My roommate Emma and I came to Margit Weinberg and Next Step Realty in March 2016 to help us look for an apartment. Both Emma and I had worked with Next Step in the past (with Margit as Emma’s broker), so we knew that we, in spite of us having a semi-tight deadline, we could rely on Margit/Next Step to help us secure the perfect place. Margit worked tirelessly during the search, answering all of our emails and texts in a timely, professional manner and ensured that she understood exactly what we were looking for in terms of location, budget, layout, etc. Even after we had applied for an apartment in Chelsea and ultimately decided that it was not the right fit, Margit was not only patient/quick to reassure us that we would find something better, she cleared her schedule and took us to see apartments on the Upper West Side the very next day. The first apartment that we saw was in a great location, but the bedrooms were on the small side and the windows in one of them looked into another apartment in the same building. We were initially a little apprehensive as we knew this apartment would be one of the bigger/nicer units we would see that day, but Margit coaxed us to keep an open mind about the next apartment on the list and sure enough, when we walked in, we knew we had found our new home. It was bright and sunny with huge windows, high ceilings and an arched hallway with beautiful moldings typical of the Upper West Side. It was also perfectly located between two different subway lines with close proximity to both Riverside Park and Central Park, restaurants, bars, dry cleaners, etc. It was unanimous: this was it. Margit immediately took us back to the office to fill out/submit the application. She called the listing agent on the way back to see if he would come pick up the paperwork that same day once it had been completed (he came by within the hour after Emma and I had left the Next Step office). We then only had to wait a day and a half before Margit came back to us with the good news: we had been approved and she was able to negotiate the price down, as she has a great working relationship with the landlord. She then accompanied us to the lease signing and texted us the day of our move to make sure that everything was going smoothly and she was thinking of us. I think I have made it pretty clear that the level of dedication Margit shows to her clients is above and beyond. She was so friendly, helpful, professional and thorough. Needless to say, Emma and I were very pleased with the outcome of working with Margit and Next Step. I would recommend Next Step to anyone, regardless of how long they have lived in the city, their budget, their parameters. All of the agents are so personable and they truly make it their mission to ensure that the stressful, tedious and, for lack of a better word, pain-in-the-butt apartment search goes as seamlessly as possible. Thank you, Margit and Next Step Realty!