Does anyone have experience with Urban & Bye? Specifically Melani Lamont? Thanks!

She was the seller's agent on the first house we looked at, and we liked her so much that we ended up using her as our agent. She's a long-time resident and neighborhood booster as well as a very responsive and conscientious agent. PM me if you want details.

Are you selling or buying?

Lisa

Urban (George Funderburg) and Bye (Gerald Bye) were *the* two real estate companies in West Philly for decades. The merged recently, and still seem to carry the majority of the best listings in the better areas.

Personally I've found them to be rude and dismissive of my attempts to engage them in any type of discourse. Of course, at the time I was merely renting. I have the distinct feeling that if I were in the market for a $400K house, they would be just fine to work with.

they did leave such a sour taste in my mouth 10 years ago that I vowed never to deal with again, but hey, if they've got the house you want, do you have any other choice?

I had a fairly bad experience renting from them.

I think that they over value the houses in the area. That's how they keep the neighborhood nice.

I think that's pretty much how they behave. They got used to having the market cornered, and things haven't changed yet.

When my parents bought their house 40 years ago, George Funderburg showed them exactly *two* prosperities; not that he didn't have more to offer them, just that he felt they should buy one of those two houses.

Yeah, when me and my wife were looking at houses our price range was less than half of that $400K range, and we were basically brushed aside by Urban and Bye. They did not return our calls or send us any updates.

Boy, this is rather depressing. I was hoping that I was just a hot-headed kid who took things the wrong way 10 years ago.

so, one thing I've always wondered is if it's possible to by-pass them and use another agent/agency instead? I did vow years ago never to use these folks, and as such, I'm loathe to give them any commission.

Could you find a listing of theirs and go elsewhere? 'Cause in light of these posts, and despite the fact that we're just about to buy a house, I really want to have nothing to do with them.

They snubbed my friend and I about 8 years ago when we wanted to buy a multi unit. 2 fresh college grads didn't seem serious enough to them I guess? (neither of us acted like kids)

We went to SPhila and did much better than we would have in UCity. (those UCity monsters are insane $$ pits and it seems like 99% of them have been neglected for 25 years)