If you Google “property management software” you get a plethora of results, and it very soon can become overwhelming as to which option would be the best for your business.
When you start looking for software it is generally to assist you with the management of your lettings, so as to free up time so you can concentrate on not only winning new business but maintaining good customer service to both your landlords and tenants.
To narrow your search down for the most suitable property management software for your business it is essential that you know what to look for. The best software will be a solution that fulfils the key functions you require it for and does not try to cover every aspect of your business. Too many packages try to be all things to all men, and inevitably fall short of fully solving the core problem they were purchased to address in the first place. Apart from the lost time and money, this results in frustration and a possible but unjustified lack of faith in property rental management software.
My top tips when looking for property management software would be:
- Get a free trial that is fully functional – this will allow you to see how you can use the system on a daily basis with your own information
- Make sure it can deal easily with the basics of your day to day management– quickly track and alert you when rent is due; automatically calculate monies due to landlords taking fees into consideration along with any other deductions; easily track all maintenance and repairs; and produce landlord statements that you don’t need a degree in Economics to read
- Look for software that can be configured to work the way your letting agency worksand reflect your brand
- Check the pricing – Are there any set up fees? Do you have to pay for additional users? Is support included and for how long? Are you charged for upgrades to the system? Do you have to sign into a contract? What limitations are there and how flexible are the providers on working with you on these?
Other features to look out for that may not be critical but will prove very useful would be:
- Upload to property portals as well as your own website
- Set reminders to keep track of appointments
- Keep a log of communication with tenants and landlords
- Ability to email and send text messages from within the software to tenants, landlords and suppliers
Saving time and money are key factors in making a decision on software for your business. A web-based software solution for your property management will provide both of these along with the other advantages of:
- Access to your information on any device, anytime, anywhere, with nothing to install
- No need to worry about maintenance, security patches or backups, viruses, hard disk failures or lost laptops again
- Security – ensure your provider uses secure data centres with bank level security for the transfer of data and that they are also registered and conform to the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Privacy and Electronic Communication Regulations 2003
When deciding which software to go with, bear in mind that there will always be a learning curve therefore you will want a solution that is quick to pick up and that you are confident that any support you may require, at any stage, will be available at no additional cost.
Why not check out RentPro’s 14 day free trial and see how it can assist you with your lettings management click here
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