All Forum Posts by: Chandler Hall

@Obed Calixte I want to give tenants the option to avoid using an app or online portal while still offering one if they prefer. The goal is for both landlords and tenants to text like normal on their phones without needing an app.

Landlords will be assigned a local business number that tenants use for texting and calling. This ensures all tenant messages are automatically logged and organized, while still allowing landlords to natively text back from their personal phone.

Like you said, most tools require landlords to send and receive messages inside a platform. This approach keeps things simple, familiar, and fully tracked, without disrupting how landlords and tenants already communicate.

It’s not entirely new tech, but I haven’t seen it implemented this way or even offered as an option in any property management tools.

@Mark F. thanks for the honest feedback! You're exactly the type of landlord I want to hear from, especially since you're already using a system that works for you.

I totally get the appeal of free software, especially when it automates rent collection and late fees without issues. If what you have is working well for you, I can see why switching wouldn't be a priority. That said, many landlords, especially those starting out, struggle with scattered communication, tracking/automating rent collection, and organization. That's where I think I can provide value, especially with a lightweight, user-friendly interface.

On the lease storage and rent adjustments, yes - the landlord side will include a web platform where you can upload leases, store documents, track payments, adjust rent, etc. So, while tenants interact via text only, landlords would have a full dashboard to manage everything. My goal is to keep things frictionless for tenants while giving landlords complete oversight in a centralized system.

I'm curious about your experience using Google Voice - do you find it effective for keeping tenant communication separate? Do you ever run into situations where you need to dig through past messages? One key difference with the platform I’m building is that texts wouldn’t just be stored; they’d be automatically logged, categorized, and tied to specific tenants and properties, making them easier to manage from a PM perspective (along with additional workflows for maintenance & other key tasks).

Since you’ve been using your current system for a while, are there any pain points with your setup, or do you feel like you’ve got everything covered? Also, is the software free for you because the cost is passed on to the tenants? If so, have you ever had tenant complaints about that?

@Obed Calixte thanks for your insight! Yes, one tap payments are not foreign, which is why I'm leaning into them, so tenants don't have to change their habits. No need for a clunky online portal when they can handle everything easily via text.

I completely agree that market positioning will be key. To start, I'm focusing on DIY landlords managing rentals on the side, low-tech landlords who aren't using any software, and small landlords with 1-10 units. Over time, as more features are added, I'll be able to support larger landlords and property managers.

Regarding your maintenance request tracking, yes, this is a key feature. The MVP, or shortly after launch, will auto-log maintenance-related texts under the tenant’s profile. For example, if a tenant texts the landlord a photo along with a message saying, “the sink is leaking” the message and photo will automatically be logged as a maintenance request in the landlord’s dashboard without requiring the tenant to submit a formal online request. Longer-term, I’d like to integrate machine learning to categorize issue types and trigger workflows. The goal is to keep everything text-based so tenants don’t need to change how they communicate or log into anything.

Thanks for highlighting Realpage...I'm going to look more into this, but at first glance, it looks they still require landlords to send/receive texts inside the PMS platform rather than using their standard phone texting capabilities.

@Drew Sygit Got it! I actually use RingCentral for my day job, so I know what you're talking about...sounds like you have a solid system in place. For property management firms like yours, tools like RingCentral make sense to provide centralized control across multiple team members which is definitely important at scale.

One last question if you don't mind - do you think any of your tenants would prefer the option to pay rent via text with a one-click secure link instead of always going through an online portal? I’ve found that some tenants, especially those who aren’t as tech-savvy, struggle with portals, forget passwords, or just prefer something faster and simpler.

@Drew Sygit - thank you for your detailed response and questions! You bring up some great points. Let me try to break your response down and clarify a few things.

1. Tenant phone changes/lost passwords - totally agree, this is a common issue with app-based systems. Tenants often forget passwords, change phones, get locked out, etc. With the platform I'm working on, tenants don't need a separate app or login. They can simply text their landlord as usual, and their messages/payments are automatically tracked & logged. For rent payments, they'd still have the option to pay using the online portal if they prefer that method as well.

2. Set & forget - This platform will be designed to be hands-off for landlords

- Auto SMS reminders (similar to lots of other tools) for rent due dates, payment links, upcoming maintenance appts, etc.

- The tool will also provide text message tracking insights like which texts were delivered and led to rent payments.

- Auto-logging of all texts between landlords and tenants for seamless record-keeping.

3. SMS System - like you mentioned, we're integrating with Twilio for SMS and call forwarding. The platform will handle mass texting, auto-SMS reminders, and auto-logging of all text messages for future reference.

4. Where is history stored? I should've clarified this better in my post!

- Landlords will have an online dashboard where all messages, payments, docs, are stored and organized by tenant and property. Tenants get an "app-free" experience, but the landlord will still have a full dashboard to manage everything.

- Tenants will have the option to create an account and login into a portal to pay rent or view payment history, but this is not required. They will be able to pay rent and check payment history entirely via text message if they prefer (i.e. "text 1 to see your last 12 months of payment history")

- Like I mentioned to Chris in the other comment on this post, if a tenant texts me saying "the washing machine broken", the tool would auto-log that text under the tenant's and property's profile as a maintenance request in the landlord's dashboard - no extra steps needed from the landlord or tenant.

5. Stripe - rent payments will be processed via Stripe. Landlords & tenants will need to connect a Stripe account (many already use it, and for those who don’t, setup is quick & simple)

6. Future Integrations - At launch, the tool will be a standalone platform for small landlords who want a lightweight, easy-to-use solution that handles their core property management functions. Future integrations with other PM tools could happen down the road if we start to gain traction!

Curious - which tools do you use for your properties? Do you let your tenants text your personal phone, or require them to use an in-app messaging system? 

If you use texting as a communication method, would it be helpful to have all messages automatically tracked and logged in a dashboard for record-keeping, alongside other core PM features?

@Chris Seveney first off, thank you for your response! You're right - there’s a lot of competition in the PM software space. But one of the issues I’ve seen is that most tools require tenants/landlords to communicate through in-app messaging to track conversations, submit maintenance requests, etc. If a tenant texts their landlord outside of the app, there's no way to easily track or manage those texts unless you're using an expensive PM tool built for large landlords/property management companies. Otherwise, these texts can get lost in your personal phone, mixed in with your family and friend's messages, or accidently deleted.

As a small landlord myself, I'd rather not force my tenants into an app - I’d rather keep it simple with texting while automatically logging those texts in a central place (landlord dashboard) for record-keeping and a clear paper trail. For example, if a tenant texts me saying the washing machine broke, this tool would auto-log that message under the tenant's and property's profile as a maintenance request in the landlord's dashboard without me having to do anything extra or have the tenants submit a request in an app.

That’s exactly who this tool would be built for - small landlords who prefer texting but need an easy way to stay organized, along with lightweight tools to manage other aspects of their properties. Most landlords I’ve talked to thus far love the convenience of texting but struggle with tracking these conversations, and tenants also overwhelmingly prefer texting over using an app which is the area I am trying to address.

How about you? Do you use PM software with in-app messaging to communicate with tenants (outside of email), or do you still rely on texting for most tenant interactions? If you still use texting as one of your communication methods, would you use a tool that auto-logs all those messages?

Hey everyone - I’m working on a simple, app-free tool for small landlords managing 1-10 units, working 9-to-5 jobs, or renting out properties on the side. The goal? Make rent collection & tenant communication as simple as possible, without forcing tenants into another app.

Rent collection via text – Tenants tap a secure, branded payment link sent via SMS (powered by Stripe w/ 2FA) - no app, no login, just tap, pay, and get an instant receipt. Auto-pay is available, + an optional portal for those who prefer that method.

Automatic text message logging – No in-app messaging required…every rent reminder, payment, maintenance request, and general conversation via text is automatically saved and searchable by tenant and property in a centralized location. No more lost texts, scattered conversations or he-said, she-said…resolve any potential disputes quickly and have a history of all messages. Even if you delete the text messages from your phone, they’re still logged.

Call & text forwarding – Keep your personal number private with a dedicated business number for tenant calls and messages you can use for your rental properties. Forward texts & calls to a property manager (or trusted friend/contact) when needed while still keeping a full message history.

Why?

• - Over 95% of texts are read within 3 minutes - reduce late payments by having another easier method for tenants to pay rent.
• - ~60% of renters want to communicate with their landlord/property manager via text message.
• - Easier adoption for tenants – no need to require tenants to download another app or set-up an account, just to pay rent or submit maintenance requests. This keeps it nice and simple, especially for small landlords who use texting as their primary method of communication.

By removing forced apps & logins, rent payments become easier for tenants, especially for non-tech-savvy or older renters–leading to fewer late payments and improved communication & record keeping.

Would love your feedback - would you try a tool like this? These features are for an MVP (Minimum Viable Product), with more capabilities in the works.

Thank you so much and look forwarding to discussing!

Hey everyone - I’m working on a simple, app-free tool for small landlords managing 1-10 units, working 9-to-5 jobs, or renting out properties on the side. The goal? Make rent collection & tenant communication as simple as possible, without forcing tenants into another app.

Rent collection via text – Tenants tap a secure, branded payment link sent via SMS (powered by Stripe w/ 2FA) - no app, no login, just tap, pay, and get an instant receipt. Auto-pay is available, + an optional portal for those who prefer that method.

Automatic text message logging – No in-app messaging required…every rent reminder, payment, maintenance request, and general conversation via text is automatically saved and searchable by tenant and property in a centralized location. No more lost texts, scattered conversations or he-said, she-said…resolve any potential disputes quickly and have a history of all messages. Even if you delete the text messages from your phone, they’re still logged.

Call & text forwarding – Keep your personal number private with a dedicated business number for tenant calls and messages you can use for your rental properties. Forward texts & calls to a property manager (or trusted friend/contact) when needed while still keeping a full message history.

Why?

• - Over 95% of texts are read within 3 minutes - reduce late payments by having another easier method for tenants to pay rent.
• - ~60% of renters want to communicate with their landlord/property manager via text message.
• - Easier adoption for tenants – no need to require tenants to download another app or set-up an account, just to pay rent or submit maintenance requests. This keeps it nice and simple, especially for small landlords who use texting as their primary method of communication.

By removing forced apps & logins, rent payments become easier for tenants, especially for non-tech-savvy or older renters–leading to fewer late payments and improved communication & record keeping.

Would love your feedback - would you try a tool like this? These features are for an MVP (Minimum Viable Product), with more capabilities in the works.

Thank you so much and look forwarding to discussing!