Author: Mark Laufhutte
Top 10 Seamless Processes to Simplify Your Life, Only at Venterra Realty
Are you looking for an apartment community that prioritizes your comfort and convenience? Look no further than Venterra!
We’ve put together the top 10 ways we’re dedicated to making your move-in journey and living experience as seamless and enjoyable as possible:
1. SMARTLEASING: We’ve simplified the application process with a three-step approach, ensuring you get approved in minutes. We never charge a penny until you’re approved. You’ll never need to pay your deposit until your day of move-in. Say goodbye to application fees, and say hello to your new home in 10 minutes or less. It’s Fast. It’s Free. It’s Freaking Amazing.
2. AutoPay Discount: Never worry about missing rent payments again with our AutoPay feature. Enroll in AutoPay through the SMARTHUB app, and not only will you never miss a rent payment, but you’ll also enjoy an exclusive discount monthly – just for signing up!
3. SMARTHUB: easy access to your account information, lease statements, contact settings, management, maintenance, and much more directly from your mobile device. With 24-hour maintenance support, we’re always ready to assist you promptly.
4. SMARTPACKAGE Package Lockers: Enjoy the ease of receiving and retrieving packages with our SMARTPACKAGE lockers. No more missed deliveries or trips to the leasing office—pick up your parcels at your convenience.
5. 48-Hour Maintenance Guarantee: We understand the importance of a well-maintained living space. That’s why we promise to address your maintenance requests within 48 hours, ensuring your comfort is our top priority.
6. Move Out Advisory Services: Transitioning out of your apartment? Our Move Out Advisory Services are here to guide you through the process smoothly. We’re committed to making your move as stress-free as possible.
7. Smart Home Technology: Experience the future of apartment living with our Smart Home technology. Enjoy the convenience of controlling your home’s features, such as lighting and thermostats, from your smartphone or smart device.
8. Community-Wide WiFi: Stay connected throughout our community with our complimentary WiFi. Whether you’re working from home, streaming your favorite shows, or simply browsing the web, our high-speed WiFi has you covered.
10. 30 Day – Live it Love it Guarantee: Our commitment to your satisfaction is unwavering. With our Live it. Love it. Guarantee, we promise to provide exceptional service and a living experience you’ll love or you can move out. (For New Residents Only. Must Be Used Within First 30 Days)
At Venterra, we understand that your time and comfort are precious. That’s why we’ve implemented these features and guarantees to simplify your apartment living experience, ensuring that you can focus on the things that matter most to you. We’re here to support you every step of the way, from move-in to move-out and everything in between.
Ready to start your stress-free apartment living journey with Venterra? Contact us today to learn more about our communities and make your move-in process a breeze. Welcome to Venterra!
How Venterra WOWs Residents
Did you know that Venterra has an entire program dedicated to WOW-ing residents? That’s right, its called our WOW Matters program. This program is a favorite among our team members and for good reason – it is dedicated to improving the lives of our residents! 
If you’re a current Venterra resident or have taken a tour of our communities, you know we only hire caring employees that have big hearts and a passion for creating amazing experiences for the people around them. Through the WOW Matters program, these employees are empowered to find ways to create amazing, personalized moments for the residents they serve.
At Venterra, we’re in the people business. It isn’t about apartments to us, but instead about the people that live and make up our communities. As a people company, our value is human and our goal is to work to make the people who choose us happier. By WOWing, we are able to help increase levels of happiness and life satisfaction.
WOW is a verb at Venterra. “I want to WOW Melissa”, is an example of what you might hear in the back offices of our communities after an interaction with a resident. Equipped with a budget and passion for exceeding the needs of our residents, our teams are able to create WOW moments every day at their respective communities.
Attention to detail is truly where the WOW Matters program shines. Since we do value our residents, we know when something is wrong or if they’ve had a bad day. This is when our employees are trained to kick into their ‘WOW’ mindset and find a way to bring a smile to that resident. We notice the small things, like if our residents are wearing shoes that are too small, if their health is declining, we’re always listening in for small hints to bring joy.
“Each WOWMatters story shares a moment that Venterra anticipated the unspoken needs of our residents. The culture created within Venterra provides us with the intuition to take the kind and caring courage of action. Because We Care More Here, it’s in our nature to look for opportunities to go above and beyond to create memorable experiences (WOW moments) as often as possible,” – Johnna Bacak, Experience Leader, Online Reputation Specialist, Venterra Corporate Office Employee since 2008.
Here are what our residents have to say about the WOW culture at Venterra:
“I have lived here since February and love it. I currently live in a 2 bedroom in building 17 (new construction). The office staff is super nice and helpful. When my daughter was born they got us some stuff for the baby which I would have never expected an apartment complex to do.”
“The leasing staff made us feel so loved and the kind gesture is so wonderful. We are overwhelmed by this. We are luckier to be part of your community. Bless that day we first met you. Thank you so much for your love and affection.”
“I am so humbled by the generosity of the team at Carlyle Place Apartments in San Antonio! After a hard few weeks of no AC and a washing machine flood, the maintenance team responded quickly and got my apartment back into working order. On top of that, they dropped by today with a BRAND NEW AREA RUG (as mine was soaked and damaged), AND a bag of bird seed for the feeder! Words cannot express my gratitude for their generosity and kindness. Thank you, truly.”
You can find out more about the WOW Matters program here, and, for a closer look at how the program impacts those we serve, take a minute to check out some of our recent favorite resident and employee WOW moments in our most recent WOW Matters Venterra Experience publication! We even have a whole section of our blog dedicated to highlighting specific WOW stories, check it out here!
OUR EMPLOYEES LOVE THE WOW MATTERS PROGRAM SO MUCH THEY CAN’T STOP TALKING ABOUT IT! HEAR WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY IN THE VIDEO BELOW:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xc1ErmhSu0
Questions to Ask on Your Apartment Tour
Apartment searching can be difficult, overwhelming even, especially if you are in a city filled with communities to choose from.
That’s why it’s always recommended to take an apartment tour of your options to get a first-hand feel for the type of living experience you would have, should you decide to sign a lease.
At Venterra, we love tours as they give prospective residents a chance to walk through the community, view the amenities and see their potential floorplan in person. Whether our prospects are taking an apartment tour with a leasing agent, or utilizing Venterra’s self-guided tour option, we always recommend that they ask questions. After all, they are signing a contract for a lease, and we wouldn’t want any surprises to pop up later on.
What we have found over the 20+ years that we have offered tours is that sometimes renters might not know what questions to ask, especially if they are first-time renters. That’s why we’ve put together the following list of questions that will help any renter get the answers they need to find the perfect home for them.
Application Process:
- What is the application process?
- Is there an application fee?
- How do you decide on approval?
- How many paycheck stubs do you require?
- How do I add an additional applicant or occupant to my apartment?
- What if my roommate has to move out, can they be taken off the lease?
Venterra’s Advice: The application process should be simple and seamless. In fact, with SMARTLEASING by Venterra, all you have to do is 1.) complete the 5 minute form 2.) click submit 3.) get approved in 5 minutes – and you don’t pay any fee’s until you’re approved! Typically, apartments consider 3 things when processing applications: criminal history, credit history and current income and will ask for your two most recent paystubs.
Lease Logistics:
- How long is the lease term?
- How much is rent? Does pricing fluctuate?
- What is included in the rent (utilities, electricity, trash, etc)?
- How much do utilities cost, on average, if they are not included?
- Will I need someone to co-sign my lease? Is a guarantor a co-signer?
- How many people are allowed per apartment?
- Is a security deposit required?
- Is renter’s insurance required? If so, is there a minimum coverage required? Do you have a recommended provider?
- What forms of rent do you accept? How can I pay rent?
- What happens if I have a late rent payment?
- How often does rent go up, and by how much?
- Are there plans to update the building?
Venterra’s Advice: Good property management companies will offer flexible lease terms that allow you to choose options that work best for you. While pricing can fluctuate daily and costs can vary per property, it is important to be upfront, honest and realistic with your leasing consultant about your budget, that way they can ensure they set you up for success.
Community Amenities:
- What community amenities does this property offer?
- Are there any restrictions of use on the amenities?
- Are my guests allowed to use the amenities?
- Are the amenities available 24/7 or are there specific hours of operation?
- Do your community areas offer free wi-fi?
- Are there any planned upgrades to the amenities?
Venterra’s Advice: Be sure on your apartment tour to get a full understanding of when and how you can use the community amenities. For instance, you wouldn’t want to cancel your gym membership for a community gym that doesn’t allow 24-hour access, would you?
Personal Apartment Amenities:
- Does the apartment come with all appliances (oven, fridge, dishwasher, washer, dryer, etc.)?
- What finishes are used throughout the apartment?
- How am I able to access my apartment?
- What internet/cable providers do you offer?
- Am I allowed to paint the walls and/or hang pictures?
- Are there any restrictions on decorations?
Venterra’s Advice: This is your opportunity to ensure you get the perfect apartment for you. Voice your opinions about lighting, finishes and personal décor with your leasing consultant during your apartment tour to make sure they understand your vision for the space. That way they can notify you when the apartment with your dream view of the skyline becomes available!
Access and Maintenance:
- What are the leasing office hours?
- How are maintenance requests made?
- What is the average response time for a maintenance request?
- Is 24-hour emergency maintenance available?
- What is the parking situation? Can I have multiple cars? Are there any restrictions on cars?
- How secure is the property? How is access to the apartment being handled?
- Do residents consider the complex safe at night?
Venterra’s Advice: Access and maintenance are essential questions for your everyday living. Be sure you understand the parking situations and that access to your community and unit are easy whether it be through a key, fob, or code. Unfortunately, maintenance issues don’t always happen during business hours. So it’s important to know if resources are available to you 24 hours a day and that your problems will be fixed for you in a timely manner.
Guests:
- What is the guest policy?
- Is there a limit to how many guests you can have at once?
- Where do guests park?
- How are guests able to access the community?
- Is there a clubhouse? Can the clubhouse be rented?
Venterra’s Advice: Most renters have friends, cleaning services, or maybe even dog walkers that will need to access their unit at some point. Understanding the guest policy will help make their visit enjoyable from parking to accessing the property to entering your unit.
Pets:
- How many pets can I have?
- Are there weight restrictions?
- What are the costs associated with pets at the community? Is there a monthly pet fee or pet deposit?
- Can I pet sit for a friend?
- How can I register my pet with the office?
- Are there restrictions on where pets are allowed on community grounds?
- Do you have a place where I can walk my pet?
Venterra’s advice: All communities should love furry friends, we know we do! In fact, we love them so much that we allow you to have up to 3 of them! We’re pretty alone in that respect as most communities only allow up to 2. With that said, If you’re a pet parent, be sure you understand any restrictions and costs associated with adding pets to your lease as well as what community amenities your pets can have access to run-off energy!
Referrals:
- Do you have a referral system? Do I get a reward for referring residents?
- Do I get referral rewards for referring to a sister property?
- Can I receive referral rewards after I move out?
Venterra’s advice: Want to get paid to have someone you know move into your community? If so, you better ask if that’s a program the community you’re looking at offers! Through Venterra’s resident referral program, residents will receive a credit on their account for every resident they refer. To top that, Venterra even offers rewards for sister properties, if you refer someone to
another Venterra community, even in another state, you will receive the referral reward.
Packages:
- How do I receive packages?
- Can I pick up packages 24/7 or are there specific hours?
- What happens if I am late to pick up a package?
- Am I able to send packages through the community?
Venterra’s Advice: Don’t wait until the holidays when your 20 packages are on the way to realize your community doesn’t have a place to deliver them or you have limited access to pick them up! Ask these questions upfront so there are no surprises down the road.
Lease Renewal and Cancellation:
- Can I transfer to another apartment?
- How are apartment lease renewal rates selected?
- When will I be notified about my apartment lease renewal options?
- Is there a penalty for breaking my lease contract?
- What happens if I don’t submit 60-days’ notice for my apartment?
Venterra’s advice: Things can change and most property management companies get that, offering varying degrees of flexibility. What if you need to upgrade to a larger apartment at the end of your lease? Or downsize after your roommate moves to a different city for that job offer? At Venterra, transferring apartments at the end of your lease is always free!
Now that you’re equipped with the right questions, it’s time to find the perfect home for you! Schedule an apartment tour today – we’ll be ready to answer any and all of your inquiries! Or if you’ve experienced a Venterra tour with someone from our leasing staff, leave us a google review and let us know if it was helpful!
New Venterra Community: The Villages at Oakleaf
We have added yet another amazing community to our growing portfolio in the Sunshine State, The Villages at Oakleaf!
The Villages at Oakleaf, a 512-unit, garden-style multifamily, located within the Oakleaf Plantation master-planned community consists of Gemstone, Fieldstone, Cobblestone, and Village at Oakleaf Plantation in suburban Jacksonville, Florida.
The Villages at Oakleaf is the only apartment community in Oakleaf Plantation, giving it unique access to the centralized multi-million-dollar community recreational amenity center, which includes swimming pools, a water park, picnic areas, sports fields, tennis courts, basketball courts, and indoor fitness centers. What more could you ask for?
The community is perfect for growing families, with many floorplans offering 3- and 4- bedroom options, as well as many kid-friendly amenities including a playground. The area is known for its desirable school system and all three schools to which The Villages at Oakleaf are zoned are highly rated and within walking distance!
Oakleaf offers excellent connectivity to residents, with First Coast Expressway within 1.5 miles of the property. The Oakleaf Town Center, a 44-acre regional lifestyle center featuring Target, Publix, Walgreens, PetSmart, Starbucks, and Epic Theatres, is located within 2-miles of Oakleaf, providing convenient day-to-day shopping needs.
We know Jacksonville is a popular location for renters, in fact Jacksonville was ranked as the fastest-growing Florida city by the U.S. Census Bureau in 2020, ranking 9th in the country in terms of highest migration in the U.S.
We will implement our resident-focused programs such as the Live it. Love it. Guarantee.™, the 48-Hour Maintenance Guarantee, SMARTHUB, as well as our overall commitment to providing a world-class living experience for which Venterra has become known.
Are you looking to move to Florida or interested in The Villages at Lakeland? Check out pricing and availability here! If you find something you like, with Venterra’s SMARTLEASING application process all you have to do is 1) complete the 5 minute form; 2) click submit; 3) get approved in 5 minutes – and you never have to pay any fees until you are approved!
WOW Story: Gifting Confidence to Walk Again
Brenda Grasha, Community Manager, Experience Leader
Timber Mill, The Woodlands, TX
Employee since 2012
Each and every one of our residents deserves to feel safe in the community they call home. This WOW story began when a Timber Mill resident, Connie, encountered a loose dog in a stairwell and became afraid. After speaking with the Venterra team about the incident, Timber Mill’s Community Manager, Brenda Grasha jumped into action to ensure that Connie was equipped with a device that would reinstill her sense of security and allow her to enjoy her leisurely walks around the community once again.
The Opportunity
Connie called Brenda very upset that she was afraid to walk up the stairwell with her groceries as she had encountered a loose dog on the second floor. Connie explain that she has always had a fear of animals, especially dogs, and was nervous to be approached by the animal.
Brenda knew Connie needed a way to feel safe leaving her house and walking around to enjoy all of the wonderful amenities at Timber Mills. Soon a thought came to Brenda – what if she could provide Connie with a device that she could use to deter animals from approaching her. This way, she would feel more comfortable walking the halls and would no longer be afraid to leave her apartment!
The Wow Moment
Brenda scoured the internet for an animal deterrent device, something that Connie could press and have animals stay away if they were near her. Brenda researched numerous items and found that almost all of them omitted an ultrasonic sound mainly used in training, or were repellant sprays. From this research, Brenda opted for a device that would repel animals from up to 25 feet away. This was perfect for Connie, as she would not have to get close to the animals to use it.
Soon after ordering the device, Brenda called Connie and asked her if she would come to the office to discuss the loose dog incident. When Connie arrived in the leasing office, Brenda gifted her the device. She was ecstatic! After Brenda showed her how it worked, she asked Brenda to help her put it on. She became teary-eyed and commented that she could confidently go walking again, explaining that she’s been afraid to do for a long time now because of stray cats and residents that walk their dogs in the hallways. Every time she comes to the office now, she has her device on her wrist. She told the girls she even wears it to work!
Have you experienced a WOWMatters experience at your property or did we WOW you in some way? Let us know by sharing a Google Review here! Who knows, you just may be featured on our blog one day!
10 Ways to Prepare Your Apartment for Winter
Winter Solstice has come upon us which means that the winter season is officially here. While it may not feel like winter in some areas yet, history has taught us that winter weather can strike at any moment. After all, who can forget the great Texas Freeze last year or the Snowmagedon that fell upon many of us? No one was able to fully predict how bad it was going to be. Many were not prepared with tips on getting their homes ready, stocking up on perishable food and bottled water, or having emergency aid kits available. Even the electric companies weren’t prepared for the cold which resulted in more than 4.5 million homes being left without power for days on end. Pipes and hot water heaters burst flooding homes and hundreds of dollars of food spoiled. And tragically, many people died because they did not have the resources available to support this type of winter storm.
I think we can speak for all when we say, WE DO NOT WANT THIS TO HAPPEN AGAIN!
Fear not, though. There are many ways to prepare in advance for these sudden surges of freezing temperatures and blasts of arctic cold air so none of us are left out in the cold wishing we had taken action sooner.
Together, by each of us taking these precautions we can be better settled, prepared, and at ease when the frigid temperatures fall upon us.
What are some of the best ways to prepare in advance for freezing temperatures?
- Test out your heat.
- Make sure it works properly by turning on, adjusting the temperature up and down and waiting for your space to heat up. If you have any issues, contact your maintenance team ASAP.
- Please keep your thermostats set to at least 68 degrees. It’s important when the temperatures begin to dip to cold/freezing to have your thermostat set to at least 68 degrees. This will ensure that your space is warm and acclimating accordingly to the fluctuating temperatures.
- Vacation: If you leave for winter travel, leave the heat on low to keep pipes warm. Even if it’s warm when you’re leaving, it’s important to turn heat on to 68 degrees in the event that the weather changes rapidly.
- Make sure it works properly by turning on, adjusting the temperature up and down and waiting for your space to heat up. If you have any issues, contact your maintenance team ASAP.
- Adjust fans: Set your ceiling fans to rotate clockwise in winter to circulate warm air.
- To change the direction on your fan, find the small switch in the center of the fan and switch it to change directions to clockwise.
- Check Smoke Detectors and Carbon Monoxide alarms.
- Press the test buttons on all detectors in your home to ensure that they are working. If you are having any issues or are unsure how to test, put in a work order for maintenance to test.
- Prevent frozen pipes.
- One of the biggest mishaps that occurs during freezing weather is pipes bursting. When pipes burst, they can cause water damage, flooding, and extensive labor to repair and/or replace the pipes. This can be costly, time consuming, and disrupting to your life and damaging to your things.
- If the temperature drops below freezing (32 degrees), Turn all of the faucets in your apartment home on to a slow drip to keep water moving; a good rule of thumb for a slow drip is 1 drop every 3-5 seconds. Water running through the system will prevent the line from freezing.
- Open your cabinet doors to allow heat into the cabinet spaces to heat the walls; this will help prevent your pipes from freezing and possibly bursting.
- Caring for your plants – we know you have them!
- If possible, bring your plants indoors. Plants should remain indoors or covered until the temperature climbs to above 32 degrees.
- If you aren’t able to bring them inside, water them and cover them with a cotton covering, like a bedsheet. This will trap in any ground heat and help protect your plant from wind.
- If you are covering your plants, you’ll want to make certain that the covering is anchored to prevent wind getting in or blowing open a small opening.
- Be prepared for an emergency winter storm by preparing an emergency winter storm kit. Below are the items we recommend having in your kit.
- Flashlight with batteries. Ensure that your batteries are charged or new so that you have full charge.
- First Aid Kid for any unforeseen incidents.
- Bottled Water
- Non-perishable foods
- Car charger for cell phone; you can also include a backup charger that is fully charged and ready
- Candles and matches – large candles in a glass or tin vase are best to shield the candles from open air.
- A cooler for storing food if the power goes out. You can place your refrigerated items in the cooler and place outside.
- Socks, gloves, hats, and extra blankets in case the heat goes out.
- Ice scraper for your car windows.
- Be Careful with Candles and Space Heaters.
- Take extra precautions when using spaces heaters and other warming devices. Make sure that they are not close to any curtains, fabric, water or anything that could cause a fire to spark. It’s best to have space heaters in an open space unobstructed from objects.
- Never leave candles, space heaters, and other lit decorations unattended in your apartment—not even for just a few minutes. It is not uncommon for accidents to occur each year because people forgot and left something plugged in or lit and went away to the store or off on a vacation.
- Do not keep candles lit at night or leave space heaters on. Be sure to blow all candles out before you go to sleep and turn off space heaters.
- How to support your furry friends during the cold:
- Please make sure that your pets are kept indoors at all times, with the exception of necessary bathroom breaks for our canine friends, of course. Just because animals have coats of fur does not give cause to leaving them outside unattended during frigid weather.
- Take care of yourself.
- Please be aware that walkways and roadways may be covered with ice. Make sure to take care when walking or driving within the community.
- Check in with family and friends when a storm hits or temperatures drop to let them know your status and how you are.
- Keep your phones charged and ready for an emergency.
- Have some activities like coloring books, games, and books available so that you can save the batteries on your devices for emergencies.
- Check on your neighbors to make sure they are okay and have what they need. Remember, we’re all in this together!
- Notify your maintenance team of any issues as soon as possible.
- Keep tabs on your apartment and put in a request for any issues with frozen pipes or issues with the heating system ASAP.
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- To easily submit a maintenance request, download the Venterra SMARTHUB App in the Apple App or Google Play Stores.
We care first and foremost about you, our residents, and your neighbors. We want to ensure that you are physically safe and prepared for unexpected shifts in weather. We also care about your homes and maintaining routine checks of your heaters, water pipes, and water heaters so that you are prepared for freezing temperatures. Keeping our homes in order by being proactive and prepared will support everyone in ensuring that homes and buildings are stable and ready for any storm.
Start your routine check of your home today by getting the supplies needed for your emergency kit as well as checking to ensure your heater is working and ready to go for temperatures as they begin to drop.
Call the office or put in a work order for any support you need.
Stay safe. Stay warm.
Together we can protect ourselves, our neighbors, our pets, and our apartments from reliving the events that took place during the Snowmagedon last year.
WOW Story: All Dogs Go to Heaven
Eric Benazeraf, Experience Leader, Maintenance Manager
Silverbrooke, Stafford, TX
Employee since 2018
Venterra doesn’t just view our residents’ pets as an added fee or deposit — we consider them residents, too! So when our resident Willie received heartbreaking news about his beloved dog, Pumba, our hearts ached with him. While nothing will ever replace Pumba, Eric and the Silverbrooke stepped up to ensure that Pumba’s memory will live on.
The Opportunity
Tragically, at just over two years old, Pumba developed a spinal issue and became paralyzed from about halfway down his back. After several trips to the vet for help, Willie had to make the tough decision to put Pumba down. Willie, a resident who was known for being an outgoing, friendly person, was clearly affected by the loss of his furry friend. After learning of the news, the Silverbooke team knew they had to do something to lift Willies spirits.
The Epiphany
Willie had been a resident at Silverbrooke for a little over two years. Willie is a friendly young man that occasionally stops by the office to chat for a few minutes here and there. Shortly after moving in, Willie got a mini-bull terrier and chose the most perfect name for him: PUMBA! Pumba was always a welcome treat for the leasing team when he would visit the office as he was just a happy, playful little guy. Tragically, at just over two years old, Pumba developed a spinal issue and became paralyzed from about halfway down his back and had to be put down.
The Wow Moment
With a little bit of research, Eric was able to find a company that etches pictures and messages on granite and decided this would be a perfect way to honor Pumba. The Silverbrooke leasing team called Willie into the office to gift him with the plaque and it was an emotional moment for everyone. The way Willie held the plaque showed us it was just the right gift and a way he will always remember his beloved friend, Pumba.
WOW Story: Starting On The Right Foot
Rocio Ferrera, Better Living Manager, Experience Maker
Valencia at Westchase, Tampa, FL
Employee since 2018
Sometimes our WOWs are inspired by literally thinking about being in the shoes of our renters. That’s just what happened in this WOW Story. Kyle, a resident at Valencia at Westchase, happened to come into the office and notify our team about a loose dog on the property and ended up chatting with Rocio, the Better Living Manager, about how excited he was about starting a new job. While Kyle spoke about how thrilled he was to help his mother with their bills, Rocio couldn’t help but notice the state of Kyle’s sandals — his feet were almost touching the pavement. As Kyle continued to speak about helping his mother and working two jobs, our team was secretly planning a way to WOW him with comfortable, new kicks to start his job on the right foot!
The Opportunity
Kyle had found a loose dog on the property and kindly called the office to see if we could help him find the owner. After our team met him in the leasing office and were waiting to hear back from a few residents that owned similar dogs, a lighthearted conversation started. During the discussion, Rocio, the BLM in the office, noticed Kyle’s sandals were extremely worn out, with the bottoms almost paper-thin. Kyle was busy explaining how excited he was to finally be able to work and help his mom with the bills. Kyle had just turned 18, graduated high school, and now had 2 jobs to help provide income for this family. Looking at Kyle’s shoes during their talk, Rocio immediately had a light bulb moment! And luckily in their conversation, he was able to get Kyle’s shoe size: a 14, Wide! Kyle even mentioned how difficult it was to find shoes that fit him (challenge accepted!), and also said he didn’t have much money left over after bills. Our team knew they wanted to get him a nice pair of sandals to enjoy for his days off, but also a comfortable pair of sneakers since he walks to work.
The Epiphany
Rocio brainstormed with the office staff to figure out a way to gift Kyle the shoes with both him and his mom in attendance, it was important that our team was able to share that moment with the both of them together! they knew getting them to the office to “sign a document” would create urgency, and they were right!
The Wow Moment
On the day of the gifting, the Valencia team told Kyle and his mother they had to come to the office to sign new paperwork for their lease, since he turned 18 and was now considered an adult. A few minutes later, they were in the office! Rocio presented Kyle with his gift and he was so confused! He asked why the Venterra team would do something like this for him and Rocio explained to him that it’s what we do — it’s a Venterra thing! We love to WOW our residents. Kyle was so excited for his new shoes, and they fit perfectly! Ms. Nadia was extremely grateful to our team for our attention to detail. The Valencia team frequently sees Kyle hanging around the community wearing his new shoes and it always brings a big smile to their faces.
Have you experienced a WOWMatters experience at your property or did we WOW you in some way? Let us know by sharing a Google Review here! Who knows, you just may be featured on our blog one day!
Venterra Begins Community Wide Wi-Fi Roll Out
At Venterra, our goal is to make living at our communities simple and seamless, and we have been cooking up the newest integration to make the lives of our renters even better.
One of these areas is Wi-Fi. We know just how frustrating spotty internet service can be. That’s why we have started rolling out our latest innovation: Community Wide Wi-Fi.
With Community Wide Wi-Fi, our renters will no longer need to worry about switching on and off to different Wi-Fi services based on their location at a Venterra community, as this new system will provide residents with fast, reliable, and accessible internet throughout all areas of a property – whether it be at the dog park, gym, or relaxing by the pool.
With 98% of residents having between one and 20 online devices in their apartments according to a 2020 NMHC/Kingsley Apartment Resident Preferences Report, we understand that devices are important to our renters so we want to make sure they can use and access them whenever and wherever they want at the community.
Enter our partnership with Comcast Xfinity. This partnership will help to install Fiber-Optic Internet services in our properties, and through the placement of an access point and ethernet port inside each apartment as well as in common areas, a Community Wide Wi-Fi network will be created that not only helps renters have internet access in any space within the community but will also offer a significant savings over the standard retail rate! So, no longer will renters have to worry about:
- Long buffering times
- Restricted internet access based on location
- Limitations on hours or types of services accessible
- Unpredictable connectivity
- High internet bills
The first implementation of the Community Wide Wi-Fi was installed at The Preserve at Colony Lakes in Stafford, TX and the results were successful, with 90% of residents opting into the new service during just the first week. The install took only 8 weeks with little to no renter disturbance to those residents who requested to opt-in received instant access to a private Wi-Fi network inside their apartment as well as the ethernet port with download and upload speeds of up to 500 Mbps for just $60 per month.
“Installing a true ‘Community Wide’ Wi-Fi network has always been a crucial factor in truly making a community ‘Smart’. With this innovation, we are thrilled to finally be able to provide efficient mobilization and Wi-Fi access to the employees, residents, and visitors the second they step foot on our properties,” said Venterra CEO, John Foresi.
While innovative in of itself, the Community Wide Wi-Fi implementation is part of a larger focus of Venterra’s, which is creating a SMARTCOMMUNITY, which includes SMARTHOME optimized technologies including smart locks, thermostats and lighting that can be controlled via an app and SMARTPACKAGE lockers allowing for fully automated package delivery notifications and contactless pickup. Also, renters at Venterra’s SMARTCOMMUNITY can take advantage of SMARTMOVE, Venterra’s contactless move-in process, SMARTRENT, a location-driven experience where future renters can complete self-guided tours of the community using Wi-Fi connectivity.
Speaking of moving in, how nice is it to think that you could move into an apartment with a managed Wi-Fi solution where there is no need to call a service provider to install your Wi-Fi? We think that sounds pretty ideal.
The Preserve at Colony Lakes was just the beginning of the rollout. “We will now be rolling out the upgrade to our infrastructure across the rest of our communities, allowing our residents and employees to stay connected no matter where they are on the property and ensuring our communities are well prepared with the technology infrastructure they will need in the future,” said Venterra Chairman, Andrew Stewart.
Interested in living in a SMARTCOMMUNITY? Check out Venterra’s technology-enabled apartments here! Or, if you’ve experienced Venterra’s SMARTHOME technologies, leave us a google review telling us how much you loved them!
WOW Story: The Gift of Time
Terry Luckett, Assistant Maintenance Manager, Experience Maker
Villas at Newnan Crossing, Atlanta, GA
Employee since 2015
This past year has reminded us all that nothing in life is certain or guaranteed. Fortunately, the silver lining of this lesson is to make the most of the time we are all given! That also includes never losing our sense of gratitude. When a beloved resident’s health took a turn for the worse, Terry Luckett stepped up for a WOW moment and gave the gift of his personal time, and ended up learning a valuable life lesson in the process.
The Opportunity
Morris Tolbert, age 56, was a retired military veteran from California who chose 
the Villas at Newnan Crossing three years ago to be his forever home. He lived alone and his family lived out of state. This past summer, Morris was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. He expressed to the Villas staff that his condition was worsening and that he was beginning to get a bit scared. Everyday activities that we take for granted like breathing, walking, doing errands became more and more difficult. This was the moment Terry knew he had to do something for Mr.Tolbert to bring a smile to his face and decided to WOW him!
The Epiphany
In his final days, the Villas staff had asked Morris if he wanted them to contact any friends or family for him. He stipulated that under no uncertain terms that he wanted anyone to know he was dying. It was disheartening to the Venterra team that he was alone. He gave Terry permission to visit him at the hospital multiple times. During Terry’s last visit to the VA Hospital, Morris, hooked up to heart monitors and multiple tubes, managed to express how truly grateful he was to Terry and our staff at Venterra. He was so appreciative that he requested that Terry make a video of him with his cell phone so that others could see how he really felt about our staff and how wonderful the Villas had been to him. At first, Terry felt uneasy recording his testament, but he insisted. During his final days, Morris was persistent in showing his gratitude. After filming the video, Terry could barely contain himself with my emotions, he held Morris’ hand and played his favorite music. It was at this moment that Morris found peace. He was no longer scared.
The Wow Moment
As Morris’s health quickly deteriorated, he was in and out of hospitals until he finally was under hospice care. In the waning days of his life and one of his many hospitalizations, Terry delivered flowers, a card and a balloon for his WOW gift, a token to express his Venterra family’s care and concern. Terry wanted to let him know that the Villas staff and himself were here for him and would assist him with any needs that he may have. The true gift though, was the “Gift of Time”. Knowing the physical hardship that Morris was enduring, Terry was trying to help him out any way he could. There were days Terry would take Morris’ trash out, help him with his groceries, push him in his wheelchair so that he could enjoy the great outdoors and pick up his packages. In Terry’s services to help Morris, he truly began to form a deep friendship with him. In a way, Terry views this friendship as a WOW to himself! Morris thanked the Villas team for the flowers, balloon and card, but was even more appreciative of the time and fellowship that was given. In the end, it was Morris that WOWed us! This dying man gave Terry and the Villas his parting gift: the “Gift of Gratitude.” Terry paid my final respects by attending his funeral and visiting his gravesite. Morris will forever be in Terry’s memories not only as being a resident from our property, but as an endearing friend who taught him that in the end gratitude is one of our greatest gifts!
Have you experienced a WOWMatters experience at your property or did we WOW you in some way? Let us know by sharing a Google Review here! Who knows, you just may be featured on our blog one day!