Peabody Residential

I rarely comment on social media about my experiences with local businesses?. but, in this case I need to make an exception. Recently I was asked about my experiences with property management firms in Northern Virginia. For several years now, I?ve had a property in Annandale that is managed by Peabody Residential. Their service has been exceptional and wonderfully stress free. People need to know that Peabody is one, if not THE, best property manager in Northern Virginia. I am able to live hundreds of miles away and to travel when needed without worry. I can be comfortable that my home is being well cared for and that problems are brought quickly to my attention. Peabody maintains an internet portal that make it easy for me to stay in touch and deal with any issues even when traveling to very distant locations. The staff are always willing to accommodate any special request that I might have.... but most importantly, they go out of their way to keep my tenant happy and satisfied with her living arrangement. This allows me to sleep well at night without worries. I give them my highest recommendation.

This is an outstanding property rental company, run from the top by professional, competent and understanding staff, beginning with the owner, Tino Peabody. They found us two renters over the course of our relationship with them, and in both instances found dependable and solid families who cared well for the property and caused us no problem at all. This includes the myriad duties associated with packing in and packing out of a property and the hand-holding they perform for all parties so that issues and minimized and tempers/egos and not trampled. This is no mean feat when it comes to dealing with people's temporary or permanent homes. BTW, we are moving back into this condo property permanently and I am fully aware in advance that the experience will be that less traumatic because they are "on the job." There was one instance more than a year ago when an employee (no longer employed by them), through inattention or lack of experience, mishandled a repair, and this wound up costing us some money. When the error was discovered by Peabody, a correction was made and they "ate the cost" which normally would have been ours because they did not wish to put a price tag on their goodwill. They are the best.

I would have given them a worse review, but I'm not sure that my experience isn't just reflective of how little property management companies do. Specifically, I went with Peabody because I thought they would take care of our property (our single family home) to help ensure that we could return to the home in good condition. Unfortunately, they were not able to ensure that maintenance contracts got serviced (eg, our HVAC system, lawn care, pest control). As a result, it seemed as if they were able to ensure the property would have the "absolute minimum" done to keep it livable. However, their inattention to detail means that many items, which should get taken care of, don't. Also, ultimately, I wasn't sure why I was paying them the equivalent of 1 month's rent. Whenever a service issue came up, they just passed the buck on to the tenant, to arrange a service time and coordinate repairs. They seemed like they got in the way more than anything else. In general, I would have given them a much worse grade, but I think that many other property companies with an "A" are really just as bad.

Peabody Residential was the property manager for my rental property in Arlington (single family residence). Account set-up was error-free, all on-line through their portal. Documentation and forms were exceptional. All financial transactions happened on-time, never a hiccup. Email and portal notifications of maintenance issues and trouble calls was were prompt and comprehensive. The thing I appreciated most was the quality of inspections. Over the course of the lease, Peabody performed three inspections: tenant move-in; interim inspection about 10 months into the lease; and the tenant move-out inspection. All three inspections were performed by the same inspector, who took detailed photographs of every room, every fixture, and every appliance. It was very easy to compare 'before' and 'after' photos and determine the extent of needed repairs. Their repair contractor provided a very detailed and comprehensive estimate for the repairs.

As far as Peabody Residential's actions, it went great. They were immediately responsive to the issue and have kept me in the loop on all developments. They have taken on responsibility for communicating with the insurance companies, the liable party, and the HOA. They were also able to get the repairs completed in short order. Although the liable party has yet to take accountability for the leak, Peabody continues to fight to resolve the issue, which has included a thorough review of the HOA by-laws and the possibility of taking the case to litigation. Overall, we have been extremely impressed with Peabody Residential and will continue to work with them so long as we rent-out our condo. I would highly recommend this company (and have) to friends, family, and strangers alike. Peabody Residential maintains the kind of integrity, communication, and client-focus that a homeowner such as myself seeks in a property management firm.

Very responsive, especially Tino, who often communicated with me through weekends. They are thorough, patient with concerns, and capable as well as flexible. We worked with them for repairs, securing tenants, and selling the property while we were out of the country/out of state, and they provided me with a lot of reassurance and peace of mind, via email, phone call, and in person! Really great to work with, and their online system streamlines and keeps everything together. Recommend highly.

Bottom line: not recommended. ------------------------------------------- In short: Cons: - Their top concern is lining their pockets - Definitely disorganized as they repeatedly confused us with other clients (seems likely they are victims of their own success, they probably did used to do a good job but now can't keep up) Pros: - They did meet with us very quickly on a Sunday when we decided to look for a property manager - They did get a tenant relatively quickly Details: - Regarding lining their pockets: They charge $500 for lease changes. Given that, when we ended our agreement with them, they took it upon themselves to do three minutes worth of work and add the new property manager's address to the existing lease, and YES, you guessed it, they charged us $500 for it - YES, on top of the $165 management fee for the month (partial month, actually, just 10 days). - Regarding being disorganized (that's the nice way of putting it, they are either overwhelmed or lazy) They repeatedly confused us with other clients. When they found a tenant, we asked some questions as we are new to being landlords. We were told they don't call a prospective tenant's previous landlord "unless they have a reason" to do so, but we "were welcome to call ourselves" if we wanted. Why would we hire a property management company if we wanted to do the legwork ourselves? Noteworthy item: Tino commented on one of the negative reviews on this site - Peabody was surprised to learn how the client felt. I am a firm believer in that people can't fix problems of which they are not aware, and Tino's comment suggests that he is, too. Thus, given some mistakes that were made by Peabody early on (confusing us with other people, errors in the listing, etc.), we started to wonder if we'd picked the right company, so we gently voiced our concerns in order to give them an opportunity to address them. We said things were off to a bit of a rocky start, and we were looking for some reassurance that we picked the right company. Their response was the beginning of the end for us. We were expecting something along the lines of a simple sorry for the rocky start, yes we know what we are doing, we'll pay closer attention moving forward. Instead, Tom Roller provided a defensive response. It was not anything we considered to be professional, and it certainly provided no assurance that we picked a competent company. The very moment we received his response we started to look for a new company. We fired them as we want a property management company that we don't have to manage. Bonus for us: they raised their rates just a few days later, so we dodged another bullet. One final noteworthy item: they disabled our owner account instantly. I can't help but wonder if they were hoping to hide their $500 sneaky lease charge.

Overall this company does a good job of managing properties. We were initially not happy with the company as our expectations for what we should get for the management fee were a bit different from what the company could offer However, we decided to stay with Peabody after talking to the owner and realigning our expectations. This is a good company that will take care of all the transactional needs of a rented property. They take care of maintenance issues on time and will get you dependable Tenants. However, as we learned the hard way, this is not a company that will operate your property in a personalized manner. They will take care of all the basics, and with a company with large portfolios, that's all you can ask for.

Peabody was excellent. I was sent to a conflict zone with very little notice and called them a few days before I had to leave. Tino came over, inspected the property and immediately started making things happen. I trusted them to handle everything as I was leaving and they did not disappoint - they got it ready, showed it, and brought in prospective tenants. They provided me with the right information to approve the tenants, all of which worked out well. When there was a miscommunication (partially my fault) on the asking price, Peabody graciously agreed to reduce their fees to make it right. For over two years, they managed my property and kept if filled with tenants, made repairs, and reduced the stress of serving overseas. They are professionals, but they also felt like family, and I would go back to them in a heartbeat for the same services.

Peabody residential has a magnificent staff of dedicated individuals/professionals who work very hard to manage properties and keep both tenants and owners happy. Peabody handled my property for three and a half years without any lapses in occupancy. I found the services to be more than expected. I'm a stickler for details and I was very pleased that all exchanges and transactions were available for my viewing and inspection at all times. Peabody uses an easy to use financial software application that makes it easy for landlords to see balances at all time. Peabody even has an e-mail alert system that lets landlords know when a rental payment will be deposited directly into a landlord designated bank account. Another bonus Peabody provides seamlessly is the preparation of end-of-year tax documents. Use of the Peabody financial products made my tax filing simple. I could go on, but the bottom line is that Peabody Residential made my landlord experience worry free. They were a tremendous help when it came to managing my property even though I live in a separate state from the state where my rental property exist. I highly recommend Peabody Residential and would use them again without any hesitation or reservation.

Just over three years ago I logged into Angie's List in search of a property management company to manage my condo in Sterling, VA. Peabody immediately caught my attention because of the high number of positive reviews. I gave them a call and spoke to Tino. He outlined the process and answered all of my questions. After another call or two, I decided to hire Peabody to manage my property. I can't remember exactly how long it took Peabody to find a tenant for my condo, but it certainly wasn't very long, maybe a couple of weeks. I ended up having the same tenant for the three years I rented the place. I'm very detail-oriented, and I asked a lot of questions as my relationship with Peabody Residential began. I wanted to be notified if a repair was going to be over a specific dollar amount. This was no problem. I also didn't just want to hear that a repair took place, I wanted to know the details of what was done. Peabody, specifically Monica, was always very responsive to my maintenance-related questions. She would send me copies of any repair bills, including pictures. The online account system made it very easy for me to monitor my account 24/7. Over the three years, Peabody always deposited my rental funds into my bank account on time. I was lucky to never have any major issues with the tenant, though there was one occasion In which Peabody helped to mediate a speedy resolution. For the second time in about six months, the garbage disposal needed to be repaired. Before I could even ask, Peabody had informed me that this second repair would come out of the tenant's pocket because of improper use of the disposal. When the tenants questioned this, they provided evidence from the contractor, showing that improper items had been put down the drain. After three years, I decided I wanted to sell my condo. Tino explained that they could handle all aspects of the transaction. His team assessed the property and provided a list of recommended improvements/fixes before placing the property on the market. I agreed to some, but not all of the items, and that was perfectly fine. All of the work was done quickly and my place was on the market in a couple of weeks. The entire selling process was very easy. When an offer came in, I was able to respond and sign any required documents electronically. I didn't have to do anything in-person until the date of closing. With the sale of my condo, my relationship with Peabody residential is now over. I would highly recommend them to anyone thinking about using a property management company. I travel a lot for my job, and the combination of their online system and fast responses to emails/calls, made it a worry-free process. I would certainly use them again when I am in the market to hire a property management company in the future.

We've been relying on Peabody Residential to manage our rental property for over 3 years. Because we live on the other side of the country and can't easily get to the property, it's important to us that the property manager be responsive, trustworthy, and diligent. Overall, Tino and his team have exceeded our expectations. The online portal makes it easy for property owners to run reports, submit service requests, and view documents. We're very pleased with their service and expect to continue using their service for many years to come.

A friend had recommended Peabody, and Tino responded quickly to my inquiry. I had decided fairly late in the game to have my property managed (although I hadn't been given much time between the job offer and the move either), so I was relieved that we could make an arrangement so quickly. I had already contracted with someone to find a tenant, so there was a bit of navigating the two arrangements, but in the end things have gone smoothly. Peabody's system is well organized, and the staff are responsive.

Overall, everything went great. Peabody continues to manage our property and so far they are doing a very good job. No complaints.

Overall, I have a good impression of them. Here are the positives: (1) They are responsive and always reply, if I email them or submit a request. (2) They go above and beyond - as with moving furniture into our storage. (3) They sent lots of photos at one of the inspection visits, which helps a lot to see how the property is being cared for. Here are some areas for improvement: (1) They could improve their internal communication. For example, we had the house painted between tenants, and they asked me to pay the painter. I paid him, but then found out that they had also paid him. I caught the error (maybe they would've too, but I caught it first), and they fixed the problem immediately. (2) They could be better about sending photos after work is done or following up with a report regarding the result of the work. For example, I've received requests to have maintenance work done and have approved them. I rarely hear, though, how it went or receive any photos.

We have been overseas for three years and have used Peabody Residential as our property management service for our home. The team at Peabody is very responsive to issues that arise and have handled a number of maintenance problems associated with owning an older home. The staff has also assisted in coordinating the scheduled visits of our already existing service plans which has helped the overall condition of our home. We are happy with the customer service that Peabody provides and will use them in years to come.

Since early 2013, Peabody Residential has been the property manager for the townhouse we own in Reston, Virginia . Since our professional relationship began with Peabody Residential, the company has met all of our needs and requirements. Peabody Residential recently communicated with us regarding some outside maintenance and repairs that were needed to ensure compliance with the requirements of our homeowners association. Following our approval to go ahead with all maintenance and repairs, Peabody Residential contacted us with the estimates they had obtained from the various contractors and sent the estimates to us for our approval. We approved and they immediately proceeded to mobilize the contractors to perform the work before the stated deadline provided by the homeowners' association. This all took place in an expeditious manner. The situation described above is only one of a countless number of times that the staff at Peabody Residential has provided us with prompt and worry-free service. The staff at Peabody Residential has consistently demonstrated to be professional, proactive, and pleasant to deal with. They keep us informed about all aspects concerning our property affairs; they maintain good customer relationships with ourselves as property owners and with the tenants; they source and mobilize quality contractors at very reasonable costs; and they nspect to ensure that the work is done to the highest quality expected. All these aspects guard against any potential hassles. We particularly appreciate that they regularly communicate with us and provide us with the personalized service that any customer requires. Peabody Residential has proven to us that we are not just a number in their portfolio of clients/customers. The staff is easily accessible, understanding of our needs, and serious about good service as well as good customer relations. The complete contact information for Peabody Residential is: Peabody Residential 11890 Sunrise Valley Drive Suite 101 Reston, VA 20191 Phone: 703-436-6964 (Direct extension is x101) Fax: 703-991-4000 info@peabodyresidential.com We highly recommend Peabody Residential to anyone requiring property management services. Sincerely, Luesette Howell, Email: howell719@gmail.com

I deeply regret doing business with Peabody Residential. Like you, I was researching Angie?s List for my rental property management needs. Worst business decision I have made in my life ? no joke. I started doing business with them in February of 2013 and we had a fully executed lease starting on May 1, 2013 that was signed on March 20, 2013. Tino proved to be a smooth talker (akin to a used car salesman) and at first I was impressed by his interest in helping my family meet our needs. However, as time went on ? his and his staff?s incompetence and dishonesty became blinding. The tenant filled out Peabody?s application (with application fee). I was assured by Erin Peabody (Tino?s wife btw) that a credit check was performed. Two days after the lease was signed, the tenant bounced a check ? I didn?t think much of it at the time as she eventually did pay the funds but hindsight proves this was the first in a series of problems I had with the tenant (and Peabody). Fast forward with more bad checks and come to find out that the tenant was stealing money from her employer to pay rent. She paid Peabody, Peabody paid me, and then they wanted the money back from me when her employer came asking for the money that was stolen. All of this culminated in me not getting paid rent for 6 months. At no point in time were they concerned about rectifying the situation ? they were putting all of their effort into getting their money back from me (which I did give them some back). I kept constantly asking myself ? what am I paying them for? All of the above prompted me to ask about her credit check. I wanted to see her credit score as I couldn?t believe this is the first time anyone of this character has done something of the sort. I was told by Tom Roller that ?the credit report has expired and is no longer available.? Ok, so I?m thinking you guys didn?t really check her out did you? Did you pocket the application fee? At the very best, they are incompetent ? at the worst?? So, I checked her credit myself and was astounded to see a previous eviction and multiple judgments! It took me 20 min to find this information. I was floored, so then I contacted a lawyer?? Adding insult to injury, Erin Peabody claims she did check the credit and recommended I do not rent to this person. Why would I rent to someone that Peabody doesn?t recommend and has bad credit? Aren?t I paying them to make recommendations and protect me? If I did go against their recommendation, wouldn?t there be some sort of CYA documentation on their part? Nothing. Further, it wasn?t like the property was on the rental market that long to where there would have been a sense of desperation on my part to rent it to anybody. Bottom line, Erin clearly lied and is most certainly the weakest link in their entire operation. So now it?s essentially he said, she said ? who do you think Tino would try to protect ? me or his wife? Classic case of why you shouldn?t work with your spouse (or do business with a ?mom and pop? operation). Let me add that Peabody?s response to this is that I found the tenant on Craigslist (which I did) and thereby their liability was lessened. I did receive a discount for finding the tenant. All of this culminated in the both of us agreeing to terminate the relationship. I am currently pursuing legal action against them for mismanaging the account which led to the losses suffered. Of course this is difficult, because in the contract you sign with them under paragraph 14 the parties' management agreement -- the agent assumes no liability for the failure of the tenant to pay any rent. I?m not disputing that, I?m disputing they didn?t check the person out before renting to her and they mismanaged my account with them along the way. All in all, a completely horrible experience doing business with them. · First mistake -- Peabody failed to properly run credit and rental history checks that would have shown past judgments and an eviction. · Second mistake ? At the first sign of trouble Peabody failed to institute or recommend legal action (as early as 2 days after the lease was signed) · Third mistake ? After the first returned check Peabody failed to require that payments be made in certified funds, cashier?s check or money order per the Lease. · Fourth mistake -- Peabody didn?t take the necessary steps to protect the funds it had received supposedly on my behalf or challenge the multiple refund requests with its bank or the alleged defrauded bank. Will I ever see the money again? Probably not. What I do know is Peabody doesn?t operate their business with integrity and this will undoubtedly come back to harm them in the future ? Karma. If you do need property management services, I recommend you go with someone who has more experience. I?m certain Peabody Residential has a lot of lessons learned from their business done with me, it however came at my expense. I don?t mind mistakes and people learning, I do mind people being dishonest and not being genuine. Comments in Response from Peabody Residential That?s incorrect; it cannot be defamation if it is indeed true. If my review really is inaccurate as you claim then you should be able to refute the inaccuracies with ease no? ?We provide thorough tenant screening for all tenants who are procured through our marketing? ? I presume if the tenant is not found through their marketing that they do a credit check, just not a thorough one? I don?t understand, you maintained you check the tenant?s credit (that I found) and told me not to rent to them? Doesn?t the tenant fill out a Peabody application and pays an application fee whether the tenant is found through your marketing or not? Don?t take anything for granted with this operation. And yes, as mentioned above, Tino agreed to terminate the contract early which credited back $1.1k that I had previously given them ? thank you so much Tino, I feel so lucky to do business with you. I should be grateful that I only lost 9k instead 10k because of your business practices and incompetence. Read this people and see the character within ? STAY AWAY.

We have used Peabody for over two years to lease our townhome, and have found their staff to be exceptionally responsive and attentive to our needs as owners. Tino and his team helped rent our home in less than a week, and have since provided a close supervision of the property that left us feeling at ease. The Peabody staff has very often "run interference" with our tenants on maintenance issues, sometimes heading off a repair call with a simple suggestion and other times helping manage more significant repairs while we are frequently "unreachable" overseas. We recommend their team without reservation

Their prices were a little cheaper than the standard rate in the industry. I liked their online web based system for managing work orders and problems and payment. It made things really convenient. Tino's team was always ready and handling things quickly and efficiently. My renters called them A LOT and then handled all of the problems quickly and conveniently. My renters ended up being pretty high maintenance, they even called when there were bees around and when they overfilled the bathtub but Tino and his team handled them quite well. The renters pulled out of the lease early and we negotiated a few months rent to compensate which helped me out great and it worked out well in the end. I would use them again if I was going to rent out my house and I would highly recommend them.

I have had an ongoing relationship with Peabody Residential since selecting them to manage and lease my home in Annandale, Virginia. I originally contacted them in early 2013. Peabody sent a staff member who was very professional and helpful and who explained all the specifics and legal considerations in leasing. Together we agreed on upgrades needed to prepare the home for rental and the Peabody staff helped me to locate an excellent contractor to do the work. When the house was read to lease, they worked quickly to find an excellent tenant. I followed all correspondence and couldn't believe how helpful they were to the new tenant. Peabody has been attentive to the property and on two occasions when minor repairs were needed, they took care of the problem and engaged local contractors promptly. Peabody maintains a website with archived details on all accounts, contracts and correspondence. This makes it easy for me to feel comfortable about the lease and the situation in my house. I work overseas and I'm frequently out of the country for long periods of time. My relationship with Peabody gives me peace of mind. I also appreciate the fact that rental payments are promptly deposited to my account and I have instant access to all financial records. Regularly provided photo's assure me that my property is well cared for. I recommend Peabody Residential to anyone in Washington or Virginia who wants to arrange a rental -- either as a tenant or as a property owner. My experience with them has been wonderful.

Our recently formed Home Owners Association (HOA) required that we execute an addendum to the lease we have with our tenants. The addendum is a list of rules and regulations for our townhome complex. Peabody understood the importance of the addendum and was very prompt and professional in making sure it was executed in a timely manner by all parties. The cost of the service listed above is our monthly property management fee.

I rate Peabody Residential highly for their excellent service and responsiveness in managing my Alexandria, VA townhouse during the three years I was overseas on government assignment. For me, the most important standards to judge a property manage company by are how responsive the staff is when you need to reach them, how well the property is taken care of your absence, and how hassle-free the whole process is. By all these measures, Peabody did excellent work for me as a property management company. They identified responsible tenants in a timely way, so I never lost a month's rent during the entirety of my absence. Peabody ensured the rent was electronically deposited directly into my account on time each month. They duly notified me whenever a repair was over $200. When I returned, I found that overall, my place was in great condition. Regarding a couple minor changes a renter had made without my permission, against the lease terms (removing a shower curtain rod and reinstalling it in a different place, installing a piece of furniture in the bathroom fixed to the wall) Tino personally took time out to make it right. Another renter failed to report a disconnected dryer hose when moving out. The contractor Peabody sent out to address these issues was polite and professional. As another "Angie's List" reviewer commented, Peabody's customer service is personalized -- they make you feel valued, and it's doubtful you could find the same level of service at a bigger company. When you're away, you want peace of mind that your place is being well taken care of, and you want a company you can trust. I will continue to refer others to Peabody as a great choice for property management.

We are a military family, thus the need for a property manager. We own a home in Herndon, VA and are currently living in Colorado. We hired Peabody Residential in October 2013, by May of 2014 we terminated our contract with them. The transition with our 3 1/2 year tenants was very bumpy. The tenants kept contacting us complaining about problems contacting Peabody regarding maintenance issues. In one instance it was because contractors were at the house until 11pm. Every fix Peabody performed was priced more expensively than similar fixes that we had made in the past. Here are a few examples. 01/29/2014 Toilet valve & flapper $250 Emilex Contactor LLC, 01/02/2014 Washing Machine dispenser/hose $329 AppleAppliance Repair, 03/21/2014 Kitchen faucet replacement $315 Emilex Contractor LLC. The contracting issue that made us decide to sever ties with Peabody was over a master bedroom shower renovation. The contractor we used, Emilex Contractors, LLC, was one of the Peabody's main contractors. The newly renovated shower leaked into our kitchen. We became concerned after several conversations with Emilex Contractor's owner, Mr. Alex Clavel, because he did not appear very familiar with bathroom renovations. Yet, we trusted Peabody's recommendation. The first tiles Alex suggested for the floor of the shower were not shower floor tiles and we questioned him about this. Thankfully the sales person corrected him at the store and he purchased the correct tiles. When he purchased the door shower door it was either already broken with chipped glass on the bottom of the door, or the glass was purposefully shaped like that. Due to the issue with the door $500 was held from Alex until he either corrected the door or brought proof that the door was designed like this. He never followed through with this. Less than two months later, we were informed that the master bathroom shower was leaking into the kitchen! The floor of the shower had to be torn out. Tino Peabody promised us in several emails that he would aid us in getting our money back from Emilex Contracting and if Emilex was "unable or unwilling" he would personally have Peabody Residential reimburse us. He insisted we tell him before the floor was torn out what caused the problem. The new contractor guessed it was a missing waterproof membrane. It turned out to be an improperly installed membrane. Tino Peabody used this difference in wording to say our story had changed and refused to stand by his word and reimburse us. Apparently both companies value $1500 more than their word or reputation. And interestingly after stating that Emilex had done such wonderful work for them, Peabody Residential severed ties with them. In addition, it seems that Peabody is hiring contractors that do not have the appropriate license. We asked Emilex Contactors to provide us with their license and they never did. Peabody eventually sent us a plumbing license, but the name of the person licensed was purposely covered. Emilex does have a license with The Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) but it is only for general contracting work and specifically states that plumbing is not included. In sum, this property management company does not vett their contractors very well and clearly hires unreliable and possibly unlicensed contractors.

Peabody Residential is a top-notch company. I am stationed overseas in the military, and I have no worries about our property with Peabody managing it. They recently renewed the lease with the current tenant. They have effectively and efficiently managed our property now for 13 months and I have absolutely no complaints about their service, responsiveness, prices, or anything else. Monica, in particular, has been especially helpful in dealing with routine issues that required our attention, and has kept us informed of all issues regarding the property. Also, their online system worked like a charm when tax time came and it was super easy to obtain all the necessary records needed when filing our taxes. I HIGHLY recommend Peabody Residential to anyone in the area.