BiggerPockets

Can anyone recommend a basic property management software program for a relatively small, home-based operation? I keep finding programs that seem to be set up for larger apartment buildings and employee-based property management companies. It's just me and my wife.

I checked Amazon, and Quicken received terrible reviews.

Any suggestions?

Current online programs are VERY LIMITING....most PM pros who manage SFRs use PROMAS rental management program....it can integrate with HomeRentals.net website for rental marketing, posting owner/tenant statements, ACH AND next spring it will allow for tenant screening...

It has contact management capability AND can install copies of word documents

REALTOOLS is a great option for a smaller operation:

- Unlimited Properties (Single & Multi-unit)
- Tenants with Contacts and Incidents
- Leases (including section 8 and Lease Options)
- Mortgages (Fixed rate, ARM, Interest Only, Prepayments)
- Work Orders with History
- Great customer support (I've had questions usually answered in a day)
- etc. etc. etc. (check out the link below)

The buy it now price is $129.00, or you can bid for maybe a lower price.

http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZnichesw

I have to defer to my dad's selections on anything prop. mgmt. He knows it much better than I. He used Tenant Pro when he had 30 properties and now uses it for 200+. It was scaleable and interfaces with Quickbooks so you can use Tenant Pro with Quick Books to record expenses, create statements, create property performance reports and create checks.... It's a very cool system.

It may depend on what you want to do with the software. What is your intent?

If you are interested primarily in using it to record information, then there are many software tools that basically function like an accounting package. Gita Faust has a quality Quickbooks solution / training / program.

If you're looking for transaction support -- e.g. Advertising, Running Credit Checks, Collecting rents electronically (automatic and recurring), or Managing maintenance problems -- then you'll want a different kind of solution.

Here are some best-of-class recommendations for each transaction type:
[list]Advertising - RentMarketer.com
Credit Checks - Tenant Network
Collecting Rents - PayRents or RentPayment.com
Finding Maintenance Personnel with user reviews - Angie's List, CircleChoice.com
[/list:u]
If you're looking for one place that does all of those things in one place, then my company is one that can help. Our value proposition is twofold: first, it saves a lot of time and hassle by going to a single place to solve all these problems -- single sign in, simple pricing; second, by negotiating in bulk, we're able to get and pass on to customers a much lower price.

It really depends on what's important to you and how you want to spend your time and money.

Jeff

I have used Quicken Rental Manager for years and have been very pleased. The software is simple, no bells or whistles and that is how I like it. There is no need to complicate this business.