The Rhode Guide

I had worked with other agents in Providence in the past and Joshua was fantastic in comparison. He listened, was receptive and then did all of the legwork needed to find a good buyer and help the sale happen. No detail was too small for him to manage. He is the best agent in Providence hands down.

Joshua is the best. He expertly shepherded me, a real estate know-​nothing, through the process of finding the perfect condo in my price range and closing on it, all in under a month. He provided ample, experience-​earned advice, and I always felt he was my advocate and had my best interests at heart.

The Rhode Guide showed me a unit with a washer and dryer in the basement (of the house my roommates and I now live in) and told us that it would be ours to use. Then, when we moved in we were surprised to find out it was a private washer/​dryer owned by the people on the first floor and there was no laundry in the house for us. Rhode Guide said we were on our own to figure it out. They should really get their facts straight before they show an apartment.
Also, when we were in the office of the Rhode Guide reading and signing the lease, the owner of the business was quite rude to us. We were asking questions and his response was «what don’t you get? pay rent or your out. That simple.» Very rude and disrespectful. It felt like he was treating us like children when we are almost 30 years old. As adults, we like to take contracts seriously, but he just seemed annoyed, impatient and rude.

Our experience with Joshua was great! Moving from another state, we knew nothing about the Providence market nor about the different neighborhoods. Joshua listened to what we wanted, and gave us honest opinions without being pushy. He was extremely knowledgeable and was able to steer us in the right direction. Fortunately we found our perfect house on the first day, but we know that he would have kept looking for us. We had to negotiate all the paperwork from far away, and Joshua made that process smooth for us.

I have an unusual situation and ended up with a property to rent out in Scituate. While Joshua doesn’t do real estate rentals in Scituate, I appreciated that he got back to me regardless (when he could have easily blown me off) and he was willing to spend time on the phone with me and point me in a good direction. It speaks to his character that he was willing to help knowing full well it would not benefit him.
Thanks for you help Joshua.

We are so glad we found Joshua Deaner for our home search. As first time home buyers we really didn’t know what to expect or even what we should be looking for and Joshua was able to guide us through the process with ease and a great sense of humor. We truly appreciated his patience and low-​stress approach. We are now in our first home and very grateful!

Buying a house is time consuming and stressful, but even more so when it’s your first time. Joshua helped us find an apartment years ago, so when we were ready to buy we knew just the person to guide us. However, from the very first time we sat down to discuss what we were looking for, we were amazed at how helpful, knowledgeable, and patient Joshua is. We didn’t even know what we wanted, but he walked us through a multitude of options for homes in our price range and preferred neighborhoods in Providence. He was always candid yet supportive and warm, and never let us feel as if we were struggling. After looking at a few places on the West End, we finally found a space that made our eyes wide and our hearts pitter-​patter. He walked us through every single step, from making an offer to finding the right lender for the mortgage. We took all of his recommendations for services throughout the process, and were super pleased with everyone he sent our way. Joshua streamlined the entire process so thoroughly that we never broke a sweat; we knew we were being taken care of from day one. When and if we decide to get back in the market, whether to buy, sell, or rent, we know exactly who we’re going to call.

I’ve often found that the best way to judge a person’s character isn’t how they react when things are great — it’s how they react when things aren’t going well.
I worked with Josh over several months on a potential home purchase. Through absolutely no fault of Josh’s whatsoever, things started to go sideways halfway through the process (unexpected issues with the property, the tenants, etc.). I can honestly say I have never worked with a more dedicated, professional and tireless agent. Josh was by my side and on my side throughout what ended up being a very difficult, complicated process. He always fought hard for what was in my best interests, even if it wasn’t necessarily the best economic outcome for him. Despite the fact that things didn’t work out, I would work with Josh again in a heartbeat.
Here’s why:
1. He knows the market like no one else does. Every time Josh showed me a place, he could point across the street and show me 5 others that he had either sold, rented, or knew the history of. The breadth of his knowledge of RI real estate (renting, buying and selling) is truly unparalleled.
2. He works unbelievably hard. I am also a professional services provider (different industry than Josh), and can tell you that Josh really understands customer service. He was responsive on weekends, on evenings and other off-​hours. He puts the client first and was always lightening fast in getting back to me with helpful information.
3. He is very well connected. Josh can put you in touch with lawyers, inspectors mortgage agents, etc. that are all top quality. I came into this process as a first time homeowner and a full time skeptic who had been warned by others not to use the same inspector that my agent recommended because (I was told) agents want to see a sale go through and might not get you the best inspector. So, I did my homework and independently selected the professionals who would help me in this process and found that the guys Josh was recommending were the best. They were just as hard working and smart (and NICE!) as Josh.
4. He’s a good human being. This one is hard to quantify but essential when you’re working with someone — Josh is just a really good person. He’ll be honest and tell you if something is a bad deal, he is thorough and careful and he’ll work against his own economic interests if it is better for you as the client.
It’s rare to come across people who are as smart, dedicated and honest as Josh and I am so happy I found him. And just think — this is a review from someone who ended up not getting a property. Can you imagine how much it rocks to work with him when you do?

Simply put, Joshua and his team are the best! Very knowledgeable about the neighborhoods, price points for each and first-​class service!
Joshua’s photographs are exceptional.
I do not hesitate to recommend The Rhode Guide to my friends that are looking for a great representation, whether they are buying or selling!

After hearing so many great things about the rhode guide and after reading the rave reviews I decided to give them a shot. Compared to the other real estate agencies in providence (I.e Samson and rentprov) the rhode guide seemed promising.
My boyfriend and I both emailed about two separate apartments we saw listed online a few weeks apart from each other and both received a phone call from Lionel. Lionel told us that he would get back to the both of us, which was a month a go for my boyfriend and 2 weeks ago for me.
Lionel was also rude to me on the phone, seemed annoyed while talking to me and asked me for my name at least 5 times in a 4 minute phone call… it’s Katherine… it really isn’t that hard to remember.
After neither of us heard back from Lionel we gave up trying to use the rhode guide to find an apartment and have found one else where.
The reason I’m giving two stars is because they have really beautiful properties and It seems like Joshua is great, but Lionel could use some retraining and customer service skills. I guess he didn’t want to make any money from us.

I worked with Joshua a couple of years ago after finding a condo that my best friend and I really liked on Federal Hill. We were kind of rushed trying to find a place because I was going on vacation for two weeks and my friend wanted to figure it out before I left. Josh worked with our unsteady schedules to show the place, and then forewarned us when a few other people were very interested in it as soon as the price dropped a little, even down to last minute coffee breaks to meet with him (and by last minute, I mean a 30 min notice). We rushed to get our security deposit in to hold it, and get the applications in. Josh was more than helpful and understanding, and if we couldn’t reach him right away, he made sure to get back to us in a timely manner. Even after we moved in, Josh called and made sure everything was going okay, and sent us a Christmas card later in the year! Now if only he leased in Boston too…
Great guy; very understanding; works with you; and would recommend ten times over, as I have already done multiple times for guests at my hotel looking to move to Providence. If I ever move back to the Providence area, Josh would be my first call!

We were first-​time home buyers who knew next to nothing about the process of buying a house. Joshua was an incredible guide and asset, walking us through the process and explaining all the details. He made this daunting purchase seem so easy. Thanks to Joshua, we found an amazing house in Pawtuxet Village that we fell in love with immediately, and he negotiated to make buying this home happen for us. We couldn’t have been happier with this experience or with working with Joshua. Best of all, he did all of this with a great sense of humor that made the house search fun and made every meeting a pleasure. We’re so happy with our new house, and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Joshua to anyone looking to buy or sell a house.

Love The Rhode Guide! Joshua is amazing to work with, he is flexible and always willing to work around your schedule! The Rhode Guide has great properties listed and Joshua is always searching for new properties to for your needs! Great guy all around, very laid back and honest. Give The Rhode Guide a chance, you won’t regret it!

I love The Rhode Guide!
When buying my condo, Joshua was unbelievably helpful. I posed quite a challenge: I had a teeny budget, I wanted a good neighborhood, and I’m super picky.
Joshua found me a great place and provided great guidance for me along the way.
He’s professional, he brings a lot of experience, and he’s really in it for you! I was most impressed by his attention to detail, his patience, and his prompt responses (via telephone or email) to any questions and concerns.
If I ever rent this condo, I’ll go to Joshua again in a heartbeat to find appropriate tenants.
I have nothing but wonderful things to say about Joshua – if you need a realtor, he is absolutely your guy! You’d be lucky to have him!

This review is a bit late, considering Josh helped myself and my roomates find our absolutely stunning apartment on federal hill in July of last year (of which we reside now).
He was such an absolute pleasure to work with– and honestly, the most highly recommended real estate individual I’ve ever had the opportunity to work with. Keep up the great work, Josh!

Joshua was great to work with this week. We were searching craigslist for a 2 Br rental in providence, and by far the nicest place we saw was one of his properties. We called him around 10am, and he was willing to meet us by 7pm that evening because we were driving from Philadelphia. Joshua is meticulous and pays attention to detail, he has special little handouts for life in Rhode Island, and is professional, too — he is a licensed real estate agent. We loved working with him and would recommend him to anyone looking to buy or rent in the Rhode Island area.

Joshua went out of his way to help us find, and purchase, the house of our dreams. He drove us wherever we needed to go, always on time, and always smiling. We were able to reach him morning, noon or night with questions, concerns, or whatever was on our minds. The instant we started working together, we knew Joshua was not out to get our money by convincing us to buy a house we couldn’t afford. Instead he took the time to show us houses of all shapes, sizes, neighborhoods and price ranges, to find what worked best for us, regardless of how it affected his bank account. We never felt pressured. Buying a house is a BIG deal, and his laid-​back attitude helped ease us into making a huge decision. Joshua not only helped us find the house we were looking for, but also helped us negotiate an incredible price with the sellers. He’s smart, savvy, has a ton of knowledge about the industry, and didn’t hesitate to use any of it in helping us achieve our goals. We’re glad we chose him, and hope to work with him again in the future (if we ever move!).

I ended up not renting through The Rhode Guide but will 100% go to them in the future. Joshua was organized, knew his info, helpful, well versed in the area and neighborhoods and intelligent. His true goal was to help me out. I met with TONS of real estate agents when apt hunting and they no where near came close to the knowledge and personal service that I got when I met Joshua. I was bummed that the apt that worked best for me was not his but I look forward to using him in the future. This guy knows his stuff!

Joshua is the best real estate agent I’ve ever met. Honestly!
He’s sensitive, understanding, passionate and he actually listens to what you want. Once he got a sense of what you’re looking for, the magic starts. Instead of showing you 200 crappy apartments first, he presents you the three you’re actually looking for.
No matter what, Joshua is on top of everything, making the process of finding a new place to live actually fun.
I also had the honors of working with Joshua to find a new prospective tenant for my place, so I know both sides of the business. He’s working hard to make the process of showing your place as comfortable as possible for you and he’s the only agent I’ve met so far who asked if he should take the shoes off when showing my place!!!
Long story short: Joshua is the best. I highly recommend him.
Take a look at his website and you will see he’s really passionate about his work and cares a lot about his clients.
He made me think twice to move away from Providence and finding a place on my own.

Joshua Deaner is the bomb! Wow I haven’t said that in a while but it is true — he understands human nature and can size up what you like instantly. No time is wasted. He is on top of it and is passionate about his work. His website not only focuses on apts and homes, but also lifestyle experiences in Providence. He truly lives and breathes the Rhode Guide. I highly recommend him!