What's your favorite Property Management software?

General Landlording & Rental Properties
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What's your favorite Property Management software?

Johnny Youssef
Real Estate Broker · Kansas City, MO · Member since 2015 · 21 posts · 7 votes

Hey fellow landlords!

What's your favorite software for managing properties? Have you tried different ones and have opinions? or may be you only used one but you're happy with it? I have 35 rentals (mostly single family and couple of duplexes) and Google Spreadsheets are not enough anymore and I need help! I want something that is simple (easy to learn and clean....doesn't require so much juggling or complicated) that can help me receive payments, send emails out, handle maintenance requests, break down income, expenses, etc...for each unit, etc. etc.

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Bob CollettPro Member
Property Manager · Brecksville, OH · Member since 2014 · 486 posts · 464 votes
9y

@Johnny Youssef I tried a few different software platforms, and then settled on Buildium. Its affordable, intuitive and easy to use. At your size it will cost you about $35 to $40 per month. Their customer support is outstanding... both knowledgeable and accessible. I have used Buildium for about a year. It includes some nice features like an integrated Epay system, so that when tenants pay online, their ledgers are automatically updated. Another nice feature allows you to send out a US Mail letter no matter where in the world you are.  The reports package contains all the needed reports. You can list your properties on Buildium, and then they will syndicate to plenty of online websites to get your leads coming in.

I use Buildium, in conjunction with Top Producer CRM to track all my leads, which also makes it easy to do an email blast to everyone who has ever inquired about that property on Main Street. 

Good luck. 

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  • Michael Ruhl
    Property Manager · Middletown, OH · Member since 2017 · 10 posts · 5 votes
    9y

    This seems to be a good one. https://www.appfolio.com/ try that out and post what you think.

    3Reply
  • Johnny Youssef
    OP
    Real Estate Broker · Kansas City, MO · Member since 2015 · 21 posts · 7 votes
    9y

    Thank you @Michael Ruhl. Have you actually used it or was it at least recommended to you? 

    0Reply
  • Michael Ruhl
    Property Manager · Middletown, OH · Member since 2017 · 10 posts · 5 votes
    9y

    Yes Johnny I have used it. Its really nice because you can do everything via the web interface. Including having your maintenance requests sent directly to whom ever you use whether it's in house or contracted out third party.

    1Reply
  • Account Closed
    Investor · Charlotte, NC · Member since 2016 · 374 posts · 189 votes
    9y

    Microsoft Excel and Word.

    0Reply
  • Kim Meredith HamptonBusiness Member
    Real Estate Broker · St Petersburg · Member since 2014 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    9y

    @Johnny Youssef I have used AppFolio since 2009, and love it!!! They add new features every month, although someone with a smaller portfolio may want to look at Buildium or RentManager, as Appfolio charges a flat amount if you have under 100 units. 

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    2Reply
  • Kari Miller
    Vendor · Cincinnati, OH · Member since 2016 · 53 posts · 12 votes
    9y

    Thanks for the Rent Manager shout out Kim!

    Johnny, it depends on what features you would like to utilize. You've started a good list of your must have features; ease of use, email communication, maintenance tracking, etc.. Take that list and check out a few review sites. Contrary to popular belief, we can only control our basic "About the Company" information, not the reviews. Once you've looked over a few, contact the company and ask for a live demo of the software. You can ask questions directly to the sales representative and have them show you specific features or tasks right then to help with your decision. 

    *Full disclosure, I am a Rent Manager employee*

    1Reply
  • James W.
    Investor · Houston, TX · Member since 2016 · 47 posts · 24 votes
    9y

    For those of you recommending Appfolio, I will say as a customer of a former property manager, I hated it--or at least how they were set up on Appfolio. I couldn't download anything to Excel, just got a bunch of PDFs, and had regular login issues. Is that consistent with the Appfolio experience for your customers, or was it just a crappy implementation?

    1Reply
  • Patrick Regan
    Real Estate Agent · Miami, FL · Member since 2017 · 8 posts · 5 votes
    9y

    Johnny I am in a similar situation albeit with fewer units. Excel spreadsheets are getting tedious and mailing rent checks that have been mailed to me seems counterproductive. I heard about Rentec Direct on a BP podcast and right now it is my #1 choice. For under 10 units it is $35/month and the cost goes up incrementally.

    2Reply
  • Bob CollettPro Member
    Property Manager · Brecksville, OH · Member since 2014 · 486 posts · 464 votes
    9y

    @Johnny Youssef I tried a few different software platforms, and then settled on Buildium. Its affordable, intuitive and easy to use. At your size it will cost you about $35 to $40 per month. Their customer support is outstanding... both knowledgeable and accessible. I have used Buildium for about a year. It includes some nice features like an integrated Epay system, so that when tenants pay online, their ledgers are automatically updated. Another nice feature allows you to send out a US Mail letter no matter where in the world you are.  The reports package contains all the needed reports. You can list your properties on Buildium, and then they will syndicate to plenty of online websites to get your leads coming in.

    I use Buildium, in conjunction with Top Producer CRM to track all my leads, which also makes it easy to do an email blast to everyone who has ever inquired about that property on Main Street. 

    Good luck. 

    3Reply
  • Jon B.
    Investor · Springfield, IL · Member since 2017 · 15 posts · 4 votes
    9y

    Hi @Johnny Youssef - someone recommended Rentalutions to me.  I'm still evaluating it, but it looks like a pretty nice service.  You might check it out if none of the others mentioned above fit the bill.

    2Reply
  • Brian Karlow
    Rental Property Investor · Algonquin, IL (Chicago suburbs) · Member since 2014 · 155 posts · 76 votes
    9y

    Christine

    Does this system offer accounting features, including p&l statements as well as annaul property operating data?

    1Reply
  • Brian Karlow
    Rental Property Investor · Algonquin, IL (Chicago suburbs) · Member since 2014 · 155 posts · 76 votes
    9y

    https://www.biggerpockets.com/users/ChristineC25

    1Reply
  • Dan Kelley
    Rental Property Investor · Leander, TX · Member since 2015 · 89 posts · 51 votes
    9y

    I've used Buildium for around a year and I just switched to Tenant Cloud. Buildium was a little "clunky" to use and I wasn't fond of it, however I think it had some really in-depth accounting reports and features.

    Tenant Cloud is very easy to use and intuitive. It offers a few different options for rent collecting online, some free, some not. The web service itself is free to use up to 75 units. I've been using it for under a month but I'm loving it so far. I will say the only downside so far seems to be the reports. There are not a ton of options for in depth reports, but I think it does most of what you would need. Worth a shot to check out since it's free.

    3Reply
  • Wade Sikkink
    Real Estate Investor · Lincoln, NE · Member since 2013 · 584 posts · 353 votes
    9y

    The current array of options for taking care of accounting if you self manage are not good.  Lots of companies offer tenant screening, applications, maintenance, etc.  None offer a good accounting package with reports for an affordable price.  I've tried many of the ones mentioned above and haven't found them to be good at the accounting.

    2Reply
  • Johnny Youssef
    OP
    Real Estate Broker · Kansas City, MO · Member since 2015 · 21 posts · 7 votes
    9y

    Thank you guys! This is very helpful. It sounds like none of the options mentioned are good with accounting and reports. Am I right? Have anyone used Propertyware? 

    1Reply
  • Max Parelius
    Petaluma, CA · Member since 2017 · 2 posts · 1 vote
    9y

    I have heard good things about rentigo.com

    1Reply
  • Bob CollettPro Member
    Property Manager · Brecksville, OH · Member since 2014 · 486 posts · 464 votes
    9y

    @Johnny Youssef... I have found the accounting and reports included with Buildium to be accurate and useful; and more than enough for any accounting purpose.  I do wish that I could create custom reports as with a "report writer" function... but that is not a feature. Their report package probably has more than 50 reports in a variety of categories. I like it because it is simple to use.

    I would suggest you call them... and a few others and ask for a demo. You need to determine what type of user you are going to be. I prefer ease of use vs. availability of every possible feature. 

    0Reply
  • Al Phillips
    Real Estate Agent · Utica, MI · Member since 2017 · 15 posts · 2 votes
    9y

    I manage about 250 units and had tried several management programs.  I ended up settling on Appfolio and have been using it for over five years now.  If you can think of something that a property management program should have...this one has it.  It has dozens of different reports, automatic posting of online tenant payments, tenant portals, on-line repair orders, a great I-pad app and more.  Three years ago I went on a three week bicycle tour and basically ran my property management business from my I-pad and cell phone.  The on-line application is a very useful part of the program and we require all applicants to apply onlin.  Then we just hit a button and the program runs a background check, credit check, National eviction search, and more. 

    I tried Propertyware back before Appfolio and found it to be short on features.

    Hope this helps.

    1Reply
  • Johnny Youssef
    OP
    Real Estate Broker · Kansas City, MO · Member since 2015 · 21 posts · 7 votes
    9y

    Thank you @Al Phillips This is very helpful! Sounds like Appfolio is the way to go. Did you ever try Buildium? I am trying to find out how much the charges are when it comes to tenants paying online. I will approach appfolio soon to learn more! thanks again!

    0Reply
  • Johnny Youssef
    OP
    Real Estate Broker · Kansas City, MO · Member since 2015 · 21 posts · 7 votes
    9y

    @Kim Meredith Hampton Thank you for your feedback. Does the landlord or the tenant cover the fee for online payment via checking account? Do you know how much that fee is?

    0Reply
  • Al Phillips
    Real Estate Agent · Utica, MI · Member since 2017 · 15 posts · 2 votes
    9y

    There is no fee to the LL or the tenant if they pay on line with an electronic check.  If they pay with a credit card there is a fee based on the amount of the payment.....very similar to merchants that charge you if you pay by credit card.  Appfolio also has a "7/11" card.   This card allows tenants to pay their rent with cash at the nearest 7/11 store (a convenience store in MI and other states).  This has worked out fantastic in my lower income multi units as it is cheaper ($3.99) than getting money orders for the tenants and a lot of these tenants do not have checking accounts or computers (to pay online).  About 70% of my tenants pay online in one form or another and this saves my office staff a ton of time. Think about it.  That is about 150 manual transactions that we do not have to do!!!

    0Reply
  • Ralph R.
    Investor · Bethel, AK · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 852 votes
    9y

    @Johnny Youssef  I don't keep my own books I use property managers for that.  Buildium is way better than yardi from the owners stand point.  (I cant see what the PM sees)  as the owner I can see reports, vacancy's, listings pictures, copies of the original bills paid and un-paid, for work performed (these stay in the system forever) pictures of the property, leases and on and on. 

    Yardi on the other hand shows me nothing, this month I cant even see my monthly statements.  Im going to drop that pm because the system is so poor, and ive had them for 7 years.

    RR

    0Reply
  • James W.
    Investor · Houston, TX · Member since 2016 · 47 posts · 24 votes
    9y

    Have any of y'all used 123landlord? I looked very closely at their offering but ended up staying on excel. They seemed to be the best offer in the 10-100 marketplace that I could find, but would like to talk with real users.

    1Reply
  • Gayla Germain
    Investor · Maplewood, NJ · Member since 2017 · 3 posts · 1 vote
    9y

    I use 123Landlord.  I have tried Buildium and Propertyware in the past.  123Landlord is a better fit for the size of my portfolio, my budget, and the features I would like to see in pm software (tracking property features, leases, work orders, vendors, etc.).  The main shortcoming is full accounting capability.  However, it seems that extensive accounting capability (double entry, ability to track mortgages, etc.)  is not a great feature with any of the true property management options.  Does anyone use accounting software in addition to property management software?

    1Reply
  • Johnny Youssef
    OP
    Real Estate Broker · Kansas City, MO · Member since 2015 · 21 posts · 7 votes
    9y

    Thank you everyone! This is very helpful. Sounds to me that Appfolio is the most reliable or Buildium for smaller inventory. Then propertyware goes in second. 

    0Reply
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