All Forum Posts by: Jerry Agbon

@Rob K. - Thank you, this sounds like the perfect solution. I'll discuss it with my PM. 
Very Much appreciated!

 Thanks for your insightful comment. However, I do have some hesitancy fully agreeing with some of your premise. You seem to assumption that live data = frequent continues updating by the PM, perhaps some landlords might misconstrued it to be so, I would think the PM should inform them of our best to us it, and the frequency or interval of updates  should remain the same as long as they keeps a good workflow going.

I do agree with you that for SF this might not be relevant, but for those of us with multiple MF properties it is of great relevance to be able to have access to this data for analysis and insight into how the various properties are doing. It's even become more relevant as we've planned on adding more MF properties, I would think it will make life easier for our PM and us as well. They don't need to increase their update frequency, rather the availability of the live data for analytic purpose is the key. Remember it is just a tool, the usefulness of the tool depends on the user.

 Getting them to switch will be a big undertaking. I'll look into that, and add it to my suggested platform list if/when they are planning to switch. Thanks for the suggestion.

Thanks for the suggestion, I 've not heard of this software before. Will definitely take a look at them. 

Thanks for the feedback! 100% in agreement with your conclusion; that having a PM that is efficient within their current software is more important... Indeed, great software do not necessarily translate into a great PM.  

Thanks for your feed back, and sorry for my delayed response. While you've given me a bit of an insight into how some PM operates, I doubt if my PM actually operates with that mindset, I believe they're truly unable to provide me with those live data due to AppFolio limitations. I know this because they've tried but could not, they even confirm this with the platform developers. Now, in regards to the practice of restricting the data being shown because you as a PM is concern that the owner might get worried because of the data readings, calling you in panic and wasting your time. While this might be true of some owners, I would think this to be untrue of the majority of owners. It is a business, to run your business successfully you need data, to have a valid, relevant actionable point of discussion when interacting with your PM you need data, and live data makes for better transparency, this builds more trust which leads to stronger relationship, and better synergy in making strategic and tactical business moves that are beneficial to both parties.

The fact that I asked this question, does not imply I'm worried that my PM is not doing a great job. It is not a "me vs them" game. I will not do business with a PM that exhibit such mindset. We work as a team, and live data could make this run even smoother, which means less call from me. 

We own multiple properties, and we use a property management company that does a fantastic job at maintaining this properties, our assigned manager is very responsive, and very well adapt at handling the tenants and any problem that might arise. We've been very pleased with them so far. However, there remains a point of pain. The property management platform they use seems very robust on the management side, but the owner portal seems like an after thought.

That platform they use is Appfolio, while I've read great reviews about Appfolio, the owner portal seems very underdeveloped and not well thought out, this lives a lot to be desired. No live data of any sort to show properties performance, other than the PDFs at the end of month reports uploaded by management company.

I'll be curious to know what experience others are having with the owner portal used by their management company?
Listing some of the features made available to you would be great.

Thanks in advance for your input!

Hi Greg, I used them last year to fund the purchase of my 36 unit apartment complex. Stating from my personal experience; they are very hands on, since they are web based, I wasn't sure of what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised to see how hands on my assigned loan officer was.

He called me after I've filed out the initial application form, wanting to know more about what I'm actually looking for, the conversation was laid back, but very helpful to me, and he was always a phone call away if I have any question. Andrew was also my assigned loan officer. Looking back now at the situation I was in then, and the complexity of my loan type, I'm glad I had him to help walk me through the process.

If you don't mind paying the 1% flat fee they charge at closing, I'll recommend giving them a try.  Does the quality of service they provide warrants the 1% fee? To that I'll say a resounding Yes!

Hope this helps. I wish you the best in your venture. 

Worst things than covid-19 have happened before, and life always goes back to normal. Nature always balances itself no mater what. The problem with covid-19 is not the virus pandemic, but rather the fear pandemic, the hyper fear mongery  being continuously, and persistently broadcast by most (if not all) news outlets. Yes, do the normal things you would do to avoid contracting the common flu and you'll be fine. the level of fear very from town to town, and I'm convince that at the end, this palpable fear the airwaves have been flooded with would've done more damage than covid-19 is capable of.

If historical observation is to be logically followed, my projection is that this corona virus will go they way of its predecessors like the sars, swine flu, zika etc. The fear factor it generates will definitely have an impact on the general market, just as it is having on the stock market right now. However, the dust shall soon settle, and common sense will prevail again.

The real-estate market will be negligibly affected, in the states that are most reactive to this scare, while other states that are more measured and objective in handling it, will experience no negative impact at all, rather they might experience a positive impact from the fed lowering of interest rate.