WOW Matters, 5th Anniversary Edition by Venterra Realty

WOW Matters Venterra Realty, A Better Way of Living 5th Anniversary, Special Edition

A Better Way of Living www.VenterraLiving.com

 WOW TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements......................................................................................................................... 5 Preface by Richard Roos, Chief Operating Officer.......................................................................6 Foreword by Stephanie Gonzalez, Director of Marketing & Customer Experience .......................8 About Venterra................................................................................................................................ 11 Customer Service Values ............................................................................................................... 14 A Better Way .................................................................................................................................. 18 A Step Ahead ..................................................................................................................................30 Clock’s Ticking ................................................................................................................................38 Make a Difference.......................................................................................................................... 54 Make It The Best ............................................................................................................................68 Personalize It ..................................................................................................................................82 Power of Nice .................................................................................................................................96 Say Thanks .................................................................................................................................... 106 Stuff Happens ...............................................................................................................................110 Venterra Supports Susan G. Komen for the Cure .....................................................................116 Index...............................................................................................................................................127

ď Ž ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

As I read these stories, I am impressed and humbled by the genuine instinct of care that emerges from them, by the generous spirit of those that noticed and took the time to record and submit them; and the huge effort of the WOW book team to collect them throughout the year and to put them all together in a creative package for us. The WOW stories of this year are not only a reflection of our culture, they are now part of the history and legend of our company. Thank you all so much for making it so.

Andrew Stewart Chairman, Co-Founder & Director

 PREFACE Richard Roos, Chief Operating Officer

It’s been 5 Years? WOW! Over 5 years ago, Venterra made a big bet on customer experience. At the time we had very lofty goals. Venterra wanted to be much more than a customer experience leader, we wanted to be a customer experience innovator within our Industry. What started as a dream has now taken form and become deeply entrenched in the Venterra culture. Innovation has always been a calling card for Venterra in all facets of our business, and it was amazing to see how Venterra employees embraced the initial strategic shift to be a customer experience innovator. Our cultural DNA to “get better, faster” served us well, as we were able to quickly accomplish a number of mission critical customer centric initiatives that spearheaded our new customer experience focus: •

Total Quality Make Ready (TQMR) – a best practice focus on product quality and consistency that ensures amazing move-in experiences.

•

48 Hour Service Request Guarantee – an Industry leading service request completion guarantee that ensures our customer’s expectations are exceeded.

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Customer Experience Scorecard – an internal performance reporting tool that drives focus on key customer experience metric and is tied into variable compensation programs.

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30-day Move-in Guarantee – an Industry leading experience guarantee that allows prospects to move out within 30 days of move-in, if they are unhappy for any reason.

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WOW Matters Book – a unique story-telling mechanism that has played a key role in embedding customer experience excellence into the Venterra culture.

WOW Matters, 5th Anniversary Special Edition

Continued innovation in 2013 brought the WOW Budget, a homegrown idea that provides our employees with funds outside of their normal operating budget to create amazing moments for our customers at their complete discretion. This is a pioneering initiative in the Apartment Industry and a good example of our willingness to put our money where our mouth is. This initiative supports our efforts to raise the standards of customer experience in the Apartment Industry. Reading through the stories in the WOW book this year I was impressed, but not surprised, that our employees found a way to raise the bar even higher, again. The stories of customer experience excellence are awesome as I am sure you will see in the following pages. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I did throughout the year. I am sometimes asked about Venterra’s commitment to customer experience and the “leap of faith” this requires relative to other initiatives that have a clearly determinable pay-back. This “leap of faith” is possibly why many Executives shy away from making a serious customer experience commitment. However, we see validation of our customer experience focus in many different data points: •

Our employees who state that Venterra’s willingness to take care of the customer is one of the main reasons they love coming to work.

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Having 98% of properties (owned > 1 year) being ranked in the Top 5% nationally by ApartmentRatings.com (the Tripadvisor of the Apartment Industry).

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Consistently ranking at the top of the National benchmark for leasing performance conducted by Ellis Property Management Services.

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Posting the highest portfolio NOI growth performance of all the public REITs for the last 2 years (8.5% vs. average of 6.9%).

•

Our success is a collection of many things, including our people, but certainly it is undeniably the positive impact our focus on customer experience has had on our operating results and organizational success.

I would like to specially recognize our employees for navigating through a challenging year with rapidly increasing rents due to incredibly strong apartment fundamentals. Pricing decisions and customer experience excellence are independent, but I understand how they can feel interrelated. This pricing dynamic, that was relatively unique in 2013, should subside in 2014 given the changing market conditions, but I truly appreciate all of your efforts to continue to offer a great customer experience to our residents while supporting our pricing strategy in 2013 – you were all tremendous. Our success with customer service experience starts and ends with you, so thank you very much for pouring your hearts into making Venterra properties a great place to live by constantly raising the bar on customer experience excellence. While we have been able to accomplish so much to date, I feel the best is yet to come and am very excited heading into 2014 and continuing our role as the industry’s customer experience innovator.

 FOREWORD Stephanie Gonzalez, Director of Marketing & Customer Experience

It’s truly amazing to look back and see how far we’ve come. WOW started as a contest only 5 years ago and has quickly become part of what defines our culture, culminating in the WOW Challenge in 2013. We are challenging one another to go deeper, get closer and look harder for opportunities to truly impact lives and Make a Difference. Creating a WOW moment isn’t just an act of service anymore. It’s the way we do business. It’s who we are. WOW moments this year included paying for a resident’s car repairs so that he could visit his family; purchasing an airline ticket to enable a resident to see his mom before she passes; and helping an 18 year old to be recruited and receive a full college basketball scholarship. And that’s just a sample of what you will read in this year’s WOW Matters book. Creating WOW Moments, however, is just one part of our customer experience design. When we initiated our customer experience strategy, we first focused on service skills, customer centric policies and systems. As we evolved, we placed increasing emphasis on training our employees to take complete ownership of the customer experience, not just falling back on policy or managing to minimum expectations. We believe that listening with the intent to learn about our customers is part of being innovative. We have pushed ourselves to really connect with our customers, provide innovative solutions for their constantly changing needs, and to respond with the utmost urgency. This strategy has served us well. For the first time ever, Apartment Ratings presented the top 5% rated apartment communities across the United States with their TOP RATED award this year and we’re proud to say that ALL of our qualifying communities (98%) received the distinction. For everyone who interacts with our customers or provides a service to them: You did this. You are responsible for making Venterra a customer experience leader and innovator!

WOW Matters, 5th Anniversary Special Edition

Customer Experience, the Next 5 Years Customer expectations have increased substantially over the last five years. The next 5 will be no different. Our industry will need to have data that predicts potential concerns in the customer’s journey so that we can prepare for or eliminate it before the customer experiences it. Our residents want to get information in an increasingly interactive fashion and directly from other residents. We’re looking at expanding our use of social media to provide customer to customer information exchanges: •

Resident Forums

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Resident Blogs

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Resident Interest Groups

Most of our prospects need to physically interact (take a tour) with an apartment before making a commitment and they want to do it when it suits their schedule. We’ll need to provide ways for them to tour an apartment when it’s convenient for them. At Venterra, we’re looking into: •

Self-guided Tour kiosks to minimize wait times

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Flexible appointment times that extend outside typical work hours

As we leap into 2014 and our 6th year of focusing on the customer experience, we are intent on being a Zero Risk company. We recognize that things will go wrong. When they do, we want to recover so well that our customers feel like there’s no risk in trusting us with their community living experience. They trust that we will make things right. That trust drives loyalty; and loyalty is what can make switching to a competitor unthinkable. I don’t know about you, but I’m loyal to less than a handful of companies. It’s not easy and it doesn’t happen overnight. So, reading these stories is exciting! They show our determination to be the best every single day. We feel confident that our position in the customer experience environment is superior to that of our competitors. We’re confident because we see it in the expressions of gratitude our customers send daily. And we are confident in each other because of our demonstrated, collective commitment to bettering the lives of our customers every day. While many (in the industry) recognize that customers expect more; at Venterra, we believe that they’re entitled to it. Multiply that belief across a workforce of over 500 people, and that alone makes us the Better choice for Apartment Living. Thank you all for what you do every day to make a difference in the lives of our customers.

 ABOUT VENTERRA Venterra’s mission is to acquire and manage multi-family real estate assets in the southeastern United States that deliver a superior resident living experience. Our residents will experience A Better Way of Living. We will achieve this while maintaining profitable operations, long term appreciation and preservation of capital. Venterra creates an enduring environment where honesty, integrity, respect and humility flourish in the never ending pursuit of excellence. Venterra deploys proprietary technology and leading people management systems to pursue our focus on people, customer service and operating excellence. Our culture of innovation and access to our real-time information drives productivity, focus and a never-ending pursuit of a “Better Way”. Venterra’s success is rooted in our Core Values – values that define who we are and how we conduct ourselves. It is the bond that ties us together and gives our organization strength.

Venterra Releases the 2nd Edition of the WOW Matters Book

2010

Venterra Releases WOW Matters

2009 Venterra launches its WOW Matters focus and contest. 453 WOW stories are collected and compiled to create our first WOW book.

A total of 1608 WOW stories were submitted in 2010. Favorites from the year were selected and included in the 2nd Edition of the WOW Matters book along with Positive Feedback Submitted by Our Residents

Venterra Releases & Publishes the 3rd Edition of the WOW Matters Book

2011

Venterra Releases & Publishes the 4th Edition of the WOW Matters Book

2012

Venterra publishes the 4th edition of the WOW Matters book. A total of 1783 WOW stories were collected in 2012. Favorite WOW stories and Positive Feedback Submitted by Our Residents were selected for the 4th edition of the WOW Matters book.

Venterra Releases & Publishes the 5th Edition of the WOW Matters Book

2013

th Anniversary

Venterra publishes the 3rd edition of the WOW book to be sold on Amazon.com. A total of 1743 WOW stories were collected in 2011. Favorite WOW Stories and Positive Feedback Submitted by Our Residents were selected for the 3rd Edition of the WOW book.

Venterra publishes a special 5th Anniversary Edition of the WOW Matters book highlighting the best of the best WOW stories and Positive Feedback Submitted by Our Residents over the years. A total of 1742 WOW stories and 2832 Positive Feedback Submitted by Our Residents were collected in 2013.

ď Ž CUSTOMER SERVICE VALUES As part of our pursuit of our Service Vision we are committed to our Service Values and realize that achieving Customer Service Excellence depends on our ability to consistently deliver these values in every customer interaction. As you read throughout the book, you will notice that the chapters are separated among our Customer Service Values and the WOW Stories and Resident Portal Compliments that fit within each value are highlighted throughout the chapters.

Identifying WOW Moments Over the Last 5 Years You will notice yellow bars throughout the book. These yellow bars serve as a way to identify our favorite WOW moments over the past 5 years.

look for better ways to make our customerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life more convenient, simple and enjoyable.

Anniversary

 A BETTER WAY Patti Cassidy, Cypress Pointe, Jacksonville, FL We Will Not Lose a Move In – Even for No School Bus Transportation Patti, our Leasing Consultant at Cypress Pointe, had a move-in scheduled yesterday who came in hysterically crying because she found out that there is no school bus transportation for the high school students and her daughter would have to walk to school. The family who came straight from Puerto Rico to the U.S. had very limited English and didn’t know a soul, didn’t have any resources available to her, didn’t know where to turn, and it certainly was not an option to let her daughter walk to school as she had to be at work by 4:30 most mornings. So, Patti came back in from meeting with the resident outside and said - “I AM NOT LOSING A NEW MOVE-IN, I’VE GOT TO HELP HER AND SAVE HER, I’VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING”. Patti immediately brainstormed with Amanda and they both came up with reaching out to the residents who had high school students. Patti started to make phone calls. She called me as I had been home sick that day and asked me if I knew of anyone, so I gave her a couple of names. She started calling those residents. In the meantime, Amanda sent out a Relate 24/7 message to all the residents asking for their help. Patti and Amanda started reaching out to our residents, and within 15 minutes, there was a rash of phone calls and email responses to help the applicant and hopefully a new move-in. There were literally at least 20 responses within the first 15 minutes. Our residents were giving ideas, helpful hands, and encouragement, even coming up to the office to try and speak with the “hopeful” new move in. The outpour of help was amazing. With everyone coming together, the move-in was SAVED! The outcome was another

resident will take the kids to school half the week and the mother moving in will take them the other half. Problem solved. Patti’s determination of not losing this resident showed not only her commitment to her applicant, but showed the commitment from the team, and showed that a Community came together in the time of need. There was no giving up on anyone’s part until this new family felt comfortable and secure. THANK YOU, Patti, for not giving up and taking control of the situation. Thank you, Amanda, for your assistance; and thank you, Cypress Pointe residents! Not a penny was spent in saving this applicant, but the LOVE and DEDICATION that was shown = PRICELESS.

Michelle Meigs, Teri Davis, and Laura Scott, Park Manor, Macon, GA Home Sweet Home, A Happy Ending We had a couple that moved in 6 months ago and really loved our community until they got new upstairs neighbors. Despite everything we did, there was not much else that could be done to make them happy, so they decided to break their lease and move. They came in and let me know that they would be moving to Florida with the family and that she was very sad to leave her wonderful job here in Newnan. I kept asking

WOW Matters, 5th Anniversary Special Edition

Sonya Machado, Sunray, San Antonio, TX

questions to find out why they would move if they loved our town, their jobs, etc. They said that they were not going to live in an apartment again so they had no other option. I mentioned renting a home in the area but they said they have not had the time to do the research. I asked if she would give me a couple of days to try to help. I got their price range and preferred locations. My niece is a real estate agent in the area, so I gave her a call to see what she could come up with. Together, we found a perfect home for them and they already moved in last Sunday. They were so happy and just could not believe I would take the time to help them despite them leaving our community! They have nothing but great things to say about our community. She went on and on to my niece about how professional our entire team was and that we were the best apartment community they had ever lived in. She also said that our customer service was the best she has ever seen. We may have lost them as residents but because we took the time to help them, gained a lifelong Venterra - Park Manor fan. She said she will definitely recommend us to anyone looking for an apartment. I wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have been able to accomplish this result without Teri Davis or Laura Scott!

Sonya had a new move-in come from out of town with his rental truck. After signing the lease and escorting the resident to his new apartment, Sonya asked if he needed anything else. The resident informed her that he needed to take his rental truck back to the drop-off location. After seeing which drop-off location the resident was going to, Sonya told him that surely there was one closer (rather than on the other side of town). She called the rental truck place to discover that the drop-off location could not be changed without going through the original booking location (which was in Idaho). Sonya took it upon herself to call the rental place in Idaho and get the drop-off location switched! The resident was very appreciative of Sonyaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dedication and help. He informed Sonya that her customer service and positive attitude was the reason why he leased in the first place. Kristen Earle, Tuscany at Lindbergh, Atlanta, GA, Puttinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; on the Ritz Recently, we had a resident come in on Saturday regarding some issues that were making them very unhappy. Kim tried to speak with them to help resolve these issues but they told her that they really wanted to speak with a manager. So, I sat down to see what was going on. Jason and Kelly, of course, gave me a long list of reasons why they were unhappy with the community which dated back to a year and a half ago. I sat quietly, made notes and empathized with their situation. What kept standing out to me in everything they said was how exhausted they were and their need to just be heard by someone. They explained to me that they were both employees for Apple and that they worked long, opposite hours from one another. Due to

WOW Matters, 5th Anniversary Special Edition

Kristina Shaw, Preserve at Old Dowlen, Beaumont, TX Turn that Light Out!

this schedule, they did not have very much down time or time to spend with one another. I decided that we needed to do something special for these residents besides addressing their concerns! So, the team pulled together and Lauren helped me find a great Bed and Breakfast package at the Ritz Carlton. On Friday morning, I drove to the Buckhead Ritz but was disappointed to find out that the location was unable to create gift cards! Later after I was off from work, my fiancé and I drove to the other location downtown. I knew that they would not be home for us to personally give it to them due to their work schedule and I really wanted their weekend to start off great. So, I wrote them a letter explaining why I wanted to do this for them and sent it to their door. Now we had to wait - would they like it? Monday morning rolled around and Jason arrived at the office. He explained to me how he and Kelly were completely shocked! He said that they could not believe that we did something like that for them. They had actually been tossing around the idea of taking a trip soon so they could actually spend some time together. They were considering New York and said they were thinking about saving their gift card for the trip. He said he was really surprised that I actually listened and was touched that I had remembered their struggle to spend time together and the fact that we just showed them a little attention was all they really needed. I assured him we would continue to work on the areas where they were unhappy with but I hoped that this was the first step to a better direction. I have spoken with them several times since giving them the gift card for little things like work requests, portal access and payments. I must say that it is amazing to see how this gift has changed their entire attitude! You would not believe that these were the same unhappy residents that were in my office that Saturday.

We have a resident whose move-in was less than expected. Somehow, there was a scheduling goof that left his apartment without the sparkling finishing touches that bring it to Venterra Standards.We, of course, gave him a free housekeeping to make up for the mishap, and also a $50 Oops we Goofed! He also called the next day to let us know that the porch light shines in his eyes all night and makes it very hard to sleep. He was putting a lot of thought into using his Live It. Love It. Guarantee. Since our porch lights are solar-powered, we couldn’t turn it off for him, but what we COULD do was get him room darkening curtains. Not knowing what his decor was like, Kristina got him a gift card to Bed, Bath and Beyond so he could pick out exactly what he wanted. He liked that Kristina took the extra steps to make him comfortable in his new home. He liked it so much, he’s thinking about upgrading to a bigger apartment and staying longer! Kristina really saved the day! Damion Jackson, Tuscany at Lindbergh, Atlanta, GA Valued Resident On Tuesday, I had a resident come into the office frustrated that she had lost her access card again. I asked her if she lost her keys as well because I was thinking she would have her access card on her key chain, but that’s not where she kept the card. It was in her wallet. I asked, “Why not just attach the card to your key chain?” She said, “Well then I would have to turn my car off at the gate to get access to the property.” After finishing with her, I said she needs one of those detachable key rings, so I went to Home Depot and bought one. Then I went to Target to get a card.

WOW Matters, 5th Anniversary Special Edition

Amanda Toncoso, Nelson Mejia, Robert Herrera, and Rodolfo Molina, Bradford Pointe, Austin, TX We Like to MOVE IT!

I called her to let her know she had a package in the office. I gave her a nice card and the detachable key ring. Her first response was “That is so nice of you”. Her 2nd response was “Why did you do this?” My answer was “because I knew you needed it”. Her third response was “You have no idea how much better you have just made my life!” All in all, I spent $6.44 to make a resident’s day and make her a valued resident… The card read “Thank you for being a valued resident, I hope this new key ring helps you at the gate!” – Damion

During the parking lot construction, we had a move-in. Of course, we let him know about the construction. However, we did not realize how difficult the moving situation would be! His apartment was smack dab in the middle of Phase 2! And his move-in day was the day the Phase was closed! The resident had an hourly U-Haul rental truck, his truck bed was full, and he also hired 1 mover to help. The long distance walk would take a very long time. The resident was very annoyed about the situation. It was 98 degrees outside, and he had quite a walk from the Phase that was open to his new home. So what else could we do but roll up our sleeves and get to moving him in. We had 2 truckloads moved into his apartment in under 20 minutes! We were all sweaty at 11:30 am, but we were glad to help! He was very thankful, and kept smiling ‘Thank you so much, I would have spent well over the $75 I was budgeted for! You all just WOW’d me. I know I will be happy at Bradford Pointe, and taken care of! Jorge Nieto, Rogelio Gil, Kristen Smarinsky, Estancia at Morningstar, The Colony, TX Making it More Like a Home previous Pebble Creek resident, Shannen, A recently moved to Estancia to be back with Venterra. She was not satisfied with the new management company’s customer service she had grown accustomed with in Venterra. She has expressed how she loves the amenities and her new apartment here, but she mentioned to Kristen that she preferred the shelving in her old apartment. Estancia has wire shelving, but she likes the solid, wooden shelving she had in the past. Kristen talked with the maintenance team to

WOW Matters, 5th Anniversary Special Edition

Brandon Mullican, Reflections on Sweetwater, Resident since November 2013

plan a little project. Jorge and Rogelio purchased all the supplies needed, and they added wooden shelving in her pantry and linen closet. Shannen was so pleased that we went the extra mile to make her feel more at home, and she knew coming back to Venterra was the right decision!

Jonathon, one of the on-site team members, made my fiancé and I feel so comfortable and truly at home. Our wedding is coming up very soon and making our experience as less stressful as possible was a huge promise for us. We look forward to moving in soon!! Thank you!

Kellie Layer, Teague Page, Cedar Springs, Raleigh, NC Patio for Two!

Deanna Thomas, Reflections on Sweetwater, Resident since June 2013

We recently had a couple move in and Teague noticed they were using boxes as their patio furniture (every day). In their last apartment, they didn’t have a balcony, so they were super excited about this amenity. We knew from a recent conversation that they were having family over the following weekend, so we wanted to spruce things up! We marched to the nearest home improvement store, picked out a beautiful patio set, added a potted colorful plant for flare and set it up in the clubhouse. We called the residents to the office. When they came in, we let them know we had a small gift for them. They walked over and picked up the potted plant and said “It’s beautiful!” We started laughing and told her “No, the plant is the accessory, the patio set is the gift!” She exclaimed “Oh my goodness, you guuuuys!” Big hugs all around! She’s still thanking us with baked goods every week.

I would like to thank Mr. Robert Thomas for helping me carry my groceries up to the 3rd floor. I really do appreciate his willingness when I asked for his help. He is always very professional, polite and kind. Jocelyn King, Wilshire Place Resident since February 2008 Thank you for adding Marcus to your staff. The first day I called he was pleasant and spoke as if he really wanted to know how he could make my day better. My issue was simple but he took the time to find out the right information and attempted to advise me on all avenues to get my issue resolved. I told him my dilemma with the office hours and my work hours, how they conflicted, and I could only make it to the office on Saturday’s. He provided a different approach. I want to thank Marcus for the extra effort to assist me with the paint issue. Being knowledgeable saved me a few days and I can now start on my project.

RESIDENT TESTIMONIALS Melanie Robison, Amber Place Resident since May 2013 Amber Place to anyone. Moving 10 hours from home for the first time, I will have to say Amber place has made the experience wonderful and it is a very safe environment. I am very pleased to say the least!

WOW Matters, 5th Anniversary Special Edition

Jessica Cannon, Hamptons at Woodland Pointe, Resident since June 2012

Mary Hall, Cedar Springs Resident since November 2009

The staff that is placed now, particularly Sabrina leading them so effectively, is the best staff that I have encountered in my 7 years of living in the Hamptons. The new maintenance staff are always punctual, friendly, and always leave your apartment clean after any repairs have been made. The guys work well together, seem like a little family, and it shows in how they deliver great service to the residents. To the owners at Venterra Realty, I hope you know what a great group of people you have working as a collective team to make long-term residents like myself want to live here forever. Regretfully, I will be moving out of the Hamptons after 7 wonderful years at the end of May 2013. I will sincerely miss everyone on the Hamptons team. Who knows? I just might come back to the Hamptons, after all it was my FIRST real home in Nashville...No one really wants to leave their first home! With gratitude and appreciation for all the Hamptons has done for me over the past 7 years.

Tracy and Kellie, this is a wonderful week as each day you guys have planned so much fun for us here at Cedar Springs. You are beyond thoughtful and kind and I look forward to the opening of the Bark Park today. Not only do you take such good care of the residents here, your heart is also huge. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO!

Whatever you do in life, whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s through your interactions with residents or a stranger on the street, Make it the Best. You never know how you can make someoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s day better. - John Weller, Assistant Maintenance, Calais Park

WOW Matters, 5th Anniversary Special Edition

Jennifer Siniard, Hamptons at Woodland Pointe, Resident since October 2012

disappointed in their work. How courteous all of them have been and are.

I am very pleased with the level of attention the maintenance staff has to all my requests. They do a great job and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s refreshing after coming from a community where the staff did the bare minimum. Thank you!

Theresa Ballew, The Ravinia Resident since May 2013

Joseph Wornoff, The Landings of Brentwood, Resident since June 2011 Matt came to fix our air conditioner tonight, after hours. He immediately diagnosed the problem and fixed it quickly and with a smile on his face even though it was after 8:00 in the evening. He is very friendly, not only tonight, but whenever we see him around the complex. He always waves, says hello and stops to pet our dog (who loves him, by the way). We love having him as a member of the maintenance staff.

Joanne Eskreis, The Landings of Brentwood, Resident since April 2007 Thanks to Johnny B. for coming so quickly to put out the pilot light for the gas. So glad to be over with winter and that just makes it real. We are grateful for all the things they do and how quickly they respond and get the request completed. He was also quick in fixing the drain pipes that came loose, so we know they are always on the ball and work very hard. It is a big complex with a lot of tenants, but they never make us wait or have to call twice because they respond so quickly and are skilled so they get the job done in a great timely manner and correctly. We have lived here for 7 years and the maintenance have always accommodated all of our requests diligently and with the best customer service which has been part of the reason why we stay here. Thank you, Johnny B. We are grateful for your hard work. It is a big property with a small group of maintenance staff, but we have never been unhappy or

I was on the apartment search for some time. I thought I was never going to find a place to call home. From the minute I talked with Betty in the office, I knew that this was a GREAT place. After talking to Betty, I drove down that weekend to view the property. After just a few seconds, I knew this is where I wanted to be. Great customer service is hard to find and apartment hunting has shown that a lot of property managers are not too happy...well, not Betty - she is great and took her time and made sure that I understood all that the apartments have to offer. As we rode around the property, everyone was nice and waving, giving off the vibe I was looking for. I am so glad to know that my new home is not only a great property but a wonderful office staff. We must face it when living in the apartment world that if we have an office with bad customer service, living will not be grand...Here, the customer service is above and beyond. I know living here will be GRAND...so happy I found this property! Todd Halbert, Riverstone Resident since February 2009 I am absolutely happy here at Riverstone. We have been here 4 1/2 years and I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see us leaving any time soon.... We are too spoiled here! I particularly appreciate all of the recent upgrades! Tyrone Jenkins, Park at Waterford Harbor Resident since January 2012 Just wanted to say how very much we appreciate the superior level of service provided by our Maintenance Supervisor, Al. If you had a starrating system, he would receive the highest

WOW Matters, 5th Anniversary Special Edition

Stephen Samuel, Waters Edge Resident since March 2011

number of stars in all categories: Timeliness, Efficiency, Professionalism, Friendliness, Knowledge, and Neatness in his work. Al is topflight, and we are fortunate and happy that he’s a member of the management team family here at PWH.

Thanks to the management and staff at Waters Edge, you’ve made two years of living here easy and convenient. I feel like I’m at home! Frank Damian, Silverbrooke, Stafford, TX Swimming in Style

Alexandra Gallin-Parisi, French Place Resident since May 2013 French Place has been so thoughtful, considerate, and speedy with helping us move into a new apartment. We love the staff here and how helpful they are. We had concerns in our apartment which they addressed immediately. We love living here! Bonnadell McIntyre, The Ravinia Resident since May 1998 I recently had to have my AC fixed so I called about 9:30am and it was done by 11:30am. The man who fixed it went the extra mile and asked if I had any other concerns and he fixed a couple other things and installed new smoke alarms when he saw how old mine were… this was without being asked to do it; he was concerned enough to take the time to check them. Unfortunately, I can’t remember his name but hope you have a way to tell him how wonderful he was to me. This work was done on Easter Monday. Brittany Ebbs, Timber Mill Resident since August 2012 These apartments are the best I’ve lived at yet! From the apartment to the office and maintenance staff, everyone and everything has been wonderful! I would highly recommend these apartments to anyone. Great place to make your home!

Yesterday, I noticed two little girls using our pool safety float. I went up to them and their mom and told them they could not play with that because it’s for emergencies, plus it had a rope dragging behind it, and could get tangled up with someone’s legs. They were very nice to let me hang it back up. But I felt bad, so I figured I would get them some regular floaters. So I went to Target and got them two regular floaters and two new pool towels. Their smiles on their faces made me feel better and I know I will see them at the pool very soon. :) Joanne Eskreis, The Landings of Brentwood Resident since 2007 I just wanted to say that I love this new billing and website. It is awesome. I also want to compliment the office and maintenance because everyone is so on top of things and the maintenance guy that has been coming to take care of things is great. He is there quickly and takes care of everything in a quick turnaround time. I think things keep getting better and better with all the new staff. I appreciate all that you guys do.

WOW Matters, 5th Anniversary Special Edition

Constance Vanvalkenburg, St. Andrews Resident since September 2012

Nona Sims, Salado Springs Resident since July 2012

I just renewed my lease for another year and would like to give personal thanks and appreciation to the maintenance staff for the awesome professionalism and quickness of completing maintenance requests from day one of my move in to St. Andrews. I am more than thankful.

Finally, an apartment community that realizes we are the customer.

To be able to provide service that goes above and beyond is something that creates a feeling of satisfaction that cannot be beat! Working for a company that not only allows but encourages this activity is fantastic! Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fun to come to work! Shana Jones, Property Manager, Regency Park

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The best reward for me working for Venterra is on the day when I get to walk our newest residents to their front door so they can start experiencing a better way of living. I genuinely have the biggest excitement from the time they lease to the day of move-in. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an accomplishment for me.â&#x20AC;? Violine P. Mares-Marc, Leasing Consultant, Falcon Square at Independence

5th Anniversary

needs of our

customer

anticipate the unspoken

 A STEP AHEAD Kristen Smarinsky, Stacey Shropshire, and Stephanie Burns, Estancia at Morningstar, The Colony, TX We Will Help You Transfer! One of our residents moved here without ever viewing their apartment. They were not happy with the location of their apartment home, and they decided to transfer into a larger unit. To let them know we cared about their situation, we offered to set up movers to help them transfer, and we paid $100 to the moving company. The residents are now happy in their new home! Stephanie Burns, Rogelio Gil, Estancia at Morningstar, The Colony, TX Keeping it Cool! We received an online maintenance request about one of our resident’s freezer not working. She was upset because she had put in the request after closing one night, and by the morning, she didn’t want to use any food that was in there. Rogelio went to her apartment and fixed the freezer right away. We explained to her how to page out for maintenance emergencies. I asked her where she liked to shop, and I went straight to the store to purchase her a gift card. She did not lose too many items, so the gift card more than covered what was lost. She was super pleased with the services that were provided to her, and she was very thankful for the gift card.

Adriana Galicia, Lissa May, Wilshire Place, Houston, TX The Venterra Family Works Together to Make a Diﬀerence Lissa, my Regional Manager, had emailed me letting me know that Adriana, a previous manager of WP, had read a text of sorrow from Steven Johnson’s (who is a resident at Wilshire Place) Facebook. His dad was dying and he wanted to go see him; however, the tires on his car were in such bad shape that they wouldn’t make it to the drive up to North Carolina. Adriana emailed Lissa and thought it would be a great opportunity to wow Mr. Johnson and get him four new tires to get him to North Carolina. Lissa brought this up to me, and not knowing how much tires cost, I did some research. After calling discount tire and getting an average on tires, it seemed very realistic; and in a matter of minutes, Lissa approved the gift card. I quickly ran to Mr. Johnson’s apartment and I couldn’t tell you the impact this wonderful gesture had when I handed him this gift. He covered his face with both hands and broke down in tears. I then could not hold it and started to cry along with Mr. Johnson. He later emailed Lissa, Adriana, and me to thank us so much for the gift card. He said that he was “totally floored” that words really cannot explain how he felt. He let us know that he was heading to North Carolina the next morning, and will stay in touch with us, and once again thanked us very much for the great love we showed him. It’s amazing how the communication lines can make such an impact in one resident’s life. This truly was a wow moment for me. I personally want to thank Adriana and Lissa for making this a truly memorable moment for me. I will never forget it.

WOW Matters, 5th Anniversary Special Edition

Cherry Tijerina, Kristi Schimming, College View, La Porte, TX Bad Storm

Dexter Rendon, Village Walk, Jacksonville, FL I Wanna Burn!

We had a very bad storm and one of our residents’ plants got knocked off her patio and got ruined. We went and purchased the same exact plants plus an extra hanging one. We called the resident and told her we have a surprise waiting on her on her patio. She called the next day thanking us for taking the time out and caring enough to buy her new plants!

A resident had come to the office a few times in order to utilize the community tanning bed; however, during the first few weeks of takeover, we were unable to operate it because according to Florida law, you cannot operate without taking an online course on safety and procedure.

Hannah Morris, Hector Caballero, Lisa Walker, The Pointe, Beaumont, TX Little Bit of Pappadeaux and a Flick Our newest residents, Stephen and Tina, were not only new to the area, but fresh off of vacation when they moved in. So, obviously they were completely overwhelmed with all the hassles of moving. He was starting a new job as an attorney, after just passing the bar exam (YAY), with her starting a new job as well. But to add to the stress of moving, the electricity company had messed up on their account and had the electricity turned off to their apartment. It took Entergy two extra days to get the mistake corrected so they could move in. We thought that they might need a break from all the stress, so we surprised them with a night out with dinner and a movie. They were both so excited, they took a break that night! Welcome to your new home!

The last time the resident came in, I could see the look of disappointment when I apologized and let her know that we would be up and running within the week. I asked her if there was anything we could do and she said no. She was just going home up north and just wanted to have a good tan when she went home. Immediately after she left the office, I did a search for tanning places in the area because I thought I had remembered one at the nearby shopping center. Sure enough, there was one a half a block away so I jumped in my truck and headed over. I was able to purchase the resident a set of 5 tanning sessions and one spray tan session. I was back to the property within 5 minutes and hand-delivered the complimentary tanning to the resident’s door. She was shocked when I was at her door because it had been less than 15 minutes from when she was originally in the office. She thanked me and said I didn’t have to do that but that she truly appreciated the gesture and was thankful that she wouldn’t be “blindingly white” when she went back home. Yesenia Vigil, Adriana Galicia, Beatriz Mejia, Sandstone, Pasadena, TX Team Baby Bed When walking an apartment for leak damage that was caused by a person that left the tub running, I noticed that the resident was pregnant but did not have any furniture in almost the entire apartment. I knew that she was in need of help. Throughout

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the month, I kept an eye out to see if the resident had her baby but had a hard time doing so, so I asked Beatriz and Yesenia for help. On a daily basis, they would go by the apartment to see if they saw anything and finally one day they let me know IT’S A GIRL! So I went to the store and bought the baby a bed that turns into a changing table and a play pen. The resident was extremely happy and emotional.

Nathan Swanson, Signature Ridge, San Antonio, TX ADT Not Quite as Simple as 123 Nathan received an email from a brand new resident at Signature Ridge asking him to check his apartment home. He was out of the country and noticed charges on his credit card. Nathan went to check his home, and the apartment had been broken into. Nathan called the police for Kai, took pictures, emailed and called him back and forth, and went above and beyond to make Kai feel comfortable. Although crime has no address, Nathan wanted to do something for Kai to let him know how much we care. Nathan attempted to get ADT set up for him while he was out of the country, but it wasn’t something ADT would allow us to do. Kai received $200 from Signature Ridge to use towards his installation cost and 1st month service of his home alarm system. Kai was so appreciative of Nathan’s genuine concern and helpfulness; he is a happy resident at Signature Ridge! Nancy Hare, Waters Edge, Austin, TX

Amie Vaughn, Rie Gresham, The Park at Waterfrord Harbor, Kemah, TX Sizzlin’ Summer with Dad! We have a new Resident by the name of Brian. He is going through a rough divorce at the moment and is missing his two boys. In the midst of talking with him, we found out that they would be coming to stay with dad soon and they were super excited about the pool. So Rie ran to Target and bought an ice chest and a ton of pool toys, towels, sunblock, etc. Amie arranged it all to look great and delivered to his apartment!

Nancy Hare, APM, was fervently working to contact a resident regarding her unpaid rent. After several attempts and no contact with the resident, it was time to turn her over to collections and begin the eviction process. She began going through the normal procedures, but was halted when the resident finally contacted her. The resident apologized and informed Nancy that she had been laid off from her job and was receiving no help from her husband who was stationed in Germany at the time with the military. She was at a loss of what to do. The obvious thing for Nancy to do was proceed with the eviction process, but instead she took a step back and decided to take action. She called the local military

WOW Matters, 5th Anniversary Special Edition

JAG office to find if there was anything they could do. After much deliberation, JAG was able to get in contact with the husband and have money sent to the resident to cover her rent and save her home. If Nancy had done the original thing, this woman would have had no hope. Thanks to Nancy, the resident was saved from an eviction and able to keep her home!

to get a start-up kit for her new home here at Raintree. We purchased a set of pots and pans, bowls, wooden spoons, can opener, silver ware set, complete dish set for 4 , kitchen timer, measuring cups, pizza cutter, and knife set. We called her at work and told her we had a special delivery. She came in on her lunch break and we walked her into the clubroom that had a beautiful display of our Venterra love gift. Jozette could not believe we had done this and started to cry. What a tremendous feeling to touch someone’s life to the point of tears. It was definitely played back to us by the joy we felt by meaning a blessing to someone.

LeAnn Cordes, Salado Springs, San Antonio, TX Relax I had a resident come in and visit me last week. She was asking for my help with getting her refund back from a prior apartment community. While talking to her, I learned that she and her girlfriend had not had a day off together or any time to spend together in months because both of them worked full time and went to school full time, and refereed basketball games on the weekend. Just no time! But she was extremely excited because this weekend they would finally have time to spend together. We called her later and told her she had a package, and when she came in, we surprised her by setting them up for a couple’s massage so they could get a great start to a relaxing weekend together. She was dumbfounded and thrilled. Amy Pollak, Crystal Bradford, Shannon Stokes,

Raintree Baytown, TX Touching Lives at Raintree During our leasing process, we learned that Jozette was a widow and was moving to Texas for a fresh start. Through our secret service techniques, we also learned she came literally with the clothes on her back. During her trip here, monies were spent for new tires that would have otherwise been used for other essentials. We decided

Krystal Arriaga, The Villas of Bristol Heights, Austin, TX Oﬃce Startup Kit A new resident at Bristol Heights mentioned to Krystal Arriaga that she leased a two-bedroom so that she could have one of the rooms as an office. Krystal came up with a great idea of purchasing an office start-up kit. This new resident thanked Krystal and mentioned she has never received a gift from anywhere that she has ever lived at. Amy Pollak, Crystal Bradford, Shannon Stokes, Raintree, Baytown, TX It’s Just Way Too Hot! Can you imagine working 8 to 10 hours all day in a fire retardant jump suit, in the direct sun, 98 degrees, with no shade? Well, we have several residents who do this every day on a daily basis. They come in after work, their faces beat red, and their eyes swallowed and simply exhausted from the heat. We were trying to think of a way to make the day a little more bearable. Amy researched products that might help. We found a brand new product that just hit the market called ENDURACOOL and it comes in either a towel or

WOW Matters, 5th Anniversary Special Edition

bandana. The product, once wet, stays cold for 2 hours until reactivated and the process repeats. We purchased the product and waited for a few of our plant workers to come in. We were so excited and they actually came back in the next day and said it was the best well thought out gift anyone could possibly give which literally made their day really COOL! We might just repeat this story so we can touch some more lives. Stay tuned! David Williams, The Ravinia, Spring, TX Have Lunch on Us As anyone who does any upgrades knows, every once in a while we hit a snag in the make-ready process while waiting on vendors. We got pushed behind schedule for a move-in and were not able to get the carpets cleaned until the morning of the scheduled day of move-in. Since David knew they would be coming early afternoon, he went out and picked them up a $50 gift card to have lunch on us while the carpet dried. The residents were very understanding about the situation and extremely happy for the gift card.

RESIDENT TESTIMONIALS Josel Bonilla, Waterford at Mandarin Resident since May 2013 Joe was great when he came the last time, want to say that he checked on the problem and rather than leaving and only fixing what needed to be fixed, he made sure to ask if there were other issues or concerns that needed to be addressed and fixed. Great service and attitude! Jessica Baker, Amber Place Resident since August 2012 A couple of weeks ago, while we were out of town (NYC), I realized I left some needed documents in the apartment. I called the office to ask if I could authorize them to let a friend into the apartment to retrieve the paperwork and mail to me. I expected to have issues with this because, in previous complexes we lived in, this would never have been allowed. The staff was so kind and helpful that it made my whole trip better. All I had to do was to send an email to the staff with my friend’s name and have her bring her ID. To me, it was such a simple request but I was so afraid it wouldn’t happen. I’m so thankful they were willing to help me and so glad we chose Amber Place to live.

One of my favorite areas in life to make an impact in others’ lives is by finding ways to surprise them. I love picking up on cues and little hints that lead me to do something great for others – without them even suspecting. A Step Ahead embodies these same ways of being by anticipating our residents unspoken needs. If you Just Listen and make observations, you can pick up on a lot of ways to truly WOW others. Robin Finney, Content Specialist, Venterra Realty

WOW Matters, 5th Anniversary Special Edition

Timothy Lowe, Amber Place Resident since December 2012

Linda Harris, Merrywood Resident since July 2009

Since moving into Amber Place in December, Brittany has gone above and beyond to help in any way I have asked, whether it be my billing questions, or anything else!

Cindy and Molly, thank you for helping with my request to allow Kelly to gain access to the apartment. I’m in Oxford, MS on my way to Giles County Tennessee, and it is so frustrating to get anything accomplished when I am this far from home. Sprint has no cell phone towers in this area and Judy’s phone isn’t working very well, either. Truly grateful for your help. Cross your fingers that we can find our way home.

Theresa Wagner, Hamptons at Woodland Pointe, Resident since May 2012 I just wanted to take a moment to compliment Sam. He came to my apartment for an issue with an electrical outlet. I just happened to get home at the same time Chris arrived. The repair was simple but I asked him to take a look at the garbage disposal that has never worked properly since I moved here in spite of numerous maintenance requests reported as completed. Sam took one look into the disposal and saw the problem immediately. He attempted to repair it but it could not be repaired; so he promised that he’d have a new one in within a couple of days. By the end of the week, I had the new disposal. So...thanks to Sam for taking a few extra moments to help a resident out with an ongoing issue. Ayana Mccallum, Estancia at Morningstar Resident since March 2013 The new management (Venterra Realty) is awesome. They transferred me to another apartment and I got a very good deal. I was about to move and Tucker told me I could transfer. He found me a good deal, and I love my new apartment. Thank you all. Julie Duncan, French Place Resident since January 2013 The customer service is excellent. I am getting ready to deploy & the staff has done everything possible to ensure everything is taken care of while I’m gone.

Roxanne Smith, Park at Waterford Harbor Resident since November 2012 Would like to thank Amie and Rie for helping me in a situation and going the extra mile to make sure the place I call home is safe and peaceful for my daughter and me. This office staff and maintenance staff are truly top notch. And the grounds look amazing! Thank you! Barbara Reyes, Salado Springs Resident since November 2012 We are pleased with this property. The maintenance staff are prompt at taking care of issues that need repaired. The property is safe & very clean. Management is always making sure that the tenants are happy & we are one of the happy tenants. I would highly recommend this property. Felton Sappington, Signature Ridge Resident since October 2012 Thank you so much to whoever was involved in moving my stuff on the Patio to get it ready for painting this week. I really appreciate it. You all are too kind. Paul Rediger, Salado Springs Resident Since 2012 The maintenance staff here is amazing! They were key in us deciding to renew our lease because they provide outstanding service. They are quick to respond to maintenance requests and find extra ways to help. They are friendly and clean up when done.

respect our customerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time

and respond with an exceptional sense of urgency

th Anniversary

 CLOCK’S TICKING Sheri Judy, Thomas Lloyd, Thomas Wood, Palm Club, Brunswick, GA Wedding Bells Last week, I was in an apartment when one of our resident’s, Jack, was telling me about his daughter’s wedding. He said it was 4 days away and they have so much to finish. I asked what we could do to help and make it extra special. Jack asked for paint and said they wanted to repaint the front door and touch up paint for the walls and interior doors. The bridal party would set up there before the wedding and they wanted it perfect. I got with Sheri and Ryan and we mapped out this small project. The next day, Ryan and I showed up with paint in hand and painted the front door and touched up everything else for them. They were so happy because they loved the fresh paint .They now had extra time to prep for the wedding.Jack told me later on that the wedding was a big success.

earlier in the day and wanted to apply before anyone else took the very last available twobedroom apartment that she had seen and fallen in love with! Nicole is a single parent with one child in day care and one child beginning in elementary school. She was sold on the school district and sold on our community once she visited with Jonathan. She explained that she was unable to come to the community on Thursday evening as she was across town and was scheduled to work at 7:00 am the following morning, and once at work, would not be able to leave until after 3:00 pm. She said she was actually sick because she didn’t want anyone else to get the apartment that she so wanted for her and her children! No problem - Jonathan assured her he could help her! Jonathan explained that the office was closing for the day, but took the address of her place of employment and assured Nicole that he would meet her there at 9:00 am on Friday morning to pick up her application, pay stubs and money orders. Nicole could hardly believe he would be willing to do this for her! It is now Friday morning and Nicole’s application process is under way! We can’t wait to call her to welcome her and her children to our community! RESIDENT TESTIMONIALS Mary McNair, Reflections on Sweetwater Resident since October 2013

Jonathan Radford, Champions Green, Alpharetta, GA No Problem! We Can Help with That!

Bravo Jose! This is a little late, but thank you from the bottom of my heart for responding so quickly to the problem of no heat in my apartment last weekend (2/16/13). I was recovering from surgery and really appreciated the fact that he got here so quickly to fix the problem. Many, many thanks!

It was 6:55 pm on Thursday when our office received a frantic call from a previous prospect. Nicole Marshall had picked up an application

WOW Matters, 5th Anniversary Special Edition

Mary Hall, Cedar Springs Resident since November 2009

Karon Thomas, Bradford Pointe Resident since March 2012

Teague, thank you for fixing my kitchen sink...It is wonderful to no longer have drip drip! The new faucet is perfect and now the squirter works! You rock!!!

Robert and his team are awesome. Most of the maintenance requests are completed on the same day, definitely the next day. If not, someone will stop by and explain what is going on. That is one of the reasons why I love Living at Bradford Pointe. And did I mention office staff? They are great going the extra mile to help. Thank You, I appreciate all of you.

Charlene Daniels, Hamptons at Woodland Pointe

Resident since March 2013 I submitted a maintenance request late Wednesday night to come home to all of my issues being addressed and fixed the next day. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve never experienced such a fast response and I love my new home even more! Thank you so much for making it such a pleasant experience here. Catharine Lesemann, The Landings of Brentwood,

Resident since August 2012 Last night, I came home to an unexpected pest problem. I called the emergency maintenance line and spoke with someone who indicated they would have someone out to my apartment the next day. By 10 am the next day, my apartment had been sprayed for the bugs, and they indicated I would be able to come right home after I got off work, no down time. I was very pleased with the efficiency and quality of the pest control solution.

Kelly Fine, Huntcliff Resident since August 2013 I wanted to thank the Maintenance staff for attending so quickly to my request. I put the request in at night and the next day when I got back from work, all issues had been addressed and resolved. It means a lot to be able to depend on quality service. I greatly appreciate it. Thanks so much! Tyrone Jenkins, Park at Waterford Harbor Resident since January 2012 My air conditioner service call was met promptly this morning by a return call (a good hour before the office opened for business), by Enrique, who was calling to verify my apartment number, and to assure me that he would be here shortly. As promised, a knock at the door soon followed, and I was greeted with that friendly smile and reassuring disposition that makes Enrique a

You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always have to have all the answers but, we must be smart enough to know where to go to find them. Amy Pollak, Property Manager, Raintree

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unique person. He came in, asked me a few questions, checked the breaker box, and then went outside to look at the compressor. In record time, he’d repaired the issue, and cool air was restored. Enrique, you are still phenomenal, and we were so very happy that you were here to help us once again. Stellar employee, stellar service delivery, stellar maintenance skills. Thank you, dear Enrique!

Julie Pasternik, Estancia at Morningstar Resident since January 2013 I have been very pleased with my decision to make Estancia a home for my daughter and me. Everyone has been very friendly, attentive, and quick to respond to any requests that I have had. I would recommend this complex to all of my friends and family!

Jonae Powell, Champions Woods Resident since October 2013 Floralicia Contreras has been wonderful. She knows the meaning of customer service. No matter how many times I thought I was bothering her with all my questions, she was always very nice and knowledgeable. My fiancé and I were just approved today, and I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly we were approved. Most apartment complexes that we have lived in took days and sometimes weeks for a response of approval. Champion Woods exceeded expectations with approving us in just one day. I can’t wait for our move-in date. I’m so excited. Thank you, Floralicia, for all your help and great attitude.

Jesse Martinez, Estancia at Morningstar Resident since February 2013 Great job! My maintenance requests were met in a timely matter and exceeded my expectations.

Being a part of Venterra’s WOW program for the last 5 years has changed more than just my way of thinking at work, I see WOW moments and opportunities all around me now. So I guess WOW has actually changed the way I see the world! It keeps the human side of what we do fresh in my mind; we’re not just a business-to-customer company, we’re a humanto-human company. It’s awesome to read all of the amazing stories, even if tears run down my face for half of them! Jessica Nofsinger, Area Training Manager, Venterra Realty

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Broderick Johnson, Foxborough Resident since March 2013

Shirley Jackson, Riverstone Resident since June 2012

Awesome staff, very quick service and wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t leave until the job is completed. Last Sunday someone came out at 8am to repair my A/C, also came back the next day to repair my kitchen outlets. Great Job - everything working great! This is by far the best Apartment I have lived in since moving to Texas! Thanks again and keep up the great service!

Riverstone is nicely managed. The grounds are well kept. Maintenance is responsive to work orders within 24 hours. Melody Canada, Regency Park Resident since July 2013 I absolutely LOVE the maintenance staff. Anytime I have an issue, they are right on top of it. They are so friendly and helpful. My last property managerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s maintenance team would take their time coming out to fix things, sometimes it would take a week, but here I get a next day if not same day response. I love it <3 keep up the good work! Andrea Sanchez, Salado Springs Resident since November 2009 Fernando, we appreciate your attention to our requests, the fast response and good work done consistently. Keep up with that awesome attitude! Holly Apton, Salado Springs Resident since March 2013

Steve Hoisington, Foxborough Resident since September 2012

The maintenance staff is very professional and quick to respond to any issues. Always a pleasure, whether you are passing by or they are fixing something for you. Every request has been addressed extremely promptly, within the 24 to 48 hour window. Mostly within the 24 hours of making the request.

Foxborough Apartment living is the best. The staff is so friendly and personable. They go out of their way to ensure there are no issues. The minor maintenance requests I have had have been solved completely within a day - usually within hours. The property is neat and clean. This is just great.

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Natalie Dunkin, Legacy at River Crossing Resident since May 2010

attitude. We were promised efficiency when we moved in recently. We certainly received that same efficiency exactly when we needed it. Thank You, Francisco!

I came home from being out of town Sunday evening and my apartment was 55 degrees. I checked the heat which I knew was set at 69 and it would not come on. I immediately called and left an emergency message for maintenance. They called me back within 15 minutes and were at my apartment within 30 minutes. I just want to say thanks to those wonderful angels in disguise who helped me on this very cold night to restore my heat. They fixed the furnace within an hour and wished me a good night. God bless them.....and thank you at the Ravinia for having a wonderful, trustworthy maintenance staff!

Channabasavaraj Barabari, Signature Ridge Resident since March 2013 Awesome management! There are immediate response for any queries. Very flexible moving within the apartments. Community is really well maintained. Pool is clean. Valet Trash is awesome service.

Sonya Lynch, Salado Springs Resident since February 2012 I really enjoy living here because no matter what the maintenance request, the maintenance staff completes it in a timely manner, usually the same day. Thank you for your hard work, I really appreciate it! Robert Henderson, Shadowbrooke Resident since May 2013 Things usually break down on a holiday or on a weekend. Our breakdown happened today, Memorial Day, 2013. About 4 p.m., we noticed that our A/C had not come on in quite a while. No fan! No A/C ! Nothing ! We located our Maintenance Emergency Response Policy. Our A/C problem was listed and we called the number provided, and selected the Emergency Maintenance option. We left our information and the nature of the problem that we were having. Within 45 minutes, Francisco knocked on our door, came in with a smile and asked us about our problem. He went to get his tools, came back in and within 5 minutes, our A/C was back up and running! A special Thank You to Francisco for his quick attention and pleasant

Kathleen Able, Sunray Resident since October 2008 I want to thank everyone who worked on my unit the last couple of days. Your speed in resolving the issues is much appreciated and your workmanship is professional. I love my home and knowing that the staff here is responsive keeps me here. THANK YOU!

WOW Matters, 5th Anniversary Special Edition

George Wolf, Sandstone Resident since May 2009

Michael Lawson, West End Lodge Resident since December 2012

The toilet was overflowing and we called and the guys were over in 15 minutes. Got it fixed. Thanks!

Kitty is awesome! Not only does she do her job but she goes above and beyond. I am so grateful for her fixing my A/C. I would not have called that late if it wasn’t for my newborn but Kitty did not hesitate to come out and for that my family and I are grateful and appreciate Kitty. This is why we have lived here for almost 3 years because they take such good care of their residents and treat them like family.

Nhat Nguyen, Sandstone Resident since December 2012 Thank you for making my maintenance request a priority and for getting the job done fast in a timely manner. I was surprised when I received an email notification shortly after I submitted a request to fix my toilet issue this morning! Thank so much!

Tierrene Horton, West End Lodge Resident since June 2013

Jocelyn King, Wilshire Place Resident since February 2008 I want to publicly thank manager Ramon Gonzalez for resolving my issue quickly. He called me to find out the issue. It was handled in 1 day and advised me he understood my concern and that he would also get with the staff. Ramon, your assistance was greatly appreciated!

I put in a work order request and the issue was resolved in less than two hours. Now it’s possible this may not be the norm, but my goodness. It’s commendable. I had more than one issue and the staff was professional, informative and had no reserve answering questions that I had. Thank you, Venterra West End Lodge. Another stressor relieved.

Elise Bray, Willow Springs Resident since October 2012 This is a compliment to both office and maintenance staff, specifically Jose. We just renewed our lease yesterday and had a few minor things that needed to be addressed – well, this morning, Jose showed up to check the issues out and, as I type, both things have been fixed. We are very pleased with living here at Willow Springs and would recommend this place to everybody. Thanks again for the promptness and for the care for us as tenants!

LISTEN to every request with an open mind

and always consider our customerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s point of view first

 JUST LISTEN Jonathan Moreno, Salado Springs, San Antonio, TX Pay It Forward from One College Student to Another

We had a resident here at Salado Springs that works full time, goes to school full time and just recently got in a car accident. She came into the office in shambles explaining what had happened and how she needed another parking permit for her rental car while her car was in the shop. She started crying and expressing how overwhelmed she was feeling. I am working full time and going to school full time myself, so I can completely relate to the 14 hour days, and when something goes wrong, it is very easy to just “lose it”. I had a gift certificate that was gifted to me in my car for a mani and pedi, and I just haven’t had the time to use it. I wrote her a letter and said how I too understand how hard it is at times, how we must continue as college students to follow our dreams, and on how important it is to make some “me” time. I gave her my gift certificate and told her that I feel she would benefit from it more than I would at the moment. I got a very gracious email from her the next morning thanking me but also asking why. I told her I was just paying it forward from one hardworking college student to another.

lease another apartment”, he started to cry. He explained to me that he and his wife have been going through some hard times and she wanted a divorce. He went on to explain what has been going on and that he did not want lose her. He explained that all he wants is some alone time with her to rekindle their 9 years of marriage. You could tell he was very hurt and upset, so he ended up leaving our conversation and going to finish his workout! I returned to my desk and something went off in my head! So I took my lunch break and headed out to Longhorns Restaurant and our local Bowling Alley to grab gift cards for that perfect date night! I came back into the office and he still was in the gym working out. I gave him the $80.00 gift cards and explained to him that I know it’s not about the money but to let him know that we will be there for him. We wanted him to be able to have the perfect date night! Again, the resident started to cry and couldn’t thank me enough. He told me it was nice knowing that I was more than someone who moved him in and that I was someone he could count on.

Charity Dowdy, Amber Place, Warner Robins, TX Dinner on Us! One of our Amber Place residents came in the office today. He was on his way to go work out at the gym when I stopped him and asked how his day was going and how his children’s first day of school went. He was very short with me and replied fine. He then proceeded to ask me if I had a minute that he needed to talk to me about his lease. Before he could let out an “I might need to

Mayra De Hoyos, Nathan Swanson, Signature Ridge, San Antonio, TX That’s What You Get! Hao is a surgical student and his schedule is very tight. His truck was broken into and his bag of surgical equipment was stolen out of it. Hao was so angry; he came into the office and gave notice

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to move. Nathan spoke with Hao and calmed him down. Hao explained he is on a transplant team and when he is rushing out for an emergency surgery, his tools already being in his car makes most sense. He says he will still happily refer Signature Ridge to fellow students, family and friends because he loved living here. Hao also said when he spoke with Nathan, there were about a billion things Nathan could have said or done to make the situation worse and maybe one thing to make it better, and Nathan did that one thing. Hao chewed Nathan completely out and Nathan let him finish ranting and when he was finished, Nathan apologized for what happened and asked how we could help. Mayra WOW’d him with $100 to use towards his insurance deductible because he is a student on a tight budget. Hao appreciated that even though he was leaving, Signature Ridge was willing to help him out. By the time he left, he was laughing with us about his Mom telling him off about leaving his bag in his car and “that’s what you get”.

Dexter Rendon, Village Walk, Jacksonville, FL “Water” Ya Up To? A resident here at our new acquisition Village Walk came into the office with a few issues. She was speaking with our leasing agent and I popped my head out of my office to say “hello” and was met with a smarmy “I could’ve used your help yesterday!” I smiled and asked “Oh really, for what?” The resident then responded with. You’ve been parking in my parking space and everyone knows that’s my space.” She didn’t understand why I couldn’t park in front of the office. I apologized and mentioned our policy on staff leaving the spaces in front of the office for residents and prospects which is why we parked near her building as that was the closest parking to the office but away from front parking. I let her know that I would not continue to park in “her” space. Keep in mind that parking was first-come-first-serve, its not actually her spot. She let me know that she parked there because it was difficult to carry cases of water up to her apartment. I let her know that I would be happy to help her anytime with her water. She could just give the office a call and I would be happy to bring it up for her. The resident still seemed miffed a bit, so the next day (Saturday), I went to Walgreen’s and bought her 8 cases of water and carried them up to her front door while she was away and left a bow and a card with an adorable dog on it (as she is a pet lover) that read “I’m sorry-I know it was me” I hand wrote “I truly apologize for taking up your space for the last couple of weeks, I’ll be sure to park further away so that there is ample parking for you. Please do call me to help you with your water anytime-although I don’t think you’ll need any water for a while. “ The resident came by to thank me for the water and the gesture a few days later.

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called about four dealerships and no luck. She finally called the corporate office to a big dealer in town and spoke with a lady and told her she had a friend looking for a job. Sally hung up the phone and walked over to the business office and told her to send her resume right away. A day went by and the resident came in with a grin so big and said, “thanks Sally, I got the job”. Sally felt so good inside, that such a small thing, made a big difference. Since then the Vista resident has also been promoted. WOW! Sally Flores, French Place, San Antonio, TX One Saturday afternoon at Vista Del Rey a prospect came in looking for an apartment. They were relocating from Virginia with the military. Sally showed them around and invited them to sit down and they filled out their application. As they sat there and talked with Sally, the girlfriend told her that she worked in the auto business back home. Sally told her that she had just left that business to get into this business. The couple moved in about a month later and the girlfriend kept coming into the office to use our business center that whole week. She finally told Sally that she was looking for a job and was getting frustrated since she didn’t know San Antonio. She had sent off her resume to tons of places and no luck. Sally asked her if she still wanted to work at a dealership and she said, “yes I love it!” Sally told her that she would call around and help her out since she had met a ton of people over the years. She was so amazed that someone who barely knew her would do such a thing. Sally

Vanessa Aragon, Salado Springs, San Antonio, TX Grocery Delivery! I had a couple who were moving because they were unhappy with the management company at their current apartment. After talking with them and showing them around, I sealed the deal with our Live It Love it Guarantee. The husband joked that their budget would be so tight with their expenses for both places that they would probably be living off noodles for the rest of the month. Using $50.00 in WOW money, I decided to surprise them and do grocery shopping for their new home. When we walked in, they saw the groceries and I opened the fridge and let them know that they could check grocery shopping off their list of things to do. They were completely blown away and could not believe it! And, of course, I didn’t forget the noodles.

Sometimes all someone needs is the comfort of knowing another human being is listening. Diana Tyser, Portfolio Trainer, Venterra Realty

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RESIDENT TESTIMONIALS

situation but as far as her professionalism and courtesy goes, she’s awesome. The fact that I’m taking the time to write this WHILE still fuming about the situation should help to accentuate my point.

Erin Howard, Waterford at Mandarin Resident since August 2013 Chrystal Strong of Waterford at Mandarin has been so helpful & professional. She is extremely knowledgeable, friendly and has very thoroughly answered any questions I’ve had. I’m super impressed. She represented your facility extremely well! Denise Deleon, Champions Woods Resident since September 2010 This morning I received a call from the front desk girl (I’m terrible with names). There is a serious issue that I’m not completely happy about, but that doesn’t mean the girl at the front desk wasn’t polite, respectful, and understanding of my being upset. Now, the problem isn’t fixed as of yet, but I’m confident it will be soon enough. The thing is that since she started, she’s always been very professional and cheerful. I commend her for keeping this demeanor through my being upset and getting my point out. She sat and listened politely and explained what was happening and made me feel like she was actually listening to what I had to say versus giving me some automatic response. She’s been trained to talk with someone who is upset. You really have a rock star on your hands here. I’m still absolutely livid at the

Tayla Charite, Champions Green Resident since July 2013 Even with the lack of staff in this office, I have experienced the best customer service ever. I know that I called every day and spoke with someone at least 5 times a day. Not once did any of the staff make me feel as if I was a bother. The staff handled my concerns and made me feel as if I was important. Kristen and Stephanie’s personalities sold us on wanting to be a part of the community. Actually, more than the apartment itself, I do not believe any of this will change once we move in. Our family is so excited about making Champion Greens our new home.

Listening is the one thing that everyone wants from one another. Why? You want to be heard, to feel important. At Venterra this is my favorite customer service value. Whether you’re a resident or an employee, we listen! Kristi Gillespie, Portfolio Collections Manager, Venterra Realty

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Crystal Hinton, Providence at Northlake Resident since April 2013

Ashley Bright, The Landings of Brentwood Resident since April 2013

I would like to thank Scott from Providence of Northlake regarding my concern with the appearance of the grounds and landscaping. He was very prompt in addressing my concerns and he spoke with me directly to make sure he understood my request. Once he addressed the issue with the landscaping company, he called me directly to follow-up to ensure I was happy with the outcome. I am very impressed with his prompt action and genuine concern for my interest. I can say that I am very proud to be a part of the community now and, hopefully, in the years to come. My compliments to the staff that take resident concerns seriously and a personal “Thank You” to Scott.

Ashley Smith is fabulous. She has been so attentive to our needs and is committed to finding a solution should a problem arise. Ashley made us feel like she genuinely cares about making sure we have a comfortable place to call home. She does a great job taking care of her residents! Specifically, her work in addressing the brown recluse spiders in our apartment/building has made us happy customers to the point where we would indeed recommend the Landings to our friends. That’s saying a lot, because we were extremely upset about those spiders. Teresa Walden, College View Resident since April 2013

Victor Jenkins, Westminster at Buckhead Resident since May 2008 Our renewal process was excellent and went smoothly. We felt that we were treated with the highest level of respect, and was given an offer that we could not refuse. We were thinking about not renewing until the manager spoke with us. She was great!

This is a quite the community to take the comments of its residence to improve the property. And we have the best management team. They are pleasant, very inviting, and are one of the reasons we rented here.

I am here for our neighbors to listen, and help in any way I can. So I can ensure their comfort in their home. Customer service excellence is what Venterra strives for. We will give a Better Way of Living - We Guarantee It!’ Jessica Harrison, Assistant Property Manager, Bradford Pointe

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Idowu Adetule, Sandstone Resident since September 2012 It’s been a wonderful experience living here. Management listens to one’s complaints and needs. Provide solutions accordingly.

Tierrene Horton, West End Lodge Resident since June 2013 Every time I go into the office, the staff here is so welcoming and assistive. I had questions concerning a letter I received and the office staff directed me with haste to the right person. He was

very professional in handling my questions and resolved my issue without pushing me to the side. Thank you. Shavonne D. Greer, Reflections on Sweetwater, Resident since June 2010 Hello, I just wanted to say how much I appreciated two members of your maintenance staff. I had some water damage in my apartment from a leakage in the roof in my apartment. I ran into a member of your maintenance staff (I’m sorry I don’t know his name but he sounds like he’s from the islands and has dread locks) and he was gracious enough to listen to my concern yet again. He, in turn, relayed the matter to the Maintenance manager who came in to examine it for himself. The matter is presently being addressed. I just had to write in and say a heartfelt thank you to both of them simply for listening and communicating properly and even more importantly following up to ensure that the issue was addressed. Many times as residents we complain only about our bad experiences but it is so important to make note and applaud exceptional customer service. So my hat goes off to both gentlemen. I just had to say thank you so much for showing that you care and making Reflections on Sweetwater a wonderful place to live. Warm regards.

55% of what others hear us say is a direct result of what we communicate visually: dress, posture, movement, facial expressions and eye contact. By presenting ourselves with the utmost professionalism from the start, we’re able to effectively put our customer’s view first and respond with the high standards that Venterra is all about. Justin Callahan, Property Manager, Bradford Pointe

 MAKE A DIFFERENCE Chelsea Hubbard, Monica Garner, The Preserve at Old Dowlen, Beaumont, TX That’s a Long Drive We had a resident who was moving from Philadelphia that decided he would make the drive all in 1 day. That’s at least a 21-hour drive... He was going to drive here, stay the night (with no furniture), then turn around and drive back the next day. Chelsea and Monica knew he would be EXTREMELY exhausted, and probably starving, so they went out and got him a few things. They got him a giant pillow, so he could at least have something to sleep on. They also got him snacks for the road, Gatorade, water, and even a 5 Hour Energy! They also put a few freezer food items for when he arrived. He could at least make a pizza before crashing! They even made him a mixed tape so he would have some tunes to listen to while on the road for so long. He really appreciated it and was glad he made the decision to call The Preserve at Old Dowlen his new home.

Olga Kosterina, Violine Mares-Marc, Luis Gutierrez, Danyer Rodriguez, Daniel Altizer, Roberto Rodriguez Jr, Jerold Narine, Falcon Square at Independence, Orlando, FL We Just Couldn’t Resist! One of our wonderful and loving elderly residents had just recently renewed her contract with us. Day after day, she would come in to our leasing office, with her cute little dog and talk and catch us up on life. After a while, she tells us that she would love to purchase a new television but couldn’t because she lives on fixed income. As you would know it, we all gathered up our thoughts and decided that we could make her day if we ran out and got her a television. The expression on her face was priceless. It makes us feel good that when the sun goes down and she has no one else to talk to, we are here with her, at least in spirit. Erica Clary, Riverstone, Ft. Worth, TX So Hard to Stay Awake We have a resident who has been studying for a long time for anesthesiology. He came in the other day saying he completed his first procedure. We yelled and clapped and told him how happy and proud we were of him! He said how long his hours were, and he lives on red bulls and 24 hour

The constant drive to provide a Better Way of Living is an underlining factor to everything we do. Our desire to continually refine and improve the way we do business is at the heart of our relentless effort to provide a Customer Experience that is unmatched in Apartment Living. Industry leading technology and processes designed to simplify internal operations and provide every convenience possible to our residents ultimately result in the ability to cater to each resident with the personal attention they truly deserve as a valued member of our community. Bryan George, Director of Revenue Management, Venterra Realty

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energy! We knew right then we needed to get him a “STAY AWAKE” care package, complete with all sorts of energy drinks, coffee, and chocolate coffee beans! Cindy McClain, Mollie Witt, Merrywood, Katy, TX Patio Plants Kelly has the most beautiful patio here at Merrywood! She went on her dream vacation to Ireland for a month! Well, she forgot to ask someone to take care of her plants. Needless to say, when she came back, all her plants had died. Two days later, she came in to tell us that she reworked her patio and it was better than ever. We went and got a gift card to Home Depot to help her.

Anna Flores, Danny Banegas Jr., Westover Oaks, San Antonio, TX Heart to Heart at Westover While at Westover Oaks yesterday and in between interviews, I stumbled on a situation that resonated with me throughout the day and probably for a long time to come. Anna and Danny came rustling in from the smoldering heat to sit in the lunch room to have their lunch. While I was reaching for a bottle of water from the fridge, Anna began telling me how Danny “saved” her and a couple of foster children she oversees with a program she is involved in. Anna explained how she had performed a wellness check on these children earlier that day over the phone and had just to learn from the elderly Grandma that they were all in the house without any form of air conditioning. For those of you who are not aware, San Antonio recorded the hottest temperatures in the Nation at 110 degrees. I could not imagine these infants and elderly person for that matter without any forms of air conditioning. Anna explained that when she got off the phone with this elderly grandparent, she was obviously emotionally moved by this situation and told Danny about what was going on. Without hesitation, Danny offered to assist in any way he could as this Window A/C would be physically challenging to manage. I also learned that Anna had paid for this unit out of her own funds...WOW! Anna explained how there was no way she could have done it without Danny’s help. She stated how fortunate we all are to have so much in comparison to those who genuinely struggled to make ends meet or even survive in such a heat wave - the basic necessities of living. I could not help thinking last night as I was watching the local evening news on how those children or that elderly grandma could have so easily been on a tragedy for the day. Instead, two

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Venterra employees teamed up and took action, in my opinion to save lives. And I could not help but picture both Danny and Anna sitting humbly, taking pieces off the corners of their Chic-Fil-A sandwiches, and sipping on their drink, while I sat there thinking what life savers they are and how fortunate I am to be surrounded by individuals just like this every day. I am not sure “technically” what this story should be categorized in, really does not matter to me one way or the other. What does matter is how infinitely WOW’D I was yesterday by two awesome individuals. John Weller, Calais Park, St Petersburg, FL Happy Birthday On July 12, 2013, John found out that one of our little residents was having a birthday when he was doing a repair order. He also saw that she liked Dora the Explorer and Barbie dolls. That evening, John went and bought the little angel a Barbie doll and a Dora the Explorer play set along with a card that was Dora. The next morning, John delivered it to her apartment and placed it on her bed so she would get it when she arrived home from spending the day at the beach with her family. After arriving home, Amiya saw the gifts on her bed and opened them. This little girl had a smile from ear to ear and after seeing John Weller on the property later that day, she gave him a big hug and said “Thank you”.

Kelly Levesque, Shadowbrooke, Stafford, TX Back to School! This resident has been with Shadowbrooke for a while now. She is currently moving into a house, so she will be leaving us. She also mentioned that she was going back to graduate school. She mentioned that she was very nervous about doing so. Kelly thought it would be a nice idea to get her something before she leaves us. She has always been a nice resident, and always had something nice to say. So Kelly got online and started looking at some computer cases. The resident had mentioned she would have to get a new lap top and case before she started her classes. Kelly found a very cute bag, and added her Initial on the front cover. When she presented it to the resident, she almost shed a tear. She was very surprised and thankful. Even though she is leaving us, we just wanted her to feel that she is always welcomed here at the Brookes! Shawn Hunter, Kristen Earle, Tuscany at Lindbergh, Atlanta, GA When it Rains, it Pours The second week that I was at Tuscany, I was put to the test in a really big way. We had a resident report that every time it rained, her apartment flooded. She stated that this had been going on for months and that the previous management company had done nothing about it. After some investigation, lo and behold, I found that this was a major issue requiring not only grading and drainage work because the WHOLE SIDE OF HER UNIT HAS BEEN RIPPED OFF! No wonder the previous management didn’t want to do anything! Well, my team and I worked diligently to get bids from contractors, apologized over and over again and did our best to maintain a good relationship with this resident while we completed the work. Once it was finally done and she knew that her

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dining room would no longer turn into a wading pool, we figured she needed a way to let the stress go. We also felt that we owed it to her to pay for it! So, we decided to buy her a night on the town at one of Atlanta’s hottest nightspots. To make it even better, we put her up for the night at the W Hotel which is literally just an elevator ride from the bar. She and her friends will definitely get the VIP treatment on us for a night. The resident was so excited to receive her gift. Coincidentally, she got it the same day as happy hour – she happily ran into the event full of smiles to thank us for being so thoughtful! Jessica Walkup, Salado Springs, San Antonio, TX A Sad Surprise Last month, we had a resident who participated in the Color Run in San Antonio. It was pouring in the morning of the 5K, so when they got home they decided to go sit on their patio and enjoy the rain. When they went to their patio, they got a huge surprise. Their patio furniture had been stolen. They called and left a message on CallMax to let us know in case we heard anything. When the resident came in to the office a day later, I

asked her about the furniture and she filled me in. I thought it would be nice if they could once again enjoy sitting on their patio, so we ordered them a new table and chairs for their patio. When we went to take it to them, they weren’t home; so we set it up on their patio and left them a note. I hope this surprise was much better than their previous ‘surprise’ involving their patio furniture! Michael Garcia, French Place, San Antonio, TX Movie Night This resident had rented a movie from our DVD library and had mentioned to Sally that he loved the movie so much he watched it four times. He also mentioned that he was going to buy it. We knew that it was a hard movie to find, so we went on Amazon and not only bought him the one he wanted but also the sequel along with some snacks. He was so shocked when I presented it to him. He said, “What’s the catch?”

Nothing makes me happier than being able to surprise someone with something that they need but never thought to ask for. There are millions of moments that we will have in our lifetime, some good and some bad. One of my favorite things to do is find someone who is living in one of those bad moments and do what I can to turn it into a good moment. Mollie Witt, Assistant Property Manager, Merrywood

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Shaunta Hall, Sonya Machado, Sunray, San Antonio, TX Second Chance at Summer Vacation

Jacqui Sullivan, Candi Smith, Westminster at Buckhead, Atlanta, GA Those in Need

Recently, one of our young residents here at Sunray was helping out her parents with some laundry and had an unfortunate encounter with a stranger. She came in to the office along with her family to let the Sunray team know what had happened so they could make other parents aware. As soon as Sonya and Shaunta heard what had happened, they knew they had to try and do something to lift this family’s spirits. Together, Sonya and Shaunta decided they would send the family out for some fun in the sun. So, they purchased tickets for the whole family to spend the day at Schlitterbahn. When they presented the gift to the residents, they were elated at the generosity and sincerity. The residents are planning to make a whole weekend of it. Sonya and Shaunta knew that they could not take away what happened but their hopes are to help this family to move forward and have a second chance at a great summer.

Last Friday, we hosted our normal Happy Hour for our residents. But before Happy Hour started, Jacqui and I received an email from one of our long-time residents asking if we were going to be hosting the event tonight because she had a long day! I responded that we were and that I couldn’t wait to see her later. When the resident came in, she came straight to my office and I asked her about her day. She proceeded to tell me how she was having issues with her bank and unauthorized transactions had occurred on her account that day causing her account to go into overdraft. She was so down! She explained that she had plans this weekend and was not going to be able to do anything now. After happy hour was over, I ran to Jacqui and I explained what happened. We didn’t have any gift cards or anything to give her, so we both went through our purse and pulled out all of the cash we had and put it together and then wrapped her favorite wine. Although it was late at night, I ran to our resident’s apartment and surprised her with the wine and the love token from Jacqui and me. She was so surprised and even had tears! She later sent an email to Jacqui and me that night: “Wow! You guys are God-sent, seriously! I never thought anybody would do that for me! THAT really made my day because I was really down! THANK YOU soooo much!!!! Now I can get some food and drink a little wine tonight and tomorrow. LOL. Thank you very much, Much love” Being able to help others is always so rewarding!

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Claudia Bickerstaff, The Landings of Brentwood, Brentwood, TN

Fabiola Celado, Bridget Proctor, TaiRae Richey, Huntcliff, League City, TX New Beginning Holly and her kids came by to look for an apartment, still unsure of finding a place to call home and start over. We could tell that Holly was going through a difficult time; she even expressed the situation at the time that she was applying. She was somewhat excited about the move but still very unsure. We then learned that her Husband walked out on her and her three kids. Although we knew that she was going to have a rough time adjusting, we wanted to let her know that we were sympathetic and are here for her. We decided to make her day and got her flowers to put a smile on her face and reminded her we are here and more than excited to have them call Huntcliff their new home. Seeing the look on her face and knowing she was happy and made the right decision moving here was priceless! Adriana Galicia, Sandstone, Pasadena, TX Left a Banging Impression One morning when coming into the office, I found an older resident who was extremely upset. He stated that he was so frustrated that people do not watch out when opening the door to their cars. He has a new Mustang and one door looks like a rain of hail hit it. He stated that he would have to fix it and pay a deductible. Though he was not requesting any monies, I decided to buy him a $100 gift card. He was so happy that he almost cried.

Claudia had been speaking with a prospect who was really interested in our community. She wanted to look at our property, but never got off of work until after our office was closed. Claudia made arrangements to stay after hours on Monday night to show the prospect around our community. Instead of just showing her the apartment, she went down and got the golf cart (which had already been put away for the evening) and took the prospect on a FULL tour of our property. Talk about going above and beyond! The prospect was impressed with our community, but more importantly, was touched that Claudia took the extra time to spend with her. She leased the apartment! Joey Zamora, The Villas of Bristol Heights, Austin, TX Car Trouble At Bristol Heights, we had a resident who was having a lot of car trouble. This caused the resident to get behind on some of her payments. I went out and purchased a $50 gift card for the resident in the hope that this would alleviate some of her stress. The resident thanked me for thinking about her and commented how this nice gesture really made her day. Timothy Wong, Natasa Hadjigeorgiou, & Mable Woo, Venterra Realty Canada - 2012 We have a resident that just received word that her employer would be transferring her to Mississauga, Ontario in several months. Not knowing anything about Canada, but loving her Venterra apartment, she came into the office to see if we had properties in Canada. She was disappointed ot hear that we did not but was extremely excited when I offered to reach out to our corporate office to see if anyone had an

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Realtor connections or general information regarding the area. Within minutes of sending an email, Natasa and Tim had jumped at the opportunity to help. Tim sent me emails detailing what she could expect in Mississauga including the types of properties available, transportation needs, and general economic profile. Natasa quickly started a search for a Realtor that our resident could use in her house hunt. To make the situation even better, the Realtor that offered to help our resident is one of Venterraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very own â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Mable! Our resident is so thankful and absolutely floored at the level of service she received from not only our team here at Northlake, but also and more importantly from those in the corporate office who stopped their daily tasks to take on the role of relocation specialists.

Westminster at Buckhead. Way to WOW our resident, Candi!

Candi Smith, Westminster at Buckhead, Atlanta, GA Safe Travels

Recently, an elderly resident at SunRay was out for his daily walk and somehow lost his hearing aid near the pool area. Aaron, maintenance manager at SunRay, saw the resident searching on the ground for something and asked him if he needed help. The resident explained to Aaron that he lost his hearing aid. Aaron helped the resident look but was unable to find the hearing aid at that time. The next day, Aaron was still thinking of how the poor resident had

Marc Robinson came into the office to pay his rent before he left town. Using the Secret Service System, Candi Smith started snooping. She found out that he was traveling for work and would be gone a week. She also found out the hotel he was staying at. Candi called the Hilton to confirm his reservation and had candy waiting in his room for his arrival. The candy treat had a card from

Amber Porter, The Villas of Bristol Heights, Austin, TX Dinner on Us! Recently, we had a resident at Bristol Heights mention to us that she was looking for some recommendations on where to enjoy a nice dinner. Our leasing consultant Amber Porter suggested we get this resident a gift card to a new Italian restaurant. This resident thanked us for thinking about her and plans on renewing her lease very soon. Aaron Leal, SunRay, San Antonio, TX

Working for Venterra has made me realize that I can make a difference in the lives of those around me just by being aware of those around me. I have truly been touched, inspired, and moved by observing others. I have come to realize that I may not be able to make a change everywhere, but by being aware it allows me to dream of ways to make a difference daily. Through this realization it has become second nature for me to seek ways to make a difference in the lives of our residents. Johnna Bacak, Marketing Administrator, Venterra Realty

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Vanessa Sullivan, Bree Tovar, Westover Oaks, San Antonio, TX Westin Hotel Gives the Boot to Our Resident

lost his hearing aid, so Aaron went back to the area again and searched. Fortunately, he found the hearing aid! Aaron went to the resident’s apartment and gave him the good news. The resident was thankful and happy to not have to purchase another aid in order to hear well. Aaron’s dedication and customer service to our residents paid off.

Recently at Westover Oaks, we had a resident and his wife come into the office to explain their financial situation to Bree/APM and Vanessa/Mgr. Manuel. The resident had worked as security for Westin Hotel for 10 years and was injured on the job and filed a workmen’s compensation claim that was denied by Westin’s insurance company. Manuel had to hire an attorney to help him to sue Westin Hotel and get him his short disability and workmen’s compensation money. Manuel and his wife could no longer continue to live at Westover because he was officially laid off from the Westin Hotel. They were going to live with one of their children. Manuel and his wife were upset, embarrassed and sad that they had to leave Westover.

Kimberley Baker, The Ravinia, Springs, TX Ouch! A resident came in to put in a maintenance request to re-caulk his tub. He said his girlfriend was cleaning around the tub and a section of the caulking came off and got lodged under her fingernail. It took them a lot of time and a pair of tweezers to get it removed. Not only did the work order go in but the next day she received a “relax” basket. It had a bottle of wine, two wine glasses, a corkscrew, bubble bath and a candle. The resident was very happy to have a moment to relax after the very painful incident. Pedro Gandara, Bent Tree, San Antonio, TX A new resident had just had a bad day at work when she came in to purchase a laundry card. Our laundry machine only accepts $5, $10, and $20 bills—no coins and no $1 bills. You could just see her sadness when the machine wasn’t accepting her $1 bills. Pedro immediately came to her rescue and gave her a $5 bill; she graciously gave him four $1 bills and four quarters. Way to go Pedro the ATM!

Vanessa and Bree talked with the couple and explained that Venterra had a lay-off plan that we could have them use to not break their lease and have such large money owed. The couple was thrilled and cried because they didn’t expect us to be so helpful. We even gave them the names of churches and city area places that could help them out with food and other items while they were going through the legal process. Westover also bought them a gas card and a HEB grocery card to hand them when they turned in their keys. The couple cried and promised that they would return to Westover when they were back on their feet financially. Sheri Judy, Palm Club, Brunswick, GA Furniture Delivery! We recently purchased some new pieces of bedroom furniture for our model apartment. Instead of selling the old furniture or calling a

WOW Matters, 5th Anniversary Special Edition

charity to pick it up, our Property Manager Sheri Judy asked everyone to be on the lookout for a resident who might look as though they could use some furniture. While assisting one of our new residents with their thermostat setting, we noticed she didn’t have any furniture in her bedroom. We let Sheri know, who in turn called the resident and asked her if she might be interested in a free bedroom set. The resident was very surprised and quickly accepted the offer. We had the furniture delivered and set up right away. I think we made her day!

Alex’s help. Alex helped and taught Ms. King how to upload videos of her son playing basketball; that way, he could get scouted by a University. Ms. King’s dream came true; her son was accepted to an NCAA athletic conference private university named Robert Morris University. We decided to help Ms. King and get her a $500 dollar gift card to get her son to the University without having her move out of the property. All Alex did was take the time to teach someone how to upload a couple of videos and now a child has a chance to go to college and work on making his dreams come true. Jonathan Moreno, Salado Springs, San Antonio, TX No More Waiting We recently had a new movie release party. We had a resident come in asking to rent the movie Lincoln that we had just got in. Unfortunately, someone had already rented it out. He proceeded to come in every single day to check and see if the movie was there because he had been waiting to see it but every time he did, it was checked out.

Alex Rafieha, Venterra Realty Corporate Making a Diﬀerence Ms. King has been a resident at the Wilshire Place Apartments for about a year now, she is a single mom who grew up in fifth ward and she has always wanted more for her son. Ms. King only works part-time at Food Town and wanted to turn in her notice because she could not afford her rent any longer. We asked Ms. King that it was only a $20 dollar increase, which is nothing compared to what everyone else was receiving. Ms. King let us know that every dollar counted because she is saving for her son’s airline ticket to go to college. Ms. King also let us know that this would not have even been possible without

So Jonathan actually went out and bought him his very own copy of the movie so he didn’t have to wait anymore. The resident was so shocked at the thought. Joey Zamora, The Villas of Bristol Heights, Austin, TX Great End to a Rough Day We had a resident here at Bristol Heights who mentioned to us that she has been having some rough days at her workplace. We decided to purchase her a snack pack with a bottle of wine and deliver it to her at the end of the day. This resident mentioned that we made her day and she was going to kick back and relax (and enjoy her wine!)

WOW Matters, 5th Anniversary Special Edition

Kristi Schimming, Jose Padilla, Cherry Tijerina, College View, La Porte, TX Zoo Day!

to a Korean war veteran would be my honor. I watched as he put “his” coin up with his other memorabilia and knew that this was the right thing to do. This resident is moving out of Salado Springs soon but I know he will remember me forever.

We have a family of five here and the mother is a stay-at-home mom with the three kids, so we decided what a nice day it would be to send the family of five to the zoo! The kids were so happy, they were crying and jumping around and the mother couldn’t stop thanking us!

Nikki James, Reflections on Sweetwater, Lawrenceville, GA

Michael Martinez, Salado Springs, San Antonio, TX Lost Coin I recently came across an elderly resident who mentioned that he served in the same unit that I did in the Marine Corps. Upon exchanging old war stories, he mentioned that he lost his unit challenge coin and a lot of other memorabilia from when he was serving the corps. For those who don’t know, these challenge coins and other memorabilia are hard to find in San Antonio, let alone on a Marine Corps base. This morning, I stopped by his apartment to let him know about a website that can special order all these memorabilia to replace the ones he had lost and I also wanted to give him one of my personal coins to help start his new collection. The resident was extremely grateful but didn’t want to take it. I explained that I had others and that giving it

She was very upset and trying to find a taxi. She spoke minimal English and asked Nikki to help her call a taxi. Nikki jumped on the internet and began making phone calls. The girl proceeded to tell Nikki that her boyfriend had just broken up with her and kicked her out of the apartment. She began crying and told Nikki that she didn’t know what she was going to do because her flight back to France wasn’t for another week and couldn’t afford to purchase a whole new ticket at the last minute. Nikki spoke with a taxi service and had a car on the way. She then got all of the flight information from the girl and told her that she would see what she could do to help. The girl had an international cell phone number so Nikki got the taxi driver’s number instead. As soon as Nikki knew that she was safely in the taxi on her way to the airport she called the airline. She was able to get the ticket switched for the girl and a seat held for her until she could get to the airport with her credit card. Nikki then called the taxi driver and told him to let the girl know that everything would

I have truly enjoyed being able to WOW my residents, prospects, and even our vendors over the last 5 years. The best feeling is watching how our WOW’s have impacted our residents and watching them smile with amazement. For me, the best part is knowing that we made a difference and a lasting memory. Kimberly Knearem, Property Manager, Villa Lago

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be alright and that she was able to get the flight changed over. The girl was ecstatic to say the least and was able to get back to France without having to do a thing. The taxi driver called Nikki back after dropping the girl off at the airport and said that he was so impressed with all that Nikki had done and wanted to express his amazement for her generosity.

He never complains and always appears to be happy to help with fixing things and doing his job. He is an asset to the Landings. We are so grateful to him for all that he does. He takes his job more seriously by doing it with compassion towards the tenants so they are not left unhappy or with any maintenance problem. Thanks, Matt, for all that you do. We are so glad to be living here because of people like you.

RESIDENT TESTIMONIALS Tiffany Devilbiss, Estancia at Morningstar Resident since July 2012

Tameka Wimberly, Tuscany at Lindbergh Resident since April 2010

I made a maintenance request that was not related to any issue with my apartment. My daughter forgot her bike lock password. Clearly, this is none of the apartment’s responsibility but, just the same, the staff completed my plea for help and cut the lock off the bike. Thank you so very much for going above and beyond!

I would like to extend a compliment to Freddie. I lost my watch one morning and feared that it was gone. I took a chance and asked Freddie two mornings later and he asked about the watch description. He stated that he would check around for me. The next day I received a call from the leasing office stating that they had found my watch! I was so happy! Freddie even asked me about it later to ensure that I picked it up. He’s always so nice and friendly whenever I see him. Thanks again, Freddie! Joanne Eskreis, Landings of Brentwood Resident since April 2007 We would like to compliment one of your maintenance staff. Matt, from Springfield, came out Saturday night because we had a problem with our toilet and the water would not stop running and the handle broke. He drove out here from home in the middle of the night, fixed the problem, and does not care about the time or that it is the weekend. He has been here for quite a while and has always been like that. He was there to help me when I was on crutches and hard a hard time getting from the car when the weather was bad, carrying up groceries, and all maintenance requests - he knew what to do and fixed them. He is always courteous to us and the other tenants.

Diane Martin, Foxborough Resident since June 2009 The car wash for Susan G Komen was great! It was beyond my expectations I got a wash and detail for a 10 dollar donation, you can’t beat that. Everyone was so nice and it was wonderful to see the staff laughing and working together. Thank you so much! My car looks better than it does when I take it to the carwash. Great job, everyone!

WOW Matters, 5th Anniversary Special Edition

Courtney Cook, Forest View Resident since March 2013

Felton Sappington, Signature Ridge Resident since October 2012

I just wanted to say that I think this apartment complex is amazing. The staff in the office and the maintenance people are all so nice. They are never rude. I have been meaning to write a review since the first month we moved in. I had left my key at my work and didn’t know how I was going to get in with my daughter and all of our groceries. I called the front office, it was almost six when they were closing but they waited until I got there to give me a key and let me in. I don’t think a lot of people would have done that. I felt really good about where I had chosen to rent.

Thank you for taking care of my concern with the trash pick-up, you were really quick to take care when I sent a concern. As always, your team is very efficient and treats me like I’m the only tenant here. Thumbs up for all you do to make my living experience here at Signature Ridge in San Antonio a most pleasurable one. Suzanne Verneuil, Timber Mill Resident since October 2008

Mark Williams, Preserve at Old Dowlen Resident since January 2013 Office staff is incredible. We moved in a week ago and they’ve been so helpful with anything we need. Also gave us a door mat which was very thoughtful! Thanks for everything so far!!! Y’all rock! Linda Hoffpauir, The Pointe Resident since June 2012 The grounds are always clean and they attend to your maintenance requests immediately. They spoil their tenants with breakfast at the gate, free pizza night, gift wrapping, frying turkeys, etc. A safe atmosphere and great location. Dawn Wolff, Signature Ridge Resident since May 2013 I wanted to give a special thank you to the staff who have made my move to San Antonio so pleasant. My unit was absolutely stunning - even better than the pictures online. The staff was so friendly and maintenance was quick to take care of my requests. I made the decision to live at Signature Ridge solely through what I saw online and a friend’s recommendation and I am VERY happy with my decision. Thank you again!

On Tuesday, March 26, an Easter function was held for the residents of Timber Mill. It was a great activity for a good cause, and I enjoyed a lot. I bought tickets for a raffle that benefits the Susan G Komen Foundation and surprisingly, I won. I cannot tell you how grateful I am for that because I really needed some groceries in my house. Being on a fixed income, I am limited as to what I can buy but with that gift card, I was able to buy the food that I needed. Thank you so much for the gift and it was a true blessing. Susan Heep, Willow Springs Resident since August 2001 I just wanted to thank you for the Starbucks card. That was so very kind and considerate of you. What a joy it was to see that on my door after arriving home late from work. Again, thanks so much! Patricia Williams, West End Lodge Resident since May 2013 They made us feel like family. When my husband had to be in hospital, West end lodge sent flowers there. We thank y’all so much for caring.

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 MAKE IT THE BEST Bree Tovar, Danny Banegas Jr., Westover Oaks, San Antonio, TX The Number Three is not Their Lucky Number! A resident at Westover Oaks had a streak of bad luck recently. The resident and his wife had their truck vandalized by teenagers, the wife lost her job and then their A/C went out during a 100-degree weather. The residents were, of course, very upset and angry because it was just one thing after another and the A/C not working was the last straw. Because Westover is brand new, many items are still under warranty and the original contractor/vendor must be contacted to 1st check out the defect or issue. The original vendor couldn’t be out to look at the a/c for two days. NOTE: if we work on the A/C unit at all, it will void the original warranty. Danny/MM purchased a portable A/C and offered the model or a hotel room. The resident didn’t want any of it, just his A/C fixed.Danny called again and kindly requested an emergency A/C visit. The vendor did accommodate our request. The A/C was fixed quickly. We did give the resident two days of rent credit for their troubles. Bree suggested we do a WOW for the couple because of their bad luck. We

purchased a $50 gift card for a restaurant and a gift basket of goodies to attach with the gift card. The couple was presented the WOW basket and they were all smiles. Later that same week, they returned to the office and renewed their lease contract with us. They commented they renewed because they were so impressed with our customer service and attention to detail to all their needs. WOWing worked and they renewed!

Crystal Sanchez, Riverstone, Fort Worth, TX Pool Shark! We have a resident who LOVES to play pool. He is playing almost every day. He expressed how he used to have very expensive pool sticks, and

Customer service is at the very heart of what a maintenance department is all about. We enter the homes of people every day to make their lives a bit better than they were at the beginning of the day. We fix their faucets, repair their A/C’s, and clear their garbage disposals. We prepare their new home and ensure that it is worry free upon move in. When I consider the people that are inhabiting our communities, I think of the two parents that both have to work to support their family, I think of the single Mom or Dad that is trying to make ends meet while supporting the activities and needs of their children, I think of the college student that is away from home for the first time. All of our residents have their own unique backgrounds and stories. They all have their own unique needs. Living in one of our many communities makes their lives a little bit easier. If something goes wrong, they don’t have to chase down a plumber or electrician. They simply pick up the phone and call us. And we answer that call, to make their day a bit better.

Richard Berkimer, Regional Maintenance Manager, Venterra Realty

WOW Matters, 5th Anniversary Special Edition

RESIDENT TESTIMONIALS

kind of made a joke about how amateur our sticks were here in the billiards room. He asked for simple things like a couple of new cues. I saw an opportunity to WOW him and purchased a nice pool stick, complete with a pool stick holder, and handed it over to him the next time he came in asking for the billiards room key! It felt so great!!

Nancy Medogrol, Calais Park Resident since December 2012 I am always pleased with the speed and efficiency of our maintenance staff. Once again, they quickly addressed and fixed my request. Thank you.

Sonya Machado, Sunray, San Antonio, TX Waking Up to Breakfast

Karen Kilgallin, Falcon Square at Independence Resident since November 2009

I had a resident whose A/C went out and had to be completely replaced. She was a bit irritated with our office because she wanted our maintenance team to address the issue either after 5:00 when she got home from work or on a weekend when she would be home because she has a minor son at home during the day. Obviously, this would not be possible for a total A/C install. I suggested that her son come over to the office for the duration of the repair and offered to buy him McDonalds Breakfast while he sat in the Club room to watch TV. Since her attitude was somewhat rude in the beginning, she took a long pause and then graciously accepted the offer by requesting the McDonalds Big Breakfast with Hotcakes to boot. She was quite nice after that and her son was perfectly fine here in our Club room while the repair was finished.

Just wanted to let you know that Tony did an exceptional job with maintenance/repair work in my apartment on Feb 13th! He’s been here before and he’s always extremely pleasant and helpful! Tony replaced my A/C filter, changed the battery on my thermostat, replaced the batteries in all of my smoke detectors and replaced a pesky flapper in the toilet of one of bathrooms... then I mentioned another little problem: My kitchen faucet had been acting up (water just shuts off at times) for quite a few months AND my kitchen sprayer has never worked since I’ve lived here, but I just learned to live with both issues. However, Tony was here and he’s always so great with fixing things, so I mentioned it to him and he knew exactly what needed to be done... the diverter valve needed to be replaced! :D Woo hoo! Now, the water flows just as it should and my sprayer works exceptionally well! Thanks for everything you do, Tony! You are the BEST of the BEST!

Everyone knows the saying “if you don’t have time to do it right, what makes you think you have time to go back and do it again.” The TQMR process involves everyone! There is no reason we can’t deliver the best every time. If we work cohesively as a team, we will get things done the right way and ensure that our residents know they are getting A Better Way of Living. Kaci McCarver, Senior Leasing Consultant, Venterra Realty

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Justin Lewis, Waterford at Mandarin Resident since January 2013 The staff was very helpful with showing the community. They were very courteous and stayed in touch with us throughout the entire process. I am excited to say that we are a new resident at Waterford at Mandarin. Weihua Tang, St. Andrews Resident since July 2011

David Smith, Falcon Square at Independence Resident since December 2012 When we made our maintenance request, we were very pleased when Tony came over to assist us. He did an excellent job and was very friendly, helpful, and informative. Thanks Tony! Ruben Federiso, Village Walk Resident since January 2013 I would like to thank you and recognize your management team for a quick action regarding the dead tree (cut down today) in the back of our patio. Keep up the great work in managing this property.

In 15 minutes after submitting my concerns, I got a call from lease office and told me that the issue has been addressed, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fast! Very much appreciated your effort and quick response! Jessica Ribeiro, Waterford at Mandarin Resident since January 2013 Yesterday, I finished the paperwork to get my new apartment at the Waterford at Mandarin and received my keys. When Minerva did the walkthrough of my apartment, she was very thorough. She was very friendly as well. I also want to compliment my leasing agent, William. He has been so helpful and friendly this whole process. When I need a change to my lease, he made everything very accommodating for me. I look forward to more customer service experiences!

I have been in the industry for the last 10 years and it is very rewarding to have the opportunity to show residents we care for them and to make our residents happy and loved. Thank you, Venterra, for offering the WOW program giving me the chance to make a difference in peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lives. Zuly Lozano, Assistant Property Manager, Champions Green

WOW Matters, 5th Anniversary Special Edition

Sean Hurdiss, Carlyle Place Resident since March 2013 Friendly, patient and kind staff who will work with whatever problem, question, or dilemma. Quiet, peaceful complex with improvements being made continuously.

that make it feel like a house. The amenities and property are always beautiful. I can relax knowing that if anything breaks in my home the staff will promptly address the issue. My children feel at home and I feel safe. I will be a resident for a very long time.

Timothy Harris, Carlyle Place Resident since July 2012

Katie Fountain, Riverstone Resident since September 2013

The Carlyle is by far the best, most comfortable, classy, and safe place to live. Management and maintenance work nonstop to make sure everything is up to top notch standards.

I’ve been very pleased with the ease of my move in at the Riverstone Apartments. Staff was friendly, quick, and mindful of my needs. The complex and grounds have been well maintained and I always notice maintenance crew members out ensuring that trash is picked up and that the grounds look nice. I’m also happy with the condition of my new home. It was clean, carpets were beautiful, and everything was in working condition. All in all, Riverstone made the difficult transition of a move a lot easier. Thank you for being professional, servicing the residents’ needs kindly and promptly; and more than anything, for trying your best. It shows.

David Gibson, The Ravinia Resident since April 2013 Great service, very well-maintained property and properly enforced rules. This has ensured both a great deal of safety and care for my family, as well as the enjoyment not commonly experienced in multi-family housing. Thank you very much, Ravinia! You have made me believe in quality living outside of owning a house, again. Jennifer Rabideau, Riverstone Resident since August 2012 I love living at Riverstone. After owning my own homes for the last twenty years, I was reluctant to move into an apartment. But the apartment is so spacious, laid out well, and has decorator touches

Wanda Harrington, Preserve at Old Dowlen Resident since March 2012 I would recommend this property! I am a healthcare professional and often work long hours. I find the service in the office as well as the maintenance department to be friendly and attentive. Most work orders are filled in the same

Do things correctly and give 100% into it the first time, and it cuts out so many issues that could happen down the road. This not only helps you but helps the person it’s effecting to not have to worry about future issues with the same problem. It creates an overall feeling of great quality when you know you can stand behind your work Kimberly Maxwell, Property Manager, Chez Moi

WOW Matters, 5th Anniversary Special Edition

day. Property is maintained beautifully and is always inviting. Office has many nice activities and takes great care of the tenants. I just renewed my lease for 18 months. Thanks for the experience of living here! Cindy Stastny, Park at Waterford Harbor Resident since February 2012 I just want to give special thanks to Amy, the assistant manager at the Park at Waterford Harbor. She is always very professional, courteous and is definitely the GO TO person here! Whenever I have any type of request or need something done, I contacted Amy and the job is done quickly, professionally and top-of-the-line. Thank you so much for being part of the Park at Waterford Harbor and for all of your phenomenal assistance. You make living here a great experience.

Margaret Garcia, Merrywood Resident since November 2012 I just wanted to say thank you to the maintenance staff for being so prompt and efficient in fixing my apartment’s problems, thank you to the office staff for being so courteous and friendly, thank you to the groundskeepers for making this a beautiful place to live - just thanks to all of you. I am so happy that, of all the choices that I had for apartments in Katy, I chose to live in the Merrywood Apartments. What a great decision!

Vanessa Romain, Carrington at Park Lakes Resident since August 2012 The appearance of the grounds and landscaping is stunning. I love that there’s no trash on the lawn, dog poop in the grass. The community also has that newness and well-kept feel to it. I love taking photo with my camera and I take many shots of the vegetation and the surroundings of our community. I always look forward to coming home. Trisha Dunn, Huntcliff Resident since February 2012 I just want to say that I LOVE THIS PLACE! The management staff is AWESOME! The maintenance staff is AWESOME! I feel very safe living in this complex. The grounds are well kept. If I ever have an issue, the staff is ready and willing to resolve it ASAP. The quality of care is AMAZING! In fact, my Dad loved living here so much, he stayed for 10 years. That’s why I decided to make Huntcliff my home. You should, too!

Jennifer Potvin, Estancia at Morningstar Resident since May 2012 I just wanted to take a minute to recognize what an amazing job our maintenance staff does! The few times I have had to get things done in my unit, it has always been taken care of professionally, neatly and correctly! It is not an easy job and I appreciate knowing that the crew that repair our units are so amazing! (My dog likes them, too!) THANK YOU for all that you do!

WOW Matters, 5th Anniversary Special Edition

Blake Maguire, Estancia at Morningstar Resident since June 2012

Lorenzo Botello, Carrington at Park Lakes Resident since April 2012

I LOVE this place. The staff is so awesome, and Venterra has really improved this property. The cleanliness has drastically improved, and I feel much more confident in the management since the acquisition.

I have lived at Carrington at Park Lakes since April of 2012, and I must say I am very pleased I have chosen this as my place of residence. Cindy and the entire staff exude a superlative level of professionalism and genuinely care about the residents and property. All requests that are submitted to the office or maintenance are handled promptly and correctly. Parking is ample, the entire property is well lit and the grounds are maintained beautifully. The office staff has resident appreciation events on a regular basis providing food and drinks. I just recently re-signed my lease and plan to continue enjoying this community that I call home. Anytime an individual makes a commitment to move somewhere new or to continue living somewhere, one of the most important things that come to mind is PEACE OF MIND. You want to lay your head in a place that is clean, safe, and around people that respect their neighbors. Carrington has provided all of this and more.

Jenny Speaker, Carrington at Park Lakes Resident since May 2013 The management at Carrington at Park Lakes is exceptional in dealing with all realms of managing apartment living. Their customer service skills in making the resident happy, content and satisfied is a real breath of fresh air. They are very dedicated and take pride in their residentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; request in a very prompt manner; and same goes for making sure Carrington Park Lakes property is a beautiful place to call home. Jill Black, Estancia at Morningstar Resident since September 2012 Very impressed with the redone weight/workout room. Love all the new and working machines! Great TVs! LOVE the new grill! You guys are doing great things! We are impressed. Every time I have called the office, it has been a pleasant experience! Thank you for everything! We have noticed!

Morgan Libby, Riverstone Resident since December 2012 Riverstone is a high quality residence for young couples and families. Management is efficient, cooperative, and available. I always feel safe coming and going, day or night. Community

I love that Venterra prides themselves on giving A Better Way of Living. I personally take time to know my residents. I ask them how their job is going, how is Fluffy, how are your classes going at school. I take the time to make their living more enjoyable by showing sincere care for them and their lives. I also like to make their life easier by offering to drop off a package to their apartment, offer to give them a call when their package is delivered, deliver dvd rentals to their door. Just another wonderful day living at Raintree. Crystal Bradford, Assistant Property Manager, Raintree

WOW Matters, 5th Anniversary Special Edition

events are a fun way to get to know the neighbors, and it’s nice that there are so many dog-lovers. I would definitely give Riverstone Apartments a 5/5 score. Great job!

DVD library as well as a small business office which have both been helpful to me.

Michael Goforth, Regency Park Resident since August 2012

Shana was so very helpful. My wife and I recently moved to Texas.. We just moved into our apartment at Regency Park. Shana was so very helpful and very attentive to our needs. Our apartment is great and we love being here and people like Shana make living here in Texas so worth it. We are very satisfied with Regency Park and proud to call it our home....Thank you, Shana Jones.

I am continually impressed with the grounds and landscaping at this property. The crew does an outstanding job on our lawns and are very welcoming. All trash is collected and the parking lot is maintained in all areas. I recently renewed my lease and several factors contributed to my decision. I have lived here for 3 years and Shana and her staff continue to provide a home for me and overall do an outstanding job in many areas. Gordon Boswell III, Regency Park, Resident since June 2013 I’ve been living at Regency Park for over a year now, and I have been very happy with every aspect of apartment living: all staff members are genuinely friendly, always ready to be of a assistance, maintenance issues are always addressed quickly, and the grounds are kept up very nice all year round. The office offers a free

Daniel Hern, Regency Park Resident since Oct 2012

Lucia Nell Wheat, Regency Park Resident since Sept 2012 Amazing staff, including maintenance. I moved to Regency Park Apts in Oct. 2012. I shopped for several apts. before deciding on this one. I had a strong feeling when I met the staff that this was a good one. Any and all issues have been taken care of immediately & with a smile on their face. Shayna, the manager, is so wonderful and helpful. Each time I need to report a maintenance issue, they get on it right away; sometimes that very day.

I’ve been fortunate enough to witness the evolution of WOW within Venterra. Initially, WOW meant assisting residents when they needed help with their vehicles, going on dumpster dives to retrieve displaced keys, watering plants for vacationing residents, etc. Fast forward five years later. Our WOW stories have taken a life of their own. Our team members have become creative with their WOW’s. They’ve turned into secret service agents. They’ve made it a point to look for clues and use them to WOW our residents. Our team members have helped celebrate our residents weddings, birthdays, childbirth, and graduations. They were beside them grieving the loss of their child, parent, and pet. They’ve become family to quite a few of our residents and all it took was listening to them. So what does Venterra’s WOW mean to me? It means winning residents through our caring actions. If WOW had a face, it would be the face of a Venterra Team Member. Maitina Morrissey, Senior Regional Manager, Venterra Realty

WOW Matters, 5th Anniversary Special Edition

The first time I looked at the apt., I just knew this was it and every day it’s a blessing to come home. For an older complex, they keep it updated so well. I got new black appliances, new hardwood style floors for kitchen and bath, & new carpet. In other apts. I’ve lived in, it was difficult to get repairs done, much less HAVE ALL NEW APPLIANCES. But here, they replace them as needed and keep things updated. I am so happy here and blessed. I recently found out that a friend lived here over 20 yrs ago. She said it was also the best experience she ever had and stayed for over 11 yrs. I’m also amazed at the low electric bills I’m getting. It’s great to see that being comfortable has not been expensive. I love this place. Every day I’m grateful. I’m even saving on Redbox movies because they have free 3-day rentals at the office. YEA! Thank you Shayna & everyone for making me feel special. Donna Rodgers, Raintree Resident since July 2013 This is an excellent property. Very well maintained and managed by a friendly and professional staff. I would recommend it to anyone. Kimberly Allen, The Landings of Brentwood, Resident since 2008 This is my first apartment. I am absolutely in love with it. The layout, modern touches and style have made this a home that I brag about to all my friends. Thank you so much for your hard work and attention to detail. I couldn’t be happier.

Latanya Robinson, Salado Springs Resident since November 2012 I’ve lived here since Nov. 2012 and I have no complaints. When you need them, they are right there to take care of your needs. Halley Justus, Salado Springs Resident since January 2013 Amazing staff and things always get down when they say they will and they try to make this community better every day. Dawn Wolff, Signature Ridge Resident since May 2013 I had an issue with my garbage disposal and Chad saved the day! Instead of it being a simple fix, my disposal needed to be replaced. Chad was in and out very quickly and he cleaned up everything. He even replaced my paper towels and light bulbs that were under my sink when the disposal began leaking! I have lived in San Antonio for three weeks now and my experience has been amazing, thanks to the staff and crew of Signature Ridge. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Carlee Dunlap, Signature Ridge Resident July 2013 Karlos was absolutely amazing to work with. We drove from Ohio to look for apartments and spent the entire day looking. After meeting Karlos and looking around, we ended up canceling our other appointments because we were so pleased. We can’t wait to move in this July! Thanks, Karlos.

Rachel Kovac, Raintree Resident since June 2010

Jonathon Robb, Signature Ridge Resident March 2013

The staff make the place a great place to live. I would say maintenance, office personnel and apartment manager are the friendliest I have ever seen at an apartment complex. And I have lived in quite a few.

Best thing that could have happened to us when moving to San Antonio. Thank you for providing us with not just a roof over our heads, but for giving us a home!

WOW Matters, 5th Anniversary Special Edition

Michelle Quiter, Signature Ridge Resident since March 2012

Ronald Meyers, The Enclave at 1550 Resident since July 2013

The maintenance man who came to my apartment today was very nice and competent. He even wore boot covers, which I really appreciated. Thank you. Alfred Tijerina, Sandstone Resident since January 2013

We lived here about 4 years ago and didn’t want to leave, but our jobs dictated otherwise. As soon as we had the chance, we returned and leased a 2 bedroom/2 bath. We’re happier now than we were before. We won’t leave again. The management and maintenance staff are very attentive to the residents needs and truly care about the property. We’re glad to be back!

I want to say thank you to Julio and Libby for always making sure my maintenance requests are completed in a timely matter and with professionalism.

Santino Corrales, The Enclave at 1550 Resident since December 2012 I’ve recommended this property to several family members and friends for the friendliness of the community and great office staff.

Leininey Mills, Sandstone Resident since February 2013 I really appreciate the maintenance staff and how they tend to every one of my needs when I need help. This is what makes living here that much more secure knowing that I won’t be neglected in the time of need. I also want to say that the maintenance manager is very pleasant, polite, and very professional at making sure the needs are being met and accomplished. I really appreciate the maintenance staff’s prompt ability to get things done. Parker Beaty, Bradford Pointe Resident since November 2009 I want to thank everyone for helping make my first apartment feel like home! I know I have asked a lot from the front office about having work done but I have never felt like a place has ever cared as much as Bradford Pointe. I want to thank Robert for being prompt and for helping me make my apartment feel like a home. Anything I needed done, he was there promptly. I choose to live here because I finally found a place to call home where I feel safe and where it feels like talking to family when it comes down to asking for help with anything. I look forward to the years to come.

Joyce E. McCollough, The Enclave at 1550 Resident since March 2012 The Maintenance Crew and the Office Staff have been most accommodating since I moved in on Feb. 5th, 2013. They have quickly responded to all of my questions and quickly repaired the maintenance problems I encountered. They are always friendly and courteous whether working in my apartment or whenever I meet them in the hall. They did a wonderful job sanding and covering the dog scratches, gouges and old paint marks on my Hallway door. It really looks great. I am on Oxygen 24/7 and they have all been very helpful to me when I needed help with boxes and deliveries. I am very pleased with the whole Enclave crew. Thank you all very much. Emily Lentz, Timber Mill Resident since July 2013 Again, Thank You, Frank (Francisco) for your hard work and know-how on all repairs. Frank fixed my refrigerator and freezer today and did an extensive and thorough clean-up job. Thank you for having such expertise and consideration!

WOW Matters, 5th Anniversary Special Edition

James Bobbitt, Villa Lago Resident since March 2013

him know I was not going to be at Wilshire Apartments by 6 - I dreaded calling, for I could not handle any more bad news. He answers the phone by saying “How can I make your day better?” I responded by saying “Please stay there until I get there”. He did what he apparently does best: he made my day BETTER!!! The end result was he stayed and waited on me; he was kind, friendly, and super-efficient; did I forget to say professional? There are no words to express how truly appreciative I am that God allowed Chris to take my call and be the angel he really is. He took a terrible day and made it good. I am sitting in my apartment at 12:48 am and able to reflect and write this letter praising a person who effortlessly and willingly improved my day a 100 fold. I thank God for allowing Chris to be here for me! He is truly awesome. He turned down my offer of a tip and lunch, too! What a great human being to meet my first night at my new home in Wilshire Apartments.

The most beautiful and friendly experience for an apartment complex ever!!! Won’t see this kind of service much of anywhere else. A+++ I know it seems cliche, but I’m serious. Everything has gone RIGHT since we got here. Minor maintenance issues on day one were taken care of immediately the next day. PERFECT. John Specht Jr., Villa Lago Resident since March 2012 The small sink leak I mentioned to Erin late yesterday afternoon has already been fixed this morning before noon. Maintenance service has been really great. The only problem is that someday when we get our new house, and I am responsible for the minor maintenance, Daylon has set a standard and expectation in my wife’s mind that will be hard for me to match. Thank you for your service. Sarah Eason, Waters Edge Resident since June 2012 Living here has been the easiest apartment experience. I really can call this place my home. Marion Morris, Wilshire Place Resident since August 2013 August the 2nd was one of my most difficult days: after my reservation for my moving truck was rearranged and the office staff at the rental agency was late, my brother took his own sweet time showing up and delayed my departure from Shreveport, La., then the traffic mishaps upon my journey (already complicated because of the inconsistent speed zones), I was at the point that I would arrive at Wiltshire at exactly 6 pm and then I was held up in Houston traffic -could my day be any worse? I had to call Chris and let

Stephanie Warthen, Wilshire Place Resident since August 2012 I LOVE living here! It has been a great experience. The people are nice and helpful, the grounds are always kept up, and anytime I have something that needs to be fixed, it is often fixed the day I put in a request. Cherry Tijerina, Wilshire Place Resident since September 2013 This is one of the cleanest and well maintained properties I’ve ever seen. The management and staff are very sweet and professional.

WOW Matters, 5th Anniversary Special Edition

Marissa Hernandez, Wilshire Place Resident since July 2013

Amanda Gallagher, Westover Oaks Resident since October 2012

Melissa was very knowledgeable & helpful during my applying & move-in process. She was readily available and always promptly responded to my emails. I really appreciate her kindness as well as the rest of the office staff I have engaged with. I am a new resident and so far I am very excited to call this friendly environment my home.

I’ve been a part of 4 different apartment complex communities over the years. Westover Oaks has been nothing but amazing and very helpful. They are involved with the residents so much that I’ve requested to extend my lease during a promotion they were having last month. The best part are the neighbors throughout my building. They all are very friendly and kind. It’s hard to find great neighbors you can trust. I hope to never leave! I hope as long as I plan on staying here that the service and attentiveness keeps up! By far the best place I’ve ever called home!

Gilda Vasquez, Wilshire Place Resident since August 2012 I moved into the Willow Spring apt August of 2012. I truly enjoy my apartment. I love to come home and open my patio door and know that I can leave it open and let the fresh air not have to worry about any insect coming in. I enjoy the quietness of the complex and my grandson loves to visit me so he can go out to the playground. Can’t wait to use the pools. The staff are so friendly and when I need something taken care of, it’s done within the hour of my request. I would highly recommend the Willow spring apartment. Thank you for making me feel at home. John Frias, Wilshire Place Resident since May 2012 It’s nice. It’s quiet. It’s clean. Everything that is asked of our apartment complex is done within reason. My apartment is taken care of. No other apartments will do the job like ours. Kimberly Allen, The Landings of Brentwood, Resident since 2009 This is my first apartment. I am absolutely in love with it. The layout, modern touches and style have made this a home that I brag about to all my friends. Thank you so much for your hard work and attention to detail. I couldn’t be happier.

Kathleen Lavalais, West End Lodge Resident since December 2012 I am no longer a part of this community, but I miss it dearly and would love to move back. If I ever move to Beaumont again, this will be my first choice... I recommend any and every one to try here first! Thanks, West End Lodge! JoEllyn Verkler, West End Lodge Resident since August 2012 Friday evening, I had an emergency maintenance problem. Called and left message for Maintenance to call me. Within minutes, Miss Kitty responded to my message. She immediately was at my door to take care of the water problem in the kitchen. Miss Kitty was able to do temporary repair. Promptly at 8:00 am on Saturday, she returned with her tools and finalized the plumbing repair. Great response time to my maintenance problem. Miss Kitty went above and beyond to make sure the job was done to my satisfaction. She even returned on Monday to fix my ice maker and change the furnace filter. Thank you very much, Miss Kitty.

WOW Matters, 5th Anniversary Special Edition

Clayton Williams, West End Lodge Resident since February 2013 This property and its employees have so far given me a much better experience than Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever had anywhere else. Also, the environment here and Dog Park are a big plus. Overall, very satisfied with this move. Stacie Oszczakiewicz, West End Lodge Resident January 2013 Great place to live! Excellent customer service, so friendly and helpful. Will answer your service calls in a very prompt manner. All around, just a great place to call home.

Lourdes Sanchez, Palm Club Resident since April 2012

Chadron Jones, West End Lodge Resident since June 2012 Kitty Cox came to service my apartment. She was so nice and awesome. She was very efficient with her work. She came in with another gentleman who was also very kind. Mrs. Kitty and the other gentleman came in and completed the task very quickly and it was obvious they knew what they were doing. She made me feel comfortable having her in my home. She also gave me good advice on keeping white carpet clean. She is a hard worker and it shows! Very courteous and efficient! You canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t beat that! Amanda Johnson, Legacy at River Crossing, Resident since September 2010

I just moved to the Palm Club apartments, after 21 years of owning a home. I have to say that so far I feel like I am on vacation. The staff has been very helpful and pleasant. My first experience with maintenance was a good one. Recently, the ceiling fan in my room stopped working, and the smell was horrible. The next morning I went to the office around 9:00 a.m. to report the problem with the fan. I had to leave, and after I returned home the maintenance man was at my door. He ended up replacing my fan and stabilizing the fan in the living room. He also took the time to help me program the thermostat to agree with my schedule. After 21 years of doing everything by myself, it was very nice to have someone coming and taking care of the issues in my home. Six days in my apartment, and I am so pleased and happy with my move.

Legacy at River Crossing is the perfect place to live. The office staff and management go out of their way to make your life easier. They do their best to form a sense of community by having the neighborhood get together for community functions. The maintenance staff is quick to respond and very friendly and professional. The grounds are kept clean and well maintained. All of this makes the residents take pride in where they live, and together we have created an amazing place that anyone would be lucky to live in.

look for opportunities to go above and beyond to create memorable and personalized experiences.

 PERSONALIZE IT TaiRae Richey, Bridget Proctor, Fabiola Celado, Huntcliff, League City, TX What a Wreck! Randy was on his way home from work, at a light he was slammed into! The person that wrecked into him did not have insurance and drove away just before the police arrived. Randy was very upset that he had to pay a $500 deductible for his insurance to repair his car, his only vehicle to get to work. We stepped up and paid for half of his deductible! He was shocked that we would do that for him, almost didn’t believe it. We definitely made his day better! TaiRae Richey, Huntcliff, League City, TX What a Gift! Tai is always so thoughtful when it comes to our residents. Matt commented on how his head phones, used for his music, stopped working. TaiRae owned an expensive set of headphones that she no longer used. One day, while Matt was in the office, Tai gave him the headphones; he was shocked and did not want to take them. Tai of course convinced him! Thank you, Tai!

Jacqui Sullivan, Candi Smith, Diana Cabrices, Westminster at Buckhead, Atlanta, GA Surprise! Bascome is one of our residents who have moved down from New York. He and his wife have the cutest puppy and they are always in the office. Bascome was asking the team a great place to take Christie for dinner. Using our detective services, we were able to dig up dirt on the surprise birthday party he was planning for his wife. We used our best snooping skills and pinned down the time and date of the surprise. With the help of Chelsie Florist, Christie and Bascome will have balloons, card and flowers waiting for them on the reserved table at The Sun Dial in Downtown Atlanta. YAY!!! :-D Work it Customer Intelligence Agents! Tansy Miller, Park Manor, Newman, GA A Small Key Opens a Big Heart e have a very funny kid here at Park Manor. I W really think he loves us. Like most kids, he comes up here every Friday for snacks. But then there are times that he stops by to show us a school project, or an interesting rock he has, or an amazing insect. Last week, he came in 3 different times just to let us know that his birthday was coming up. He shouted it to me twice in passing in the parking lot. Well, Laura and Michelle were prepared and had a goodie bag of stuff waiting for him on the day of his birthday and as soon as he got off of the bus. He was so excited that he got all the way home before he realize he didn’t have a key to get in and had to go all the way back up to the office to borrow ours. He explained that he had lost his awhile back but on most days he had his mom’s key with him. The ladies gave him the key to borrow. The next day, he ran to me and gave the above note which says “My Birthday was yesterday and I am giving back the key to

WOW Matters, 5th Anniversary Special Edition

1207. From Keshan” This made me laugh so hard. I knew I needed to acknowledge his birthday in a special way; so I went to Lowe’s and had a key made with the logo of his favorite sports team along with a Landyard to wear around his neck. This kid was so stinking happy. I haven’t seen him without it since. Bridget Proctor, Fabiola Celado, TaiRae Richey, Huntcliff, League City, TX Tucker When Jodi decided to make Huntcliff her home, she wasn’t only looking for herself but she was also looking for her 12-yr-old cocker spaniel named Tucker. Jodi brought Tucker in so he could meet us and you could tell right off the bat that these two were BFF’s and inseparable. Tucker was very protective of Jodi just as much as she was over him. During the months following her move-in, I would see Jodi and Tucker out on property going for walks and we would wave to each other; and on other occasions, I would stop and chat with them and Tucker was always so happy to see me. At the beginning of August, Jodi came in with tears in her eyes and she handed me a piece of paper and asked me not to say anything and to just read it. I automatically assumed she was giving an NTV but what I was about to read ended up being much worse. As I said, Tucker was 12 years old and that would make him 84 years old in dog terms. Jodi sadly had to put Tucker to sleep because of his old age and his sickness that he wasn’t able to overcome. It was determined that it was best for him because Jodi would never want him to suffer. After reading the note and seeing Jodi crying and unable to even talk about it, my heart sank for her. We wanted to do something for Jodi so she could have wonderful memories of Tucker but she

didn’t want to talk about it or think about anything at that point, so we decided it would be best to get her mind off the whole thing and kind of get away and get out of the apartment they used to call home together. So we called her nephew and asked him if she would enjoy a fun night out and he said she LOVES movies and would enjoy being treated out. So we got her a gift card to Star Cinema Grill where she could eat dinner and enjoy a show and we even added in extra so she could bring a couple of friends with her. Jodi was at work, so we sent the gift and fresh flowers in her apartment so she would be welcomed by the sight when she arrived home! Jodi thanked us so much for the thought and she said that, although nothing will replace Tucker, she was thankful and very appreciative of us for getting her to get out and try to relax and get her mind off the sadness with a good and funny flick! Kristi Schimming, Cherry Tijerina, Jose Padilla, Jaime Aguirre, College View, LaPorte, TX Back to School! Yesterday, one of our residents came into the office and was talking to us about how she has been working all day plus overtime plus having to pick up a second job for about 3 months just to be able to pay for her 3 kids’ school uniforms and back-to-school supplies. She started crying, telling us it’s just so expensive to have a first, second and a ninth grader and how she feels bad that the two younger ones want themed but the older said she will just carry all her stuff to save money so her brother and sister could have the kind they wanted. After listening to her and digging deeper and letting her vent, I found out exactly what the kids liked from themes to colors. I then ran to Walmart and bought all their school

WOW Matters, 5th Anniversary Special Edition

supplies and the back packs they wanted! I later called the resident to come in with her 3 kids. As soon as they saw the back packs, their faces lit up and as they are looking through everything “ooohhhhing and ahhing”, the mother was just sitting back crying and everyone couldn’t stop thanking us for everything and how much we mean to them. The next day, the 3 kids came in the office with a thank-you-letter and pictures. Nothing means more than helping someone who really needs the help!

Amy Pollak, Crystal Bradford, Shannon Stokes, Raintree, Baytown, TX Got Popcorn? We had a resident come in to rent a movie. We asked her if she wanted to take some popcorn to have while she watched her movie. She said, “I would love some popcorn but I don’t have a microwave.” We then told her she would be more than welcome to pop her popcorn here in the office, then take it with her. She thought that it was so cool that we let her do that. When she came back in to return the movies, we then presented her with her very own microwave. She was so thrilled that we took the time to think about her needs and give her something she really needed.

Kristen Earle, Tuscany at Lindbergh, Atlanta, GA On Friday morning, Megan came into the office excited to pick up her package. I asked for her apartment number and went to search in the package room but, after several minutes of searching, I realized that the package was not there. I came back out and explained to Megan that I did not see the package and allowed her to follow me to the package room so that we could look a second time together. Unfortunately, neither of us had any luck; the package just was not there. Disappointed, Megan said she would go home and contact UPS and try to find out where her package was. A few moments later, I received a phone call from Megan saying that UPS had delivered the package to her door the previous evening around 7:30 PM. Megan arrived home at 9:30 PM and there was no package waiting for her. She was leaving for a Jamaican vacation on Tuesday and had spent a lot of time and money shopping at Victoria’s Secret for these items. She pleaded for us to keep an eye out for her package. She was devastated that she had spent so much money for new clothes for her trip and now wouldn’t get to enjoy them. I felt so bad for her and knew that we had to do something to help. So, I decided to get her a gift card so that she could go shopping for more swimsuits and sundresses! I put the gift card in a clear travel bag and called her down to the office. Megan walked into the office looking very down and I proceeded to tell her that I knew we could not replace all her items but we still wanted to help. When I pulled out the bag with the gift card, a huge smile came across Megan’s face and she started to laugh. She thanked us so much and was very surprised that we did this for her. Megan left the office

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with a smile this time! About 10 minutes later, I received a call and it was from Megan’s mother. She explained that Megan had gone home and called her to tell her about the gift card. She said that she wanted to call us and personally thank us for being so kind to her daughter. She explained how disappointed Megan was and she was so happy that we had taken the time to make such a sweet gesture. We were not only able to make an impression on our resident but on her mother as well!

learn that it was from us. He said that he was going to go down to Office Depot and get it laminated but that this was a much better idea. A few days later, he was still excited and said he had it hanging up in his apartment.

David Williams, Kimberley Baker, The Ravinia, Spring, TX Congrats on Your Graduation A resident came in to pick up a package that had been delivered for his apartment. David recognized the U of H logo on it and the size seemed right for a diploma. David struck up a conversation with him and the resident said his son just graduated. We went out and bought him a frame for his diploma and a wallet. We got him a card and wrote “Congrats on your recent graduation, here is a frame for your diploma and a wallet for all the money you will make in your new career.” The son came in the office and I handed him the gift. He was very surprised to

Because I live here myself, this is what I tell each prospect and resident: ‘I absolutely love the unparalleled customer service and willingness to learn that Venterra constantly displays to its residents. When you’re a resident here, you are treated like family!’ Jennifer Lubarsky, Leasing Consultant, Silverbrooke

WOW Matters, 5th Anniversary Special Edition

Amanda Janda, Cypress Pointe, Jacksonville, FL Fighting a Batty Situation While Husband is Fighting for Our Country Amanda recently had a prospect who just moved to the Jacksonville Area into a neighboring community alone with her 5-month-old baby boy. During Amanda’s interaction with the prospect, she discovered that she needed to move ASAP because the apartment she just moved into was bat-infested. The bats were coming from every angle of the apartment leaving their mark all over her apartment and her furniture. She was frantic and alone and needed some reassurance that she would not encounter another incident as this one. Amanda immediately took her under her wing and the prospect leased and moved in. She literally moved in with herself and her baby, and with nothing else. The resident could not bring any of her belongings with her since the military legal aid was involved and also since bats carry diseases, it was off limits transferring anything. So while she is fighting the bats away for weeks, her husband was in Afghanistan on deployment fighting for our country, Amanda took it upon herself to call her relatives, friends, etc., to gather furniture, kitchenware, anything she could get her hands on. Amanda and I showed up at her door to deliver the goodies and she and her son were so thankful. Even though her entire family was not together, she knew that she had a family here at Cypress Pointe. This was two months ago. I waited to write this story to inform you that the resident’s husband has returned from Afghanistan and, as soon as he got home, he came into the office to thank Amanda and the office for creating such a flawless and memorable experience for his wife and child. He didn’t need to worry since his wife kept him updated on all that was going on. The family is doing wonderful and went on a much-needed family vacation.

Thank you, Amanda, for your diligence and dedication with this situation and for always looking for ways to improve people’s lives and make it that much easier to deal with difficult situations! You turned a batty situation into a memorable moment in this family’s life! The Staff at Huntcliff—Houston, TX Helping Those in Need Last week a couple came into the office looking for an apartment for immediate move-in. The house they lived in for 39 years had burned to the ground the day before and they lost everything. All they had were the clothes on their back and what they could grab as they were running out of the house. The couple applied, were approved the same day, and moved in the next day. Brenda, Tristen, and Jessica put the word out about this very sweet couple who were going through a tough time. Taking the lead, Tristen gave them a television; Jessica gave them a set of silverware, towels, and small kitchen appliances; Brenda donated a DVD player and a VCR. The word spread and residents and employees at our sister properties even donated items. These inspiring actions are truly worthy of a WOW! Olga Kosterina, Falcon Square at Independence, Orlando, FL Help Me Walk One of our residents have a 15-month-old baby boy who is still not walking and his mother shared her frustrations and concerns with Olga, the property manager, when she was picking up a package last week. The family was short on income due to mother staying home with the baby. So Olga decided to get some help to the little boy and ran to the store to purchase the baby walker learning toy with 50 sounds and

WOW Matters, 5th Anniversary Special Edition

music that could be used as a ride on or a pushing walker. The residents were called to come and pick up the package and the little baby boy was in love with his new toy. A couple of days later, the parents (residents) came into the office to thank the team again for such a thoughtful gift as they noticed that their son started walking on his own a couple of steps at a time after playing with his walker toy for a few hours around the apartment home. It was so nice to see the little boy smiling. The parents are happy and very thankful.

day and we are thrilled to know we have left a lasting impression on him and his experience here at Cypress Pointe.

Allison O’Brien, Bettie Lyerly, Kimberley Baker, The Ravinia, Spring, TX Happy Anniversary!

Andrew Carlton, Jens Gilbertson, Cypress Pointe, Jacksonville, FL Gone Fishin’ One of our residents is a retired Air Force serviceman and likes to go fishing whenever he gets a minute. A few weeks ago, he commented on how bad his luck has been not able to catch the first fish. A week or so after his bad run, he stopped by near our shop and proudly displayed his catch. With his face beaming, I quickly snapped a shot with my iPhone. Once at my office, I uploaded the picture to Wal-Greens photo-app, hopped on my bike during lunch and bought a frame for it. Later that afternoon, I called him and showed up at his apartment presenting the Picture with flowers for his wife as well. The picture sits prominently in his foyer to this

We were out by the pool checking for pool passes and struck up a conversation with two of our residents. They had mentioned that it was their anniversary and they were low on funds, so they decided to spend the day by the pool. We immediately ran to the store and got them a card and $50 gift card to Carrabba’s. We called the residents and told them they had a package. We gave them the card and they were super excited that they would be able to go out to eat for dinner. It was a place they had been wanting to try! Roberto Herrera, Bradford Pointe, Austin, TX Robert noticed one of our older residents carrying up some groceries and ran out of the office to help her. When he was finished carrying in her groceries, he looked out on her porch and noticed several plants. He asked her if she was planning on hanging them and she said she was waiting for her grandson to help her. Robert jumped right into action and asked her where she would like them hung. He got all of her plants up!

WOW Matters, 5th Anniversary Special Edition

Crysta Brooks, West End Lodge, Beaumont, TX WOWing on the Way Out! I have been speaking to a resident the last few months as their lease was ending and the purchase of their new home was forthcoming. They did buy the home and just recently moved in (paying out the last month of their lease). With both of them working full-time jobs, the transition to the new home has been slow, moving in little by little every week. Last week, during a bad thunderstorm here in Beaumont, the husband lost control of his vehicle and hit the concrete highway divider, almost flipping over into oncoming traffic. The accident left him with broken ribs, broken bones in his foot, etc. The wife came in to the office to pay her last days of the rent and mentioned how they had some things left in the apartment but her husband just totaled out their truck and now has no way to load and transport belongings to the new home, not to mention having to now do it all (from 2nd floor apartment) on her own since her husband is not able. Amanda and her family moved here for her husband’s job last year and have no family in the area to call on. A light bulb immediately went off in my head - I will help this family finish their

move! I ran the idea by my PM, he loved it! I called the resident and asked if it would be ok if West End Lodge paid for a moving company to come out and pack up what was left and move the rest of their belongings to their new home for her. She was speechless! She could not thank me enough and could not believe we would do something like this for her and her family. She posted some very kind words on Facebook about our staff as a whole. Jean Forgus, Regency Park, Longview, TX One of our elderly residents comes to the office every day to purchase a paper from the newspaper stand. The other day he stopped by the office for his routine purchase. He placed the money in the machine and pulled out his paper. To his surprise, he noticed that the paper was from the previous day. Our housekeeper, Jean, noticed that the resident did not look particularly happy so she asked him if something was wrong. He informed Jean that the day was already not going well and this just ‘topped’ it off. Jean took

I love the excitement that WOW brings to Venterra’s culture. I feel privileged to have watched WOW evolve over the past 5 years into what it is today. Whether it was through participating in WOW when I was onsite, or training new employees on what WOW is, or by being able to reward our employees for creating spectacular WOW moments for our customers—my personal journey with WOW has been amazing! The excitement I feel when reading the WOW stories and hearing what our employees are doing to enhance our Customers’ Experience is so refreshing. I am thrilled and honored to be a part of it! Mary Green, Training Manager, Venterra Realty

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it upon herself to go to the grocery store and purchase the current paper for the day. She delivered the paper to the resident and convinced him that not everything was going awry.

himself to buy the resident a timer. She was very appreciative and now uses her new timer for baking and never has to worry about her oven shutting off!

Kudos to Jean for making this older man feel like his day was going to be okay after all!

Rogelio Gil, Estancia at Morningstar, The Colony, TX Bike Lock

Cindy McClain, Jacqueline Gerrie, Mollie Witt, Merrywood, Katy, TX God Bless Venterra Gerald, one of our senior residents, came in the office to pick up a package. We began talking and he said what a big job he had having to shred so much mail from his deceased wife. She was a very generous person and made a lot of donations to many charities. So he is bombarded with tons of junk mail. We told him that we have a shredder in the office and he was welcome to come use it. He said it was ok and that he would never want to be a bother to us. When he left, we ran to Target and bought him his own shredder. We called him to say that he had another package in the office. Gerald came right over and when we presented him with the new shredder, he cried and asked ‘why we were soooo good to him?’ We simply replied “It’s the Venterra Way!” He then said “Well, God Bless, Venterra”. Jorge Nieto, Estancia at Morningstar, The Colony, TX Time Trouble We have a resident who was having issues with her oven timer. The timer feature on her oven was a little confusing and each time the timer went off, the oven was automatically turning off, too. She was making cookies and wanted the oven to stay on between batches. Since the timer feature isn’t too user-friendly, Jorge took it upon

We had an Estancia resident call up to the office because her daughter had forgotten her bike lock combination. She was stuck at work and her daughter was running late for summer classes, and she was worried that she would have to walk all the way to school in the heat. Rogelio immediately went over to the apartment and was able to cut the lock off the bike so she could get to school, but he didn’t stop there! He wanted to make sure she would be able to lock her bike up when she got home from school, so he asked Stephanie if we could use some WOW money to buy her a new bike lock. We found the perfect lock that uses words for the combination instead of numbers which will be much easier for her to remember! Way to save the day, Rogelio! Marcus Wilson, Assistant Maintenance, San Antonio, TX One of our residents is in the armed forces and gone for about four months at a time. During our last big storm, Marcus noticed that the resident’s car cover was torn up and hanging off the car. Knowing that the resident would not be back for a few months, Marcus took it upon himself to purchase a new cover so the resident’s car would be okay.

WOW Matters, 5th Anniversary Special Edition

RESIDENT TESTIMONIALS

my new home! I have recommended this complex to my travel company for future nurses traveling to the area who need housing. Thanks so much for an awesome experience! Great job!

Jason Dul, Westminster at Buckhead Resident since October 2013 Andrea and I haven’t even finished packing in Seattle yet, but I wanted to let you know that Diana and Keonte have been extremely helpful in assisting me through the decision to live at Westminster, and with the entire process of paperwork. We did not have the opportunity to visit before making the decision but Diana went the extra step and sent me photos of apartment features we were concerned about due to Andrea’s mobility issues. Keonte has been in contact via phone and email to help us with the remainder of the paperwork for application, and kept me informed with where things stood with the approval process during the wait. He’s continually been answering some further pre-move questions. We’re very impressed so far, and can hardly wait to move into our new home! Kristin Burk, Palm Club Resident since September 2013 I’m a travel nurse and move in and out of apartments. My experience with Palm Club has been outstanding, by far surpassing bigger cities like Atlanta, Charleston, Miami and other cities I’ve contracted with. The office staff quickly responded to my emails when I began my search, much faster than other complexes. Sarah was amazing when I came to tour the complex and was so nice and informative. The complex was beautiful. I knew instantly this was where I wanted to live during my contract. The day I moved in was astonishing. Sarah was great walking me through my lease agreement, something I haven’t encountered with other apartments. The welcome package waiting for me in my new apartment was amazing! I could tell they took their time to make me feel welcomed and were genuinely happy I chose Palm Cub as

Cheryl D Rojo, Estancia at Morningstar Resident since June 2013 I love how easy Heather made everything, from my online inquiry to my move-in. She also followed up with me along the way and provided me with community information and referrals. My girls LOVED the little touches in our new place at move-in; little ribbon wrapped packages of soaps, lotions, shampoos, etc. The community rules regarding unsupervised children in the common use areas are politely enforced, which makes using the pool, park, & fitness center enjoyable for all residence while maintaining the peace of the residents surrounding those amenities. Mike Owens, Foxborough Resident since November 2010 I just wanted to take a minute to express my happiness over Ary and her staff here at Foxborough this past week, but especially for this morning! I am not sentimental as a general rule, but handing out brown breakfast bags to each of us through the car window as we drove out to face the day was pretty awesome. The thought of it stuck with me the remainder of the day, and was a wonderful way to end Tenant Appreciation Week. I thought the efforts shown all week were pretty amazing, but there was something about the personal touch this morning AND the staff’s friendliness on a gloomy, cloudy Friday morning that just meant a lot to us. Thanks, Ary, for once again pulling through with some amazing things and continuing to make this place our home.

WOW Matters, 5th Anniversary Special Edition

Sunny Knutson, Park at Waterford Harbor Resident since September 2012

Robert Henderson, Shadowbrooke Resident since May 2013

PWH office staff is amazing! They go above and beyond (as usual). Rie stays on top of every work order or concern Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had, Amie bends over backwards to make sure my packages arrive safely and holds them for me (even when I neglect to ask them to drop them off at the office) and Christina finds me any sort of shop or service in the area and even calls to confirm pricing and availability. These girls deserve a raise! I love living in this apartment community!

Our decision to move to Shadowbrooke was sealed once we met leasing agents, Kelly and Frank, and looked at our options for apartments. It was our first property to look at. It was the only property we looked at. Their assistance was invaluable in making our moving experience effortless and comfortable. They truly love their work and it shows!

Nola Blackwell, Estancia at Morningstar Resident since March 2006

I do want to thank Nathan in Signature Ridge for his help during my move-in process. I bought lots of stuffs online and they were delivered to the office due to my absence. Nathan helped me to load them to the car. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re really quite heavy. Without Nathanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s help, I cannot lift them up and take them to my apartment. Thanks, Nathan!

It is wonderful how this new management team is going the extra mile by having Happy Hour, National Chocolate Chip Day, breakfasts for the Residents and other functions I could have missed. All of these extras mean so much and they are not taken for granted. I know they take extra time, planning and cleanup. Melissa Molsbee, Raintree Resident since October 2013 Recently, my vacuum cleaner broke and I have been borrowing Shannon Stokes just to get by. I had not had time to go to Wal-Mart to pick up a new one but Shannon did not mind helping us out. The other day I was asked to come into the office after work because Shannon needed me for something. When I got there that evening, Amy, Crystal and Shannon surprised me with a new vacuum cleaner. When asked what it was for, they all said Because We Love You! I have never had a complex do anything nice for me or my family before so I was in total shock! I totally appreciate everything that the entire staff at Raintree does on a daily basis not only for my family but for all residents! Thank you, Raintree, for being part of my family! Love you all! Thanks for WOWing me on a constant basis!

Kai Jia, Signature Ridge Resident since April 2013

William Doyle III, Silverbrooke Resident since April 2013 I have been at Silverbrooke for 16 months and just signed a lease for 13 more. I really have enjoyed living at Silverbrooke Apts. They are well kept and maintained inside and out. I have to give the entire office staff a great compliment. Each and every one that I have met are all friendly and helpful. I want to give special thanks to the Assistant Manager, Mohammed Mitha. Mohammed took special interest in a problem that I presented him with and he helped me above and beyond what I would expect him to do. Mohammed and staff are great representatives for Venterra Properties and truly earn an A+ in customer service excellence.

WOW Matters, 5th Anniversary Special Edition

Alfred Tijerina, Sandstone Resident since March 2013

Bonnie Perry, West End Lodge Resident since October 2011

We transferred to a townhouse in January and I asked for an upgraded apartment like the one we currently lived in. I was told that the company was no longer doing full upgrades which included counter tops and hardware and light fixtures and flooring, but the appliances would be upgraded. Well, I was disappointed because now I was going to live in just an apartment, and not a home. Then move-in day came and to my surprise my apartment was upgraded. All the counters were redone and the downstairs floors. When I went to say thank you, I was told that the upstairs floor would be done to but they needed to order some more flooring. I am sooooo pleased. Thank you to all involved with making my apartment feel like home, especially Julio and Fabie, Al & Cherry!

What an awesome Office Staff - couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ask for nicer, eager to please staff who are great at making residents feel special & are always so happy to help with any questions or problems that I have. Just go out of their way to be extra nice. And the social events are especially great for meeting new residents & visiting others met before. Really makes it feel like a neighborhood instead of a complex. I just love it here & know that I made the right choice in selecting this as my home. Great job, guys!

Alfonso Avelar, Timber Mill Resident since April 2013 I would like to thank you for the recent repair; definitely will change my life. In addition, I would like to mention that Frank is an excellent worker, always ready to provide support. Many thanks; I would definitely recommend The Timber Mill Apartments. Annette Crumity, Wilshire Place Resident since May 2013 I am living the life of luxury. Wilshire Place is the life for me. Since I moved in in May, the Staff Chris, Ty, Mira, Ramon (the Manager), Christina, all have done nothing but spoil me. They listen to my concerns and resolve matters quickly. I feel as though I matter. I want to thank each one of you. I love the way maintenance is always busy improving or taking care of the property. The staff and maintenance of Wilshire Place are never too busy for your concerns.

WOW Matters, 5th Anniversary Special Edition

Over the past 5 years the WOW initiative has completely changed the way I service my customers as well as my expectations for the service I receive as a consumer. WOW has heightened my awareness in the way I listen, think and carry out customer service and the customer experience. I know that WOWing someone is not just about giving them anything to quell their wants or needs. WOWing means that we look for opportunities to deliver the unexpected, exceptional and imaginative everyday. I also know that this is only possible if you truly understand and believe what it is all about to WOW. I am proud to embrace this and to live it in every aspect of my work and in even my personal life in the way I treat my friends and loved ones. Allen Rafieha, Regional Maintenance Manager, Venterra Realty

 POWER OF NICE

Nikki James, Reflections on Sweetwater, Lawrenceville, GA It Never Rains in Southern California

Cherry Tijerina, Kristi Roberts, College View, La Porte, TX Clothes and Clothes We have a married couple here that has been having a hard time from being laid off to living paycheck to paycheck. The resident was just in the office telling us how it seems like it’s something new and both her sons are in this growth spur and she was going to have to get a second job to just be able to buy them clothes that fit. Well, Cherry and I took off to Wal-Mart and bought them clothes plus a little bigger sizes so they could grow more into them! You will be able to see her reactions in the pictures. Also, the boys come in each day and show us their outfit for the day!

Our resident, Shovon, moved here from San Diego, California. She is having all of her furniture as well as her vehicles shipped to Reflections. She packed the necessities until her things arrived; however, she didn’t expect the huge amount of rain we’ve experienced. As you know, it typically doesn’t rain there, so packing an umbrella wasn’t a top priority. She came into the office to use the internet café. She was drenched from the rain. I went in to say hello and I had Jonathan pop in with the umbrella we purchased for not just her but her daughter as well. She was so moved and speechless that we took the time to think of them both. Shovon stated “I’ve moved into a lot of apartment communities; however, I’ve never felt genuinely cared for like I was part of a family as I have here!”

I enjoy being part of a group of caring people. Rogelio Hinojosa, Assistant Maintenance, The Enclave at 1550

WOW Matters, 5th Anniversary Special Edition

Breeana Tovar, Leasing Consultant, San Antonio, TX

Sheri Judy, Palm Club, Brunswick, GA Wedding Bells WOW Part 2, A Sad Follow Up We recently posted a WOW story about a couple preparing for out-of-town guests coming for their daughter’s wedding. We lent a hand and touched up paint and helped the family spruce up their apartment so it looked its very best. Unfortunately, four days after their daughter’s wedding, the mother of the bride, our wonderful resident, Wyleen, passed away from a heart attack. Her husband, Jack, and his newly married daughter, came to the office to share the terrible news. Wyleen was loved by the entire staff of Palm Club and a particularly favorite of our Manager, Sheri. We found out the service for Wyleen was the very next day, giving us little time to do something special for her. Sheri started calling florists in the area and found one that would do a large display at the last minute. The florist at the Flower Basket said he would stay late since it meant so much to Sheri to have the flowers arrive before the service the next morning at 10:00. Jack dropped by the office a few days later and gave Sheri a big hug and shared some more tears. He and his family were truly touched by the gesture. Jack said the display was big and beautiful and Wyleen would have LOVED it! The card read: “With deepest sympathy, your Palm Club family, Sheri, Tom, Ryan and Jodi.”

Breeana received a very angry phone call from an upset resident whose a/c had stopped working. The resident was frustrated because this was the third time she had called about it. Breeana explained that the guys were very busy with several a/c calls, but assured the resident that they would get to her soon. She was still not satisfied with this answer. Breeana told the resident that she was heading out to lunch and asked the resident if she would like for her to pick some food up and bring it back to her. The resident immediately changed her tone; paused and told Breeana that that was the nicest thing anyone had ever offered her. She told her not to worry about it. She then told Breeana that she understood the guys were busy and that she could wait for them to come after all. Sometimes all you have to do is listen and the rest will come naturally. LeAnn Cordes, Salado Springs, San Antonio It’s a Wash We had a resident come in extremely upset and disappointed because someone had stolen her laundry out of the washing machine in the clothes care center. She has lived here for years and that has never happened before. She wasn’t mad or upset at us but just making us aware of

The power of nice to me means keeping a smile on your face when you wake up on the wrong side of the bed and are having a bad day. Coming to work and leaving your problems at the door and put a smile on your face because you love your job and feel so at home when you walk through the door. Shannon Stokes, Leasing Consultant, Raintree

WOW Matters, 5th Anniversary Special Edition

Candi Smith, Jacqui Sullivan, Westminster at Buckhead, Atlanta, GA Just Married

what happened and to just verify no one brought in any of her sheets and towels to us. Just to help her try to replace a few things that were taken, we went out and purchased her a gift card to Bed, Bath and Beyond. Rawlins Wiggins, Amber Place, Warner Robins, GA Keeping Residents Connected Rick, one of our make-ready’s, who lives on property was taking his trash out. On his trip to the compactor, he noticed one of our residents looking in to a storm drain. Even though he was off work and not on-call, he decided to see what the issue was. Upon asking, the resident explained that she had dropped her phone down the storm drain. That was all Rick needed to know. He went to the shop, grabbed a pry-bar and a shovel, and went into action. Rick removed the drain cover and climbed down the drain. To the resident’s surprise, Rick crawled back out of the drain with a working phone. Luckily, the phone landed out of the water and did not break on the fall.

Lauren and Anthony Spears were recently wed. Everyone knows them because they have the cutest puppy around. The team started using the Secret Service System to find out more about them and their recent wedding. Candi found out that they were registered at Bed, Bath and Beyond. Jacqui went to get enough on their registry to furnish the entire bathroom. They were so excited and was left wondering “How’d they do that?” Good work getting Customer Intel! Adriana Galicia, Sandstone, Pasadena, TX Goodbyes are Sad A resident’s father passed away recently and she had to break her lease to move in with her mom and take care of her. Our resident did not want to move but she really had no other choice. She was all her mom had left, so she made arrangements to pay off the balance and moved out. I wanted to show her that even though she was no longer a resident, we still cared about what she was going

The simplest and easiest process that has the absolute most profound result to the bottom line is simply.....being nice. The Power of Nice significantly outweighs almost all other systems in that it is the most genuine and targeted marketing source we possess. It costs nothing per lease yet is worth thousands per lease. The value of being nice has no price tag but is worth millions. It’s tangible in it’s outcome... revenue growth, but the intangible which is attributed to the money is the confidence and respect found in our customers. Tried and true. Being nice is simply the most powerful tool we can utilize to improved performance and satisfied customers and employees. Venterra employees are known for their warm greetings and courteous service. That is what makes us special and will contribute to the success of this company. If I’m a customer I want to be around friendly people. I know that is what our customers want as well and it is so simple to deliver upon. I love being NICE. The Power of Being NICE!!

Teri Davis, Regional Manager, Venterra Realty

WOW Matters, 5th Anniversary Special Edition

through and would be there for her if she needed it. So I went online and sent her a bouquet of flowers with a sympathy message. I hope to leave a lasting impression so that when she does need to move on her own again, she will look for a Venterra Property.

RESIDENT TESTIMONIALS Charles Williams, Amber Place Resident since June 2010 I’ve lived at Amber Place Apartments for a number of years and now that Venterra has given the tenants of Amber Place a means to express their comments, I would like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation of the staff here at Amber Place. In particular, I like to say a special thank you to Joyce, who has always provided superb help. She has always made sure that I and other tenants are taken care of. If it were not for her leadership, professionalism, and customer service know how, I would not be here today. The apartments are wonderful and I love my apartment, but customer service is everything and she has it down. Joyce, thank you with appreciation. Evan Finch, Waterford at Mandarin Resident since October 2013 The apartments are VERY spacious and the complexes resident activities are well kept and very pleasant. The employees are very kind, patient and are willing to help accommodate your needs with fine social grace.

Our teams are chock full of “people-people” striving to do what it takes to put smiles on the faces of others! Whether it’s residents, future-residents, or co-workers we know the impact that having a positive attitude can make on the lives of those around us. This is a huge reason for our success. Even on the busiest days it’s important to step back, take a deep breath, and remember to smile! Venterra veterans know that accomplishments come so much easier when everyone is able stay positive, friendly, and easy-going. And who wouldn’t want to see that in the faces of those of looking after their home?” Eastin Isaac, Regional Leasing Manager, Venterra Realty

WOW Matters, 5th Anniversary Special Edition

Victoria Remigio, Bradford Pointe, Resident since August 2011

Mary Hall, Cedar Springs Resident since November 2009

Angelica has the ‘I will help you’ attitude! She is always smiling; this is helpful because it makes us feel comfortable enough to ask questions, be well informed and really enjoy picking out an apartment. We went to Bradford Pointe a couple of times previously to see if anything new was available for our timeframe, but unfortunately we felt uncomfortable and rushed, as if our decision was not important. I don’t even remember the lady’s name. I just remember how it made me feel – that I didn’t want to be there any longer. When we visited Bradford for the last time to make a final decision on the apartments, we spoke with Angelica. She took the time to look at the apartments available – something we hadn’t done before. We had been truly taken care of by Angelica and we knew we wanted to live at Bradford Pointe that day.

I thought about how to thank you for the extreme kindness you showed me and Trouble yesterday. Words cannot express how I feel and tears are in my eyes for what you did for Trouble. You guys are all so special to me and you are so dedicated to the details and what is going on here it is just beyond dedication...you truly care! Tracy, Kellie, Teague and Miguel, I love you guys so much I HAVE TO SIGN UP AGAIN FOR ANOTHER YEAR WITH YOU! I know your commitment and dedication to the residents goes beyond any job title you may have. Trouble is eating the treats like crazy and slept with her bear last night. You are family to me and my baby and I will always have you in my heart. THANK YOU SO VERY, VERY MUCH! Valecia Battle, Salado Springs Resident since May 2012

Marvin Tullis, Amber Place Resident since May 2013 Assistant Manager Joyce is underpaid because she is priceless. She follows up with you, she explains company policy & procedures as many times as needed with a huge smile. I have a brain injury and sometimes I need statements repeated more than once. She goes out of her way to please us no matter what our demeanor is at the time. Awesome person. Awesome manager.

Vanessa is amazing! She was amazing when I signed my lease and she is still amazing! I’ve never been so consistently satisfied with anyone’s customer service. She seems like more of a friendly neighbor than a part office staff. Molly Machemehl, Shadowbrooke Resident since July 2012 Thanks for your kindness and prompt attention to requests. I enjoy your visits and smiles at the office at various times. Thanks.

You know sometimes just being nice can really make a huge difference. I have had people lease from me just because I was nice. They have proceeded to say, “Everywhere I went, the people weren’t as nice as you and that is why I came back.” Talk about a huge compliment! All because I was genuine, friendly and cared about their needs. Sally Flores, Property Manager, French Place

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Debbie Tietjen, St. Andrews Resident since September 2011 Would like to give a hero award to Carlos for going above and beyond providing excellent customer service. Carlos came upon us struggling to get our very bulky and large TV in our car. He immediately helped with such a kind, caring attitude. I was concerned that we were slowing him down. He impressed me when he said he was taking care of his residents. Thanks so much, Carlos. You made us feel so good about living here.

impressive. Most staff would leave the debris and call maintenance. Whether a staff member has time to talk or not, they make time to converse, even if it is just five minutes. This behavior says much about the type of staff Carrington employs. I would like to thank you for the updates. Even though I can log on to the web, your emails keep me posted on upcoming events and general information concerning the property. I would like to extend a personal thank you to the following staff members: Ms. Cindy, Ms. De Audra, Ms. Sara, and Mr. Jose. Thank you for all you have done and continue to do. Tracy Carlson, Estancia at Morningstar, Resident since July 2005 Eastin went above and beyond last Saturday. My son was going to his first prom and we had planned on taking pictures in the clubhouse, thinking it closed at 6â&#x20AC;Ś not 5. Eastin stayed there with us, took pictures and even tied my sonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tie. I know what itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like to just want to go home after a work day but he happily stayed and was a huge help to us. Thank you, Eastin!

Vanessa Cormier, Carrington at Park Lakes Resident since December 2012 Since I became a resident at Carrington at Park Lakes, I have been treated like part of the family. The office staff is always bright and cheery. They also enjoy their jobs. When you enter the office, you see smiles, hear laughter; and the residents as well as the prospective residents are made to feel at home. When you see the office staff making rounds about the grounds, you see the pride they have in working here. I have seen the staff policing the grounds when maintenance was unavailable (regardless of the time of day). This is

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Kyle Wendel, Huntcliff Resident since November 2012

Joyce E. McCollough, The Enclave at 1550 Resident since March 2013

The management and all the girls that work in the office are great. They always greet you with a smile when you walk in and are willing to help with whatever you need. The property is always in great condition and is in a good area.

Mari was so pleasant and helpful when I came to sign the lease and get the movers in and out. She is always friendly and so efficient when I call to ask a question or request maintenance on whatever. She always had the answers or found the answer and called me right back. She is a definite asset in the Office. I met Julie once and she was pleasant and very helpful, too. I talked once with Anna and she too was very helpful.

Adnan Jiwani, Shadowbrooke Resident since March 2013 Love the property and management’s prompt response on maintenance requests. All the customer service agents have a smile all the time. Also like the social events planned for residents. Sonya Pratt, Shadowbrooke Resident September 2012 I would recommend Shadowbrooke because of the nice and friendly staff, the awesome maintenance crew and the nice ground. Cynthia Park, Sandstone Resident since May 2013 I would like to thank the office staff for their courteousness throughout my move-in process. I mainly dealt with Iesha, Valerie and Monica - all three women were of great help.

Marcus Franklin, Timber Mill Resident since November 2011 I would like to recommend and compliment Frank for his cheerful, positive attitude and his excellent skills in apartment maintenance. His customer service skills are commendable. Kristy Summers, Waters Edge Resident since June 2013 Nancy has been so fantastic! I’ve had a lot of questions since my move is so quick and she has been so great. I look forward to living here!

One of the many reasons I’ve enjoyed being a part of the Venterra team over the last 5 years is working with people that are committed to caring for our customers and each other. They are the inspiration behind our recruiting tagline “Make a Career Out of Making a Difference” because they are doing just that and truly making a difference one WOW at a time. Bridget Sherrod, Director of Recruiting & Employee Development, Venterra Realty

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Lawren Samaha, West End Lodge Resident since July 2011 I just wanted to say Thank You for the breakfast this morning. It wasn’t just the free food, it was the wonderful smiles to see first thing in the morning! I work as a teacher by day and as a marketing person by night, so I am constantly doing for others....It is nice to get something done for me. Thank you!

It’s been amazing to see WOW grow from an idea and “contest” to a full blown Venterra philosophy. This initiative has largely changed the way I manage my property and my definition of absolute success. Prior to WOW, while I always strived to provide a positive customer experience, I mainly focused on the immediate financial impact decisions would have. Now, I can honestly say that I approach both aspects equally with a clear understanding of the many impacts that WOW’s have on my individual property and on Venterra as a whole. Lauren Moseley, Senior Property Manager, Tuscany at Lindbergh

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Continously

thank

5th Anniversary

our customers for choosing VENTERRA

 SAY THANKS Jonathan Moreno, Salado Springs, San Antonio, TX Pay It Forward few weeks ago, we had a resident come in the A office to let us know she noticed that we had a new move-in who was a single mom. She was trying to move all of her stuff in by herself. As the resident realized what was going on, she noticed some more residents go help the mom move all of her belongings in. When the resident who had watched this all happen came in to tell Jonathan what had happened, he immediately knew who they were and wanted to do something for them. The guys who had helped come in to the office quite often and use the pool table and will also put the ping pong table top cover on to play that as well. So Jonathan found a small fold-up ping pong table for the guys who had helped to say thank you for their kindness. He wrapped it up, and when they came in to the office, they were so awestruck that someone would do something like that for them; they couldn’t stop saying thank you. It’s nice to know that they were willing to put their lives on hold for a couple of hours to help that single mom move in. We hope that their gift brightened their day like we know it brightened that new resident’s day when they helped.

DeAudra Nash, Cindy Combs, Miguel Pineda, Laurence Galliani, Jose Mascorieto, Carrington at Park Lakes, Humble, TX Our Game of Thrones Hero ere at Carrington at Park Lakes, we have a H resident, Vincent, who was one of our first Venterra residents. Since his move-in, he has donated $40 to our SGK fundraiser, our first apartment ratings post, has volunteered at our resident events, and so much more. We decided to say thank you by buying him the first season of Game of Thrones, his FAVORITE TV show. He thanked us and was surprised that we remembered that since he only mentioned it the first day he moved in.

Not only are there many reasons for us to say thanks to our residents, there are many ways that we can do it. WOW allows us the medium to show appreciation to the people in our communities that make our jobs relevant. Leigh Sublett, Online Marketing Manager, Venterra Realty

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Mayra De Hoyos, Nathan Swanson, Teresa Heeney, Betsy Flores, Beatrix Mueller, Karlos Flores, Signature Ridge, San Antonio, TX Kingsley Cares Nicholas, Dianne and Heather mentioned in their Kingsley comments that they love the idea of the cares team and all of our events, but because of their work and school schedules, they can never make it to our events. As we were going over our Kingsley comments and noticed this, the staff decided it would be great to give them a night out on us, and enjoy a “because we care event”. They were so excited with their gift card; Heather was blushing when we gave her the card. What a great feeling to know we touched her heart! Cindy McClain, Jacqueline Gerrie, Mollie Witt, Merrywood, Katy, TX Merrywood WOWs Fire Department Recently, four firefighters perished fighting a fire, two from the station close to Merrywood. In recognition and to thank them for sacrificing their lives daily, the Merrywood staff delivered breakfast to the station the morning after the tragedy.

Willow Springs Team, Pasadena, TX Karen, a leasing consultant at one of our comps, always refers prospects to Willow Springs Apartments. She calls us daily to see if we have a certain floor plan available. We decided to thank her for all the referrals by bringing her a bag of muffins. Karen was so thrilled that we had thought of her; she called us twice that day to thank us!

Being able to find those daily WOW’s is so fun! We always look for ways to show how much we really do care, from just simply taking a package to someone, pet sitting, or completely changing someone’s life! I 100% enjoy it, and look forward to the next moment! Crystal Sanchez, Property Manager, Riverstone

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Be willing to admit our mistakes

in the pursuit of doing what is right.

 STUFF HAPPENS

Kimberly Knearem, Erin Dobias, Villa Lago, Fort Worth, TX Towed

Chelsea Hubbard Preserve at Old Dowlen, Beaumont, TX Dishwashing Blues We have a resident that we thought had a great move-in, until she tried to run her dishwasher. It wouldn’t work! So we called maintenance out to take a look. As it turned out, we needed to order a part to fix it. Of course, the part would be special order and take extra time to come in. Chelsea went out and bought the resident some dishwashing gear, towels, dish soap, and a sponge. She also added a $50 gift card to the mix. This doesn’t make up for the inconvenience of the resident having to hand wash dishes for a week, but it certainly eased the pain!

We had a resident who just moved in, who placed his parking sticker we require here at Villa Lago to park on property in the upper corner of his windshield. Well, he has the strip of tint that runs across the top of his windshield. With that, his parking sticker was not very visible and his was car was towed. We explained to the tow company that he did have a sticker and got them to release the vehicle free of charge and also had the towing company bring his vehicle back to the property for him. To make up for the inconvenience the resident experienced, we bought him a car wash detail certificate. He loved it! He was very grateful for having the car brought back and was even more surprised we went the extra mile to get him something even more! Chelsea Hubbard, Kaci McCarver, Kristina Shaw, Bethany Bell, Preserve at Old Dowlen, Beaumont, TX The Ants Go Marching by One by One We have a couple (Cassie and Tyler) that had their wedding out of town. So when they arrived back from their honeymoon, they also arrived with all of their wedding gifts and the top two layers of their wedding cake. With so much to unpack and find a place for, they had boxes and bags all

Even when you fall on your face, you are moving forward. Brenda Grasha, Property Manager, Forest View & Timber Mill

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over the living room floor (Wedding Cake box included). As Cassie unpacked and dwindled down the massive number of boxes, she got to the wedding cake box, and picked it up to put on the kitchen counter. To her surprise, the inside of the box and the bottom layer of her wedding cake were covered with ants! They stopped by the office to put in a request for pest control and let us know about the ant problem. We immediately knew what we were going to do. We got then a $30 gift card to Rao’s Bakery so they could get the cake of their choice. We also put an end to the ants’ cake feast, so they could eat their new cake without their uninvited guests! Christopher Earle, Signature Ridge, San Antonio, TX Chris Calms a “Cat”astrophe hris was working in an apartment home, C replacing an A/C unit above the tub, and dropped his screw driver into the cat’s bowl. The water bowl, of course, broke. Chris made sure to leave a note about what happened and replaced the broken water bowl with a new water dish and a few skitter critters. Good thinking, Chris - this could have been a “cat”astrophe!

Michaela Shultz, Nikkita Bridgeman, William Doty, Chrystal Strong, Anne Marie Myrthil,

Waterford at Mandarin, Jacksonville, FL Breakfast Anyone? We had an electrical emergency come up and the power to building 4 had to be cut off for a little bit one morning. When the office opened, a resident called and was very upset. She was very angry that we had not contacted her ahead of time that the power would be off. She had just started cooking breakfast for her children when the power went off. She explained that she normally would not be so upset but her husband had just been deployed; and to try to provide some stability to their children, she had quit her job. Needless to say, money is tight for them. After hearing her frustrations I decided to dig a little deeper and find out what she was in the middle of cooking when the power went out. She explained that it was just eggs and some muffins she was making out of pancake mix, but she was only concerned about the eggs. We went and bought a bunch of eggs as well as a large box of pancake mix. Michaela typed up a very beautiful apology letter and delivered the food with the letter. The resident was so thankful that we acknowledged her inconvenience, no matter how trivial some people might have thought a dozen eggs would be, as well as her husband’s service and their family’s sacrifice.

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Rie Gresham, Amie Vaughn, The Park at Waterford Harbor, Kemah, TX Blown Away

Elizabeth Leschander, Champion Woods, Houston, TX Dinner Tonight

We are currently doing an exterior painting project that involves pressure washing. Yesterday, Madelyn (who is all of 5 years old) came in a bit sad. A small plant that she has started growing at the end of school was accidentally washed away. It was so sad. So as soon as she and her mother left the office, I told the girls I had to fix this and would be right back. I ran to Home Depot, got her the girliest pot I could find, and a gift card so she and mom could go and pick out their own flowers and plant them together. When I got back to the office, we made some flowers out of glow sticks and pipe cleans to fill the pot and ran it over to Madelyn and her mom. She was so excited and mom was truly touched that we were so thoughtful and acted so quickly to make this right for Ms. Madelyn.

We had planned for a couple weeks to have a resident BBQ at the pool. The event was scheduled to start at 7pm. We prepared all of the food that afternoon but as luck would have it began to rain and did not look like it would be letting up; so we sent out a text that dinner was postponed until the next evening. Just as I was closing up, I had a resident come by for dinner and he became disappointed when we told him we had to cancel. He said he did not pick up anything on his way home since he was counting on us. So I told him not to worry and I offered him pizza. I called and had his favorite pizza and soda delivered to his door. He was very happy, surprised and pleased that we took care of him after all. Sonya Machado, Sunray, San Antonio, TX A Load of Care When new resident Stephanie moved in to our town homes, she was not aware that we did not supply W/D for our apartments. The resident was somewhat disappointed that she had to rent or purchase her own. Although Sonya provided her with several companies she could rent from, it still didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t feel like she had done enough. So, that following week, Sonya came in with a Laundry basket full of fabric sheets, towels, detergents, and fabric softeners and delivered it to her door. The

Mistakes provide opportunities to open doors and create new relationships. Always make the best of your situation and you will end up with a happy customer and a friend for life. Joey Bruce, Director of Technical Services, Venterra Realty

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resident was elated and very appreciative that Sonya went over and beyond to make her move here a memorable one RESIDENT TESTIMONIALS Candace Stacy, Providence of Northlake Resident since July 2010 I had a wonderful move in experience here at Providence of Northlake. The apartment that was originally offered to me became unavailable because the tenant decided not to move out. I was frustrated at first because there was not another one bedroom in that size available in my time frame. Erika found a larger apartment for me, which has worked out wonderfully. I am so comfortable here and have plenty of room. Erika, James, and Lindsey all went out of their way to make me feel important and they addressed every need that came up. I have been a resident here now for 2 months and I love it! Christopher Jenkins, Falcon Square at Independence Resident since August 2013 I just wanted to say that the maintenance staff has been fantastic in helping us with some issues weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had in our new apartment. They were very courteous and sympathetic to our situation. The quality of work was stellar and very timely. We feel secure in our decision knowing we have the maintenance staff to help when needed. Thank you so much guys for everything you do and have done for us!

Jason Moehr, Falcon Square at Independence Resident since March 2013 We just wanted to say how pleased we were with the promptness of the staff. The morning after the storm, we had few weeks back they were out here right away to fix my shutter and screen. I did not expect them that soon but it was really nice to get it fixed right away. Also, thank you for the new stove. Luke Smith, Falcon Square Resident since March 2013 I wanted to commend Olga, the property Manager. She went above and beyond to make my move in amazing. There was a slight issue with my original apartment, but man did she do whatever it took to make me happy and put me in an amazing apartment. The staff at Falcon Square is amazing! Thank you everyone for all you do! Richard Walker, Amber Place Resident since January 2013 I enjoy it here at Amber Place Apartments. The staff takes good care of the property. They seem to genuinely care about the people and willing to

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take action as needed. I have had few problems since moving here 4 months ago. They try very hard to make it family-oriented, and meet their needs as appropriate. The area is quiet and noncongested- I just love it here.

without air conditioning. A big Thank You to our Maintenance staff! This is one reason I have called the Landings my home for over 16 years.

Diane Medcalf, Amber Place Resident since January 2013

It is essential that I provide you with some background information so that you are fully aware of my deepest gratitude to Mrs. Stacy Anthony, property manager at St. Andrews Apartments. Upon completion of the renovation, I inquired on several occasions (in person, email, phone calls, et cetera), regarding my options for upgrade to my apartment, for assessing the rental increase and benefits (or lack thereof), and for continuing my residency with St. Andrews. No one was able to provide me with a response, nor did they seem to have any interest in my concerns as a threeyear resident. Initially, I settled on moving, considering the treatment I was receiving. I no longer cared to reside there; however, in my last attempt, Mrs. Anthony showed compassion and concern for my issues. Her professional demeanor and conduct was exceptional. She was honest and assured me that she would look into my request but could not promise anything. Needless to say, she was able to come through and provide me with an acceptable answer within a remarkable time frame. A response was all I wanted, and no one was able to grant such a reasonable request, with the exception of Mrs. Anthony. Management is not easy, but customer service should be. Thank you again, Mrs. Anthony, for your professionalism.

Evelyn Mitchell, St. Andrews Resident since October 2011

I had a problem with the air conditioner thermostat. I reported the problem at 10:30 am and it was fixed by 12:30 pm. I was really impressed as this happened on a Sunday and the very kind maintenance guy apologized for the delay as he was in church when he got the call. Excellent customer service! Tayla Charite, Champions Green Resident since July 2013 When we moved in, everything was not as it should have been, but the staff made sure that everything was taken care of immediately. For the past 2 weeks, the staff has made sure that any concern I had was taken care of and then they called to make sure I was ok. I love my apartment. I love the property. I am very happy. Cheryl Lauritsen, The Landings of Brentwood, Resident since April 1997 When I got home from work today, I turned on my air conditioner and it was making an unusual sound. I called and left a message for maintenance. Matt K. immediately called me back, and within 15 minutes, he and Johnny B. were at my place to fix the problem. Apparently, the unit was frozen up. They turned the fan on to thaw the lines and said theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be back in a while to check on it. Matt returned and had to replace some parts in the outside unit and got my air back up and running even though it was going on 10 p.m. I feel he went above and beyond to make sure that I wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to spend a hot & humid night

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Cecilia Coldhan, Raintree Resident since May 2013

Sandra Vaughn, Westover Oaks Resident since November 2012

Overall, my boyfriend and I are very happy here. We have a few complaints/concerns, but I feel if I brought them to the team here, they would be taken seriously. Most importantly, though, we feel safe and at home here.

I would like to give special thanks to Vanessa for smoothing over my transfer to another Venterra property. Thanks, Vanessa, you are great!

Shelly Lawless, Villa Lago Resident since March 2013 On Saturday, 9/7/2013, we had a problem with the towing company, where they towed our son-in-law’s truck that my husband had drove and parked in handicap with a handicap placid. The tow company towed the truck. After writing a complaint and after Jeff talked to Kim, the manager, she took care of the solution with prompt and complete satisfaction. She cares about her residents and it showed with her quick actions. We want to thank her and the Villa Lago team for all they do.

I’m excited to be a part of such rapid, successful growth within our portfolio over the past 11 years! These WOW moments have separated Venterra from any other Management Company out there. These moments have brought a sense of togetherness and excitement within the Venterra Family, as well as with our Residents - that we didn’t have in earlier years. Yvonne Hondros, Acquisitions Coordinator, Venterra Realty

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40,000 women die of Breast Cancer each Year in the U.S.

We Race for Them.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

She began to wipe tears from her eyes and tell me of her own personal battle with breast cancer.

TaiRaeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Story One Friday we were wearing our SGK t-shirts. I was touring a sweet lady named Gladys and she commented on how much she loves our shirts. I proceeded to tell her what all Venterra does to support Susan G. Komen. As I was talking with her, I noticed her facial expression change in a good way. She began to wipe tears from her eyes and tell me of her own personal battle with breast cancer. She thanked me for all that we do to find a cure for this terrible disease. I in turn got teary eyed and high fived her (literally) and told her that I commended her for fighting the battle and facing it each day with no fear. It turned out to be a really great tour and made me appreciate even more what all we do for SGK.

Venterra raised over $20,000 through their participation in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in 2013.

“

Although I don’t have any immediate family that has ever had to battle with breast cancer, I have had the opportunity, because of Venterra, to hear multiple touching stories from our own employees. Hearing these stories throughout the year and specifically at Kick-off really empowers me as a person to give back. Even though I don’t have anyone close to my heart to support, knowing I can help and support my fellow co-workers and their loved ones or friends who are survivors , who are currently battling or lost the battle to breast cancer is very fulfilling! What’s better then paying it forward every chance you get! Who doesn’t want to support that? I know I do!

Why Jessica Walkup Supports

SUSAN G. KOMEN FOR THE CURE

In 2013, Venterra’s properties raised nearly $10,000 in fundraising efforts for Susan G. Komen.

FUNDRAISERS

“

I fundraise for SGK because of my Great Aunt who is a survivor of breast cancer. Although she has developed a couple of different types of cancer, she was in remission for several years after the breast cancer – basically most of my life. My hope is that one day all of the support and fundraising for SGK will pay off and that a cure will be found so that others’ great aunts, moms, grandmas…will not have to go through what my aunt has been through.

Why Jessica Walkup Supports

Since 2008, Venterra has raised more than

$140,000

for the Susan G. Komen Foundation

ď Ž INDEX

L Legacy at River Crossing: 42, 79

A Amber Place: 22, 34, 35, 46, 98, 99, 100, 114

Merrywood: 35, 55, 57, 72, 89, 107

B Bradford Pointe: 21, 39, 50, 51, 76, 88, 100

C Calais Park: 23, 56, 69 Carlyle Place: 71 Carrington at Park Lakes: 72, 73, 101, 106 Cedar Springs: 22, 23, 39, 100 Champions Green: 38, 49, 70, 114 Champions Woods: 40, 49 Chez Moi: 71 College View: 31, 50, 83, 96 Cypress Pointe: 18, 86, 87

E Estancia at Morningstar: 21, 30, 33, 40, 41, 64, 72, 73, 89, 90, 91, 101

F Falcon Square at Independence: 27, 54, 69, 70, 86, 113, 114 Forest View: 65, 110 Foxborough: 41, 64, 90 French Place: 25, 35, 48, 57, 100

H Huntcliff: 39, 59, 72, 82, 83, 86, 102, 119

Palm Club: 38, 61, 79, 90, 97 Park Manor: 18, 19, 82 Providence of Northlake: 50, 113

R Raintree: 33, 39, 73, 75, 84, 91, 97, 115 Reflections on Sweetwater: 22, 39, 96 Regency Park: 26, 41, 74, 89 Riverstone: 24, 41, 54, 68, 71, 73, 74, 107

S Salado Springs: 26, 33, 35, 41, 42, 46, 48, 57, 62, 63, 75, 97, 100, 106, 123 Sandstone: 31, 43, 51, 59, 76, 92, 98, 102 Shadowbrooke: 42, 56, 91, 101, 102 Signature Ridge: 32, 35, 42, 47, 65, 75, 76, 91, 107, 111 Silverbrooke: 25, 85, 92 St. Andrews: 26, 70, 101, 114, 115 SunRay: 19, 43, 58, 60, 69, 113

T The Enclave at 1550: 76, 96, 102 The Hamptons at Woodland Pointe: 23, 24, 35, 39 The Landings of Brentwood: 24, 26, 39, 50, 59, 64, 75, 78, 114 The Park at Waterford Harbor: 25, 35, 40, 72, 91, 112 The Pointe: 31, 65 The Preserve at Old Dowlen: 20, 54, 65, 71, 110

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Index

T (continued) The Ravinia: 24, 25, 34, 42, 61, 71, 85, 87 The Villas of Bristol Heights: 33, 59, 60, 62 The Waterford at Mandarin: 34, 49, 70, 99, 111 Timber Mill: 25, 65, 77, 92, 103, 110 Tuscany at Lindbergh: 19, 20, 56, 64, 84, 103

V Villa Lago: 63, 77, 110, 115, 122 Village Walk: 31, 47, 70

W Waters Edge: 25, 32, 77, 103 West End Lodge: 43, 51, 65, 78, 79, 88, 92, 103 Westminster at Buckhead: 50, 58, 60, 82, 90, 98 Westover Oaks: 55, 61, 68, 78, 115 Willow Springs: 43, 65, 107 Wilshire Place: 22, 30, 43, 62, 77, 78, 92

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