TenantCloud (formerly EVAproperty) reviews?
Real Estate Broker · Atlanta, GA · Member since 2015 · 65 posts · 25 votes
Does anyone here currently use TenantCloud (formerly EVAproperty) or have in the past? I've seen them mentioned in a couple of threads, but haven't found anyone who actually uses them. They seem to offer a LOT of features for FREE, but I'm wary if nobody has any first-hand experience with them.
I also don't understand their business model. Cozy is free but makes money on the background checks. That's the one thing that TenantCloud doesn't do (yet).
I just bought my first 11 unit and needed some software so I evaluated most of the free/cheaper options and decided on TenantCloud. A lot of these software packages (cozy, avail, innago, TC, etc.) seem very good and each seems to have slightly different pros and cons so I bet you could be happy with any of them. My priorities were online rent collection, online leases, tenant screening, maintenance requests, website listings and listing syndication. It seems like most of these had those features with slightly different quirks so why did I finally decide on TenantCloud? For me, it was something I haven’t heard mentioned anywhere on BP - the ability to have multiple Team members which TC offers. Here’s why.
When I bought the 11 unit, it needed some work and the broker who sold it to me recommended a property manager that also did maintenance and light rehab work at a reasonable cost. I interviewed him, really liked him, checked references and was ready to go with him, but he was old school, did paper leases, collected rent in person, etc. I want to be able to scale my properties and I’m a big believer in technology and processes so I needed property management software for all the things I mentioned above. I considered hiring a traditional property manager that does everything using their software and processes and just sends me a check each month, but I felt I needed to be more involved to learn and grow as a real estate investor. To me, I needed a hybrid between complete self management and traditional hands off hiring of a property management company. I want to be involved in the property management process to learn the business but I also wanted to hire a property manager to deal directly with tenants and be there when I can’t.
When I evaluated all of the software above and even the more expensive ones like Appfolio and Buildium they seemed to either be designed for independent owner landlords or property management companies, but not the hybrid I wanted. There didn’t seem to be a way that I could setup and control all the online payments, leases, tenant screening, etc. (since the PM I wanted to hire didn’t have that stuff) but then have my PM have a separate login and be the interface with the tenants. I wanted maintenance requests to go directly to him, but I also wanted to receive them to keep an eye on the process and to make sure everything was getting handled on a timely basis since that seems to be the biggest complaint when I talk to tenants. Plus I wanted to be there to handle requests when my PM took a vacation or got sick since he’s a one man operation. Maybe I’m wrong (and I want BP members to tell me if I am!) but none of the other software apps would allow me to do this hybrid system except TenantCloud.
Basically, TC allows me to add Team members that have their own rights. I have a login, my wife has a login and my PM has a login. I setup leases, online payments etc. but all communication with the tenants comes from my PM and not me. If I send an announcement, it can come from him or me. Maintenance requests go to him, but I see them as well and could assign them to outside vendors if necessary. If he completes a repair, he can add an expense and upload a receipt. But if I buy something for the apartment, I can add it in as well. From my basic research, TenantCloud was the only inexpensive software that would allow that. Please let me know if I’m wrong and others allow this as well.
Sorry for the long post, but needed to get that out there!
There aren't many good choices for people self managing their units to do their accounting with. The current free or low cost options out there are not good. I would be looking for something new.
@Demi Reid Tenantcloud appears to charge $9/month, but you mentioned you do it for free. However, that was several months ago that you posted. Am I missing something and in fact it is free or is this now a new charge they are imposing? If they are charging that now, that rules them out for me. Would rather stay with the free Cozy services or go with my recently set up, though not yet used RentecDirect.
@Donna Sommers Is there any talk about allowing custom domains at something that isn't the $100/month option? I was hoping the upgrade would be the $10/month option for it, but $100/month just to have my own domain is crazy expensive.
How does Tenant Cloud view ownership of the data that you enter? I signed up for the free account, and added a couple properties. However, I don't see any way that I can easily Export my data in the future, if I decide to switch systems. As it is my data, I should own it, and be able to take it with me if/when I leave in the future.
Anyone have any insight about how your data is handled, and how to export it? I've sent email to their Support, will see what they say.
Following up to my inquiry about exporting data, I'm happy to report that Tenant Cloud customer service got back to me, and they have a very nice export feature:
https://www.tenantcloud.com/faq/question/111
All the data is nicely organized in several XLS files. I'll be migrating all my data to Tenant Cloud.
I love TC. Best software I have seen.
We are closing on our first multi-family property very soon (also our first REI). I am trying to figure out if the accounting in TC is enough to that I don't need to use QuickBooks (well, I have been looking at alternatives, such as Wave). It would be great if everything was in one place.
To an update on my post (above). So far, Tenant Cloud is working well, but I don't think it is great for general business expenses, etc (unless I am overthinking things). I have 5 "units" spread out in 2 buildings on 1 property. Some expenses are for a building, some are for a unit, and some are for the whole property. I am currently using Wave for accounting, but may try out quickbooks as well...I am not accountant, so I could be overthinking everything as well.
Do you have any updates on your experience so far with tenant cloud or quick books?
So I settled on using Tenant Cloud to keep track of general tenant information and maintenance stuff and wave for all the accounting. It is a pain to do things in two different worlds, but it worked well enough. I found wave plenty fine for general accounting and I came up with a system that worked well for me as well as my accountant.
That being said, we recently hired a property manager for our properties, so using Tenant Cloud is redundant with their system. The property manager handles a lot of the accounting and takes care of 100% of what tenant cloud was doing (although not as pretty), so I jut do the overall accounting for the business in wave and leave the details up to the property manager's software (I think they use buildium or something, but it is presented as their own website of some sort).
My concern was having records that I could easily gather when it comes time to sell. I know that the sellers of the property we bought did NOT have their act together and I wanted a system where I could easily get profit and losses and rent rolls very easily. Our property manager's website has all of that data (along side our accounting in wave), so I no longer need those details kept on my own.
Any updated thoughts on tenant cloud?
I have been using Tenantcloud for 1.5 years now. I really like it. I pay the $9 per month to allow me to take online payments. There is room for improvement in the following areas:
1. Tenant unable to automate monthly payments.
2. Accounting is a little clunky - if it integrated with my bank/credit cards that would make things so much simpler.
Other than this, I really like it.
I am going to try tenantcloud for the online payment and lease generating. I use Stessa for accounting and like it very well. I looked at ezlandlordforms and it is great for many forms, but I don't want too many different programs.
I went thru tenant cloud due to having to move due to my unit having mold and city was shutting it down. After going on the website. I applied for a beautiful house. Went to go see it. It was a self guide home. I put in an application thru their site. I sent social security award letters paystubs and all my kids info thru tenant cloud.deposit was a $1000 before i paid money reached out and was told everything was legit. Paid money thru tenantcloud. 2 days before to move in i found out he was a scam artist. Tenantcloud suck they dont take no fault. My credit is shot also i am still out of $1000 as of today. Three months later
@Jessica Jamison our team does our best to protect vulnerable applicants on the platform and therefore we require verification from landlords and property managers before an applicant sends a payment online. But as you know, there are events when landlords/property managers use credit card transfers method to receive payments. It is not possible to verify them in such a case as the credit card is linked directly to their funding source. And meant to be verified by the card issuer already.
Sorry to hear about your situation. However, TenantCloud is a software provider company and we don't manage any rentals of any kind or have anything to do with direct renting. Payments do go through the software and all that do are limited to ACH, Credit Card or Debit card processors. Each payment can be pulled back, but requires you to report it as fraud to your bank, who does the "chargeback". Please, submit a dispute and let us know if it worked then. Our Support Team did ask you do this. We hope for your understanding.
How do you not manage when i applied on your website, submitted all my info, the scammer i met on your site ran my info, i got approved from your site, i paid my money thru your site. Not once used a software. I keep hearing tenantcloud is a software. Thats more than a software. We will see what the judge has to say
I have been using Tenantcloud for 1.5 years now. I really like it. I pay the $9 per month to allow me to take online payments. There is room for improvement in the following areas:
1. Tenant unable to automate monthly payments.
2. Accounting is a little clunky - if it integrated with my bank/credit cards that would make things so much simpler.
Other than this, I really like it.
I just signed up for Tenant Could to try it or and the first section I went to was the accounting. As an accountant this is big for me. I would prefer that the option to sync with the bank if available, but for now I am using a software called Stessa for the accounting & rent roll. I do like the website feature that Tenant Could offers. This is a major plus.
How do you guys handle section 8 participants and section 8 payments in Tenant Cloud? Can I just record payments for rent received from outside of Tenant Cloud?
I primarily want to use Tenant Cloud as properties and tenants/new applicants inventory and background, criminal and eviction checks.
Thanks
I just bought my first 11 unit and needed some software so I evaluated most of the free/cheaper options and decided on TenantCloud. A lot of these software packages (cozy, avail, innago, TC, etc.) seem very good and each seems to have slightly different pros and cons so I bet you could be happy with any of them. My priorities were online rent collection, online leases, tenant screening, maintenance requests, website listings and listing syndication. It seems like most of these had those features with slightly different quirks so why did I finally decide on TenantCloud? For me, it was something I haven’t heard mentioned anywhere on BP - the ability to have multiple Team members which TC offers. Here’s why.
When I bought the 11 unit, it needed some work and the broker who sold it to me recommended a property manager that also did maintenance and light rehab work at a reasonable cost. I interviewed him, really liked him, checked references and was ready to go with him, but he was old school, did paper leases, collected rent in person, etc. I want to be able to scale my properties and I’m a big believer in technology and processes so I needed property management software for all the things I mentioned above. I considered hiring a traditional property manager that does everything using their software and processes and just sends me a check each month, but I felt I needed to be more involved to learn and grow as a real estate investor. To me, I needed a hybrid between complete self management and traditional hands off hiring of a property management company. I want to be involved in the property management process to learn the business but I also wanted to hire a property manager to deal directly with tenants and be there when I can’t.
When I evaluated all of the software above and even the more expensive ones like Appfolio and Buildium they seemed to either be designed for independent owner landlords or property management companies, but not the hybrid I wanted. There didn’t seem to be a way that I could setup and control all the online payments, leases, tenant screening, etc. (since the PM I wanted to hire didn’t have that stuff) but then have my PM have a separate login and be the interface with the tenants. I wanted maintenance requests to go directly to him, but I also wanted to receive them to keep an eye on the process and to make sure everything was getting handled on a timely basis since that seems to be the biggest complaint when I talk to tenants. Plus I wanted to be there to handle requests when my PM took a vacation or got sick since he’s a one man operation. Maybe I’m wrong (and I want BP members to tell me if I am!) but none of the other software apps would allow me to do this hybrid system except TenantCloud.
Basically, TC allows me to add Team members that have their own rights. I have a login, my wife has a login and my PM has a login. I setup leases, online payments etc. but all communication with the tenants comes from my PM and not me. If I send an announcement, it can come from him or me. Maintenance requests go to him, but I see them as well and could assign them to outside vendors if necessary. If he completes a repair, he can add an expense and upload a receipt. But if I buy something for the apartment, I can add it in as well. From my basic research, TenantCloud was the only inexpensive software that would allow that. Please let me know if I’m wrong and others allow this as well.
Sorry for the long post, but needed to get that out there!
Hey @Ryan Hayhurst, there are others that offer this kind of functionality but not too many! Innago, for example, permits multiple users and control over permission. But you're right that most software that is free does not support this type of feature set. Glad you found something that works for you!
@Dave Spooner Thanks Dave, that’s good to know, I didn’t realize Innago had that functionality as well. I’ll dig a little deeper with it and maybe do a demo.
I am going to try tenantcloud for the online payment and lease generating. I use Stessa for accounting and like it very well. I looked at ezlandlordforms and it is great for many forms, but I don't want too many different programs.
Hey Mike, just wanted to bring this back up cause i'm thinking about signing up for tenantcloud and wanted to know your experience with it?