IMPACT

Partnering against loneliness, delivering dynamic service

By

Venn

– VOL. I

Fabrizio Uberti Bona is not in the habit of getting sentimental about properties. As a landlord and a top broker at the Corcoran Group, he simply doesn’t have time for that kind of entanglement.

But for the 20-year veteran of New York City’s always exciting and often unpredictable real estate market, his townhouse in Bushwick was something different. Not only did he get married and start a family in the home, but he had absolutely fallen in love with the north Brooklyn neighborhood of some 85,000 residents.

He considered the idea of renting it “bittersweet.” As for the prospect of running over and being flooded with memories every time his tenants had a little problem? Well, that would simply be too much.

That’s where Venn comes in.

Image of venn's neighborhood platform bushwick

Venn partners with local real estate developers, property owners, and landlords to help people feel more at home in their homes and neighborhoods.

“A lot of landlords like to be hands-on,” says Bona, who first partnered with the company two years ago. “I like the opposite. With Venn, it’s set it and forget it, and I like that. I don’t want to get a phone call in the middle of the night saying the water was cold. Venn has people on staff who are really good at handling anything that comes up.”

Adds Bona, “I’ve been very happy with them. I like to get my check at the end of the month and that is the end of it. So, it’s a very good deal for me.”

While Bona hasn’t met his tenants (“If I’m going to pay for service, I’m going to let them service,” he says), he appreciates that Venn provides them with much more than simply a place to send their rent every month and a number to call if the water heater is acting up.

“‘Venn is doing very well because there is a big demand for fully-furnished apartments, less expensive rentals, and also— most importantly— some sort of a network.’”

Bona explains. “They are able to market that network and it becomes a real resource to the renter.”

It’s this combination— along with a responsive staff that allows Bona to keep his distance— that has allowed Venn to move forward during a period when so many real estate service companies have been doing the opposite.

“I have been really impressed that they have been able to expand during COVID,” says Bona.

On a late summer evening, Neighbors gather outside of General Irving, the cafe and event space Venn owns and operates in Bushwick.

At the heart of it all is the vibrant neighborhood that Bona first fell head over heels for some seven years ago.

“Bushwick is the best kept secret in the city, brother” says Bona.

While Bona mentions the network as a bonus, it’s at the very heart of Venn’s mission— to help people feel like they belong in their homes and neighborhoods. By helping to connect Neighbors, they not only have people to explore the neighborhood with, but also a way to come together to contribute to the community.