack. She's clearly on top of it which is more than can be said for most, and she's out there working hard for this particular seller. Just doing her job.
8. I sold a co-op with A&H and while they were very knowledgable, I found them surprisingly lacking in attentiveness -- they seemed to treat the sale as a low priority. The first open house we held, they sent one agent, who refused to show our roof deck and brought her lunch, which she proceeded to sit at the kitchen table and eat as the first visitors made their way through the apartment. I could go on, but won't.
   On the other hand, we bought that co-op through Brooklyn Properties with Roslyn Huebener as the agent, back when she worked there. She provided great service, far more than I would have expected her to give to a couple who were spending a relative pittance and weren't even paying her commission.
   So, good experience, not-so-good experience. Anyway, my point was not to bash AH generally. I just think it's not helpful to buyers or sellers to withhold any information like the location. It may helpful to AH, but as a seller (or buyer), I would not want their first consideration to be preserving their full commission. As for poaching, Corcoran gives out addresses and they don't exactly seem to be going out of business.
   Anyway, I give props to Elisabeth for posting regardless.