Managing real estate is not easy. There are so many different types of problems that can arise, it’s hard to keep track of them all. Making sure tenants pay rent on time, remembering a unit’s rental history, managing work orders for handymen, getting the right keys to the grocery store, and scheduling lease entries can all make you say: It’s too much! The right property management software can be instrumental in cleaning up a messy office with a million sticky notes and a messy mind.

Going digital.
Instead of taking notes by hand in notebooks or on strips of paper and sticky notes, many property managers have turned to digitization. Modern property management software is not expensive or difficult to operate if you choose the right provider, and the savings in time and money can be enormous. But if you’re like me, money isn’t always as important as the peace of mind that comes from knowing that no important information will slip through the cracks and you’ll never act on it. You probably won’t know what you forgot to do until it comes up again to bite you in the butt, having become a big problem.

What is?
So what is property management software really all about? Simply put, it’s a piece of software that you run on your laptop or desktop computer. It allows you to keep track of all your rental units, whether they are four hundred or four hundred. In an easy-to-understand interface, you can enter each unit’s rent, current and former occupants, special instructions or unit information, and much more. With the push of a button, you can list all vacant apartments, or those whose lease expires within the next three months. Track deposits, back rent, due or upcoming repairs, work orders for a super and handyman, etc.

Properly implemented, it’s a lifesaver!