Veena Jetti on Scaling in Multifamily Real Estate and Achieving Work-Life Balance

Veena Jetti, founding partner at Vive Funds, has completed over $1 billion in real estate transactions. She has established herself as a leader in the multifamily investment space. She is an expert in acquisition, asset management, and business development. In this interview, she shares her journey, strategies for success, and thoughts on the current market.

From Single-Family Homes to Scaling with Multifamily

Veena didn’t set out to become a major multifamily investor. Early in her career, she focused on single-family homes and condos, inspired by HGTV flipping shows. However, she quickly realized that fix-and-flip investing was far from passive income. The constant renovations, effort, and relatively small returns made her rethink her strategy. In her own words, “Fix-and-flip is anything but passive income.”

Her breakthrough came when she questioned scalability. During her busiest week in single-family investing, she put five houses under contract after knocking on 250 doors. But what if she wanted to reach 5,000 or 100,000 potential deals? Knocking on 100,000 doors was far from being realistic. This realization led her to multifamily investing, where one deal after 200 doors resulted in acquiring a $15.9 million property. Three and a half years later, that same property sold for $24 million.

The Current Multifamily Market Landscape

Veena believes we are heading toward a recession, an uncomfortable but necessary discussion for investors. Several factors indicate instability:

• High interest rates and inflation
• Political uncertainty affecting investor confidence
• Large-scale multifamily loans expiring ($80 billion in loans expired last year)

These dynamics create volatility in the market, requiring investors to be more strategic in their approach.

How to Choose the Right Multifamily Deals in Today’s Market

Veena emphasizes the importance of selecting fixed-rate debt instead of adjustable loans. She shares an example where her firm recently closed a deal with a 2.59% interest rate—an advantageous position in a high-rate environment. Investors must be careful about deal structure and financing terms to navigate this uncertain market successfully.

Top Markets for Multifamily Investment

Vive Funds invests in:

• Texas
• Georgia
• North Carolina
• Arizona
• South Carolina
• Florida

The firm targets states with diverse job markets and landlord-friendly laws. Different states have different investor profiles—New York has strict rent controls, while California appeals to appreciation investors. Vive Funds focuses on cash flow and stability over high-risk opportunities.

Veena advises studying a market for 1-2 years before committing to an investment.

Building Relationships: The Key to Success

For Veena, real estate is all about relationships. Strong connections are crucial, and it doesn’t matter whether you’re raising capital or working with brokers. Her firm primarily sources deals through broker relationships, which again emphasizes the importance of networking.

What High-Net-Worth Investors Look For

High-net-worth investors are seeing hundreds and hundreds of deals. Your investment opportunity must be outstanding to receive any attention.

• Present attractive and well-structured opportunities
• Have clear communication and expectations
• Build relationships before asking for investments

Veena also notes that institutional investors and ultra-high-net-worth individuals are more selective due to the volume of opportunities they receive. Retail investors, who are often overlooked, can be a valuable source of capital.

Work-Life Balance and Mindset Shifts

Veena is intentional about how she spends time with her children. From 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM, she avoids meetings, focusing solely on her family. She also integrates them into her professional life—for example, bringing them along when speaking at an Orlando event so they can visit Disney.

Her immigrant background shaped her financial mindset. Growing up, dinner table discussions revolved around money, savings, and investments. This foundation instilled a strong work ethic that contributed to her success.

She also credits her mindset coach, Rosie Noel, for helping her operate at her best—whether in business, parenting, or personal well-being.

The Reality of Success: Burnout and Community

Veena emphasizes that no one has it all figured out. After experiencing real burnout, she realized the importance of reprioritization and aligning tasks with personal values.

She also learned the power of community. In one instance, members of her Multi-Mastermind community collaborated to acquire an 86-unit property but faced a financing gap of $500,000. On a group call, Venna guided them through eight different funding strategies. Within 48 hours, they secured the funds—a stark contrast to her early days, when she struggled alone to raise $1.2 million.

Veena’s Best Advice for Success

• "The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now." It’s never too late to start investing or pursuing opportunities.

• "Frontend load your sacrifices." Sacrificing luxury when you’re younger can pay off exponentially in the future.

What’s Next?

Veena is passionate about bringing more women into leadership roles. She is launching a community-based initiative with Rosie Noel and Stormy Wellington to support women making an impact.

At Vive Funds, she remains committed to value-add and core-plus multifamily deals. These strategies focus on acquiring undervalued properties with strong cash flow and long-term potential.

Final Thoughts

Veena Jetty's journey highlights the power of scaling, strategic relationships, and personal growth. She remains active on Instagram, personally responding to DMs and open to working with accredited investors looking to achieve financial freedom through multifamily real estate.

Additional Market Insight

According to CRED iQ, multifamily distress is rising. For example, a $94.1 million loan backing a 982-unit property in Tampa fell 30 days delinquent in February. This underscores Venna’s point: in today’s market, investors must be vigilant about loan terms, market conditions, and exit strategies.