With 17,000 units in 51 multifamily communities across eight states, in addition to more than 7 million square feet of commercial space, Olen Properties is undeniably a very successful and large real estate development and management company. But it started with just one property in 1974. Throughout Olen’s tremendous growth, its emphasis on family has grown too and has become a focal point for the company and its success.

Natalia Ostensen, Olen’s executive vice president, explains: “For starters, we call our employees, tenants, and residents ‘the Olen family.’ That's not just a name but a real ethos in how we look at our team and customers.”

Few people know about that family focus better than Ostensen, who has worked for the company for almost 19 years. Her father, Igor Olenicoff, founded the company and made it a family business from the start. “I unofficially started at the company when I was 8 years old, cleaning the company refrigerator on the weekends,” Ostensen says. She officially started with the company as a leasing consultant at one of its multifamily communities during college and worked her way up to her current position overseeing the company’s operations nationwide.

Ostensen’s brother also worked for the company, and her husband works there now. And even the next generation of the family might someday get involved. “My 7-year-old daughter loves to build, and I'm excited for her to develop her skills more and hopefully follow a career path into real estate development,” she says.

With her family’s support, Ostensen broke into an industry that’s traditionally male-dominated, though she says that aspect is improving. “More and more women are getting into the field, and I love the diversity of people in the industry that is being developed more and more each year. Overall, most people have been very supportive of that transition,” she says. “That's not to say I haven't had to make sure that my construction knowledge was super sharp to earn the respect of jobsite superintendents and subcontractors, but I appreciate a challenge. If you do the work to understand the details of building, you will thrive in this industry and have fun doing it.”

Olen’s family focus directly extends to its properties and residents. “We see our properties and communities as family members, in a sense. They need to be cared for and maintained for the long term because there is no end of the relationship in sight. This allows us to invest what is needed to ensure the properties are running well and our residents are happy,” Ostensen says.

And that focus further extends to the companies Olen chooses to partner with. “Our great relationship with Cox Communities allows us to provide a comprehensive suite of excellent products and services to Olen’s residents, including blazing-fast internet connectivity, Wi-Fi hotspots across our numerous amenity areas, superior high-definition television programming, and more,” Ostensen says.

That includes Cox’s Pre-Installed Internet service, which pre-installs internet equipment in multifamily properties, solving for one of top needs residents have on day 1 when they move in. For Olen’s residents with families, that means the kids can do their schoolwork, the parents can work from home, and the whole family can be entertained and relax with reliable, fast internet—all with one less thing for them to worry about on move-in day and beyond. For Olen Properties, that’s a major way to show residents they’re cared for and are an important part of their family.

Learn more about Cox Communities’ services for multifamily properties.