Regional · Brookline, MARegional · 193 Harvard St, Brookline, MA 02446, USA
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Red Tree is a Brookline brokerage built on volume — 293 Google ratings averaging 4.5 — and its reviews name the agent rather than the company: Jacob, Brandyn, Dan, Lincoln, Erika, Isabelle. The good ones are consistent and current. In June 2026 a renter wrote that Dan was patient and never made them feel pressured; another that month said Lincoln found parking spaces to rent near every option he showed. A first-time buyer in May 2026 credited Ioana and Jerome with lining up a mortgage lender, a real-estate lawyer and contractors, and in March 2026 a commercial landlord wrote that Adam had leased multiple spaces in his 40,000-square-foot retail block on Massachusetts Avenue. Its Massachusetts real estate broker licence is active, registered to Red Tree Real Estate LLC, and the Better Business Bureau accredits the firm with an A+. What to walk in knowing is money at the front of the deal. A January 2026 reviewer wrote that the firm "will attempt to charge brokers fees to renters without the renter agreeing to it". WBUR reported in May 2026 that someone complained to the attorney general's office about Red Tree trying to charge a commission on a listing; Adam Kotkin's answer in that piece was that the property was an open listing with no exclusive agreement. Boston.com reported in June 2026 that one Red Tree broker still includes broker fees on many of his listings despite the new law. And on r/bostonhousing the same question keeps coming back, in 2024 and again in March 2026: is it normal to hand over a full month's rent, or the whole deposit, with the application, before signing anything? The other current complaints are about follow-through. One-star reviews from April to July 2026 describe an agent who never turned up to a confirmed showing and went to voicemail three times, a search that stalled for over a day mid-conversation, and a rental where the reviewer said the broker sided with the landlord and the lease came back full of terms they considered illegal. Four of the last six months' 24 reviews were negative — a minority, but a specific one. So: a large, active brokerage where the individual agent you draw matters a great deal, and where the paperwork deserves a second read. Ask in writing who pays the broker fee under the current law, what any up-front payment is for and when it is refundable, and get the agent's name on both answers before you send money.
“he’s asking for one months rent deposit along with the application before signing the lease.”
“Currently, I'm interacting with Red Tree Real Estate, REALTY20, and Gateway Real Estate Group”
“They are asking for first months rent as a part of the application, but I’m not sure if that’s the norm?”
“Jerome Bibuld & James Kopecky Sell Multifamily Property In Chelsea For $1.05M”
“when I asked to apply the broker said yes, but she needed me to pay the full deposit for a credit check.”
“The apartment’s broker, Brandon Keane of Brookline-based Red Tree Real Estate, includes broker fees on many of his listings despite the new law.”
“One person complained to the attorney general's office about Red Tree Real Estate of Brookline trying to charge a “commission” on a listing.”
“Together, Kotkin and Bibuld lead Red Tree Real Estate, covering metro Boston, the North Shore, the South Shore, western Massachusetts and Rhode Island.”
“Adam Kotkin, owner and broker of Brookline-based Red Tree Real Estate, one of the state’s top rental firms, says the measure throws the industry into “turmoil” as it struggles to interpret the new law.”
““Jan. 15 is a pretty standard date to renew by, believe it or not,” says Audrey Allen, operations manager at Brookline-based Red Tree Real Estate.”
We reached out to go view a property listed by this agency. Confirmed day and time with the agent, Nicole, via phone. She never showed up to the listing, or reached out to cancel or let us know she was running late. We called three times, and it went straight to voicemail every time, so we finally gave up and left. We tried texting as well. Very unprofessional; at least communicate with us rather than stand us up at the property so that we wasted the travel and time. Disappointed to say the least. Looks like others have had this experience as well in looking through the Google reviews
Dan was easy to work with and made the apartment search a lot less stressful. He found me a great place, stayed on top of everything, and made the whole process smooth from start to finish.
I had a great experience working with Dan to find my apartment. From the very beginning, he was patient, honest, and never made me feel pressured. He was quick to schedule showings, answered all of my questions, and kept me updated throughout the entire process. Thanks to his hard work, I found a place I really love. The whole experience was much easier than I expected because of how organized and responsive he was. I would definitely recommend Dan to anyone looking for an apartment and wouldn't hesitate to work with him again in the future.
Red Tree is a trustworthy real estate company around the Boston area. My agent was Pelayo who was very communicative the entire time and helped me find a great apartment.
Jacob was super professional and helpful throughout our entire apartment search process. He really took the time to try and understand what my friends and I were looking for which made the experience so so so much smoother. We really appreciated the guidance and communication he provided when helping us find the right place. Highly recommend working with him to anyone looking for a new home!
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