America is big, but when big cities are in your blood, there’s only a handful of places that will satisfy. New York native, Terrence Vogenberger, has lived the city life, and as an experienced property management professional, he knows how to provide top-tier service at ultra-luxury high-rise buildings.
Like most others in his position, Terrence had to earn the job the hard way. At the suggestion of a high school friend, he joined a family-run firm that owned and managed a 150-building portfolio with 5,000 units in downtown Manhattan. For six years he dedicated himself to learning the business and fine-tuning his skills.
From there, Terrence was ready to advance his career, so he made an international move without ever leaving New York. New York is the home of the United Nations, so foreign governments often maintain properties within the city. Terrence took advantage of the built-in international presence; he accepted a position with the Canadian General Consulate and Permanent Mission to the United Nations, managing residential and commercial properties for diplomats stationed in New York City.
Eventually, he again grew hungry for the next step and sought out a position that would set him up to manage high-rise buildings. He already had extensive experience with individual luxury units, so taking on a whole building was a natural progression for his career.
After accepting a position with a large property management firm in New York, he was assigned to a small team of people who opened a 33-story modular building in Brooklyn. The particular challenge here was that half of the units were luxury apartments, while the other half were reserved for affordable housing. Eventually, that building was sold and Terrence was transferred to the ultra-luxurious New York by Gehry also known as 8 Spruce Street, where the average rent was $5,500 for a mere 600 square feet of space. While at this building he was an on-site property manager, with a general manager position only one step away.
Then came Covid. Similar to many stories around the world, significant changes altered the trajectory of Terrence’s life. It was during this disruption that he got a call from one of Action Property Management’s recruiters in California. There was a general manager opening at One Rincon Hill in San Francisco, and Terrence was asked to consider it.
After conferring together, Terrence and his wife decided the only city that could ever lure them away from their home in New York was San Francisco. With cities on both coasts all but shut down, Terrence took the next step and applied with Action.
Terrence Vogenberger
”Terrence quickly found that Action was a place he could call home.
The interview process was slow, extending nearly three months, but it was time well spent. When the offer finally came in the summer of 2020, Terrence packed a few suitcases and moved across the county to a city he had never before seen. His wife, a classically trained musician, stayed behind to wrap up their affairs.
Her job with the New York Philharmonic had been slow. For two years no performances were scheduled, so she saw that moving out west might be just the change of pace she needed anyway.
When Terrence arrived in San Francisco, the city was desolate with the Delta variant sending everyone back into isolation. Nevertheless, he found a small furnished apartment that he could live in for the short term. Using this time to explore the city, Terrence eventually decided to settle permanently in the North Beach area. He found an apartment there, and within a month his wife was able to join him in California.
As he settled into his new city and new job, Terrence quickly found that Action was a place he could call home. Though it was a privately owned company, he was pleased to learn that it was strong enough to compete with larger firms, but small enough that the CEO knew his name.
Action’s willingness to embrace innovation and creativity also impressed him. Back in New York, everyone used the same basic software for performing all of their property management tasks. Action’s Snap HOA platform took the software to a new level and made something that was good even better.
Now that Terrence and his wife are settled in the Bay Area, they enjoy all that it has to offer. The lack of snow and freezing temperatures often serve as a catalyst for enjoying nature or venturing out to Wine Country. The restaurant selections in the city cater to every genre of dining, but Terrence often finds enjoyment in doing the cooking himself. As a self-taught chef, he combines his love of international travel with homemade culinary offerings inspired by French bistros and other European dishes.
The similarities between San Francisco and New York are as numerous as their differences. Both are big cities full of busy people, but each has a unique flavor. Regardless of which coast anyone prefers, both sides are tied together by the vast array of Americans who live between them and call this country home — from sea to shining sea.
