Decided to Start Self-Managing: Best Property Management Platform

Kansas City, Kansas
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Decided to Start Self-Managing: Best Property Management Platform

Joshua Oakes
Investor · Kansas City, KS · Member since 2025 · 7 posts · 8 votes

Hey Everybody! I am 2 and a 1/2 years into my real estate investment journey. I have 4 properties in my portfolio that are currently being managed by a Property Manager. I am finally feeling comfortable enough and am ready to stop paying someone else to manage my properties and want to start self-managing sometime in 2027. My question is; what property management software is everyone using? What do you love about it and what do you dislike about it?

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Chris SeveneyBusiness Member
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Investor · VA · Member since 2015 · 21k+ posts · 19k+ votes
4d

We self-manage a few assets because the property management options are awful. I seriously can't believe, in some of these locations, how these property managers operate and exist. I wouldn't let them run a lemonade stand, never mind deal with tenants. For the ones I'm talking about, we use Buildium.

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  • Jeremy Greenamyre
    Member since 2020 · 14 posts · 24 votes
    6d

    Buildium. Stop by my office. I'll give you a quick tour.

    1Reply
  • G. Brian DavisPro Member
    Investor · Hatboro, PA · Member since 2016 · 3k+ posts · 879 votes
    6d

    I’d be careful before taking management back just to save the fee. The software can make things easier, but you’re still taking the tenants, maintenance and contractor calls back on yourself. If your goal is to stay more passive, I’d probably keep the PM and spend my time finding the next good investment.

    1Reply
  • Amanda Taylor
    Investor · Member since 2025 · 9 posts · 1 vote
    5d

    Joshua, congrats on getting to the point where you're ready to take it on. One thing I'd add from the money side: whatever software you pick for tenants and maintenance, decide up front where the books live. A lot of the PM platforms do rent collection well but get thin on accounting once you want a real P&L per property or have more than one entity. What's worked for me is a separate bank account for the rentals, rent landing there and nowhere else, and each property tagged so you can see which of your 4 is actually earning its keep. I do that in Xero with tracking categories (QuickBooks calls them classes), but Stessa or Baselane can get you most of the way at 4 doors. Before you give notice to your PM, ask them for a full year-to-date owner statement and copies of every invoice and the security deposit records for each unit. That makes the handoff clean and gives you a starting balance for your own books.

    1Reply
  • Jaimee LaTorra
    Property Manager · Denver, CO · Member since 2026 · 7 posts · 5 votes
    5d

    Full disclosure, I work for a prop management software company (Nomad), so I'll skip recommending a platform and just share what I'd do in your shoes! First thing: check when your leases end. Taking over right before a renewal or turnover is way easier since you'd be sending new payment instructions and switching to your own lease anyway. And read the termination section of your PM agreement, some have a notice period or a fee for tenants they placed.

    When you try out a platform set yourself up as a fake tenant and actually pay rent through it. Things to look at:

    • who eats the ACH/card fee

    • how long it takes for money to hit your account

    • if a tenant can send a maintenance request with photos without having to call you

    With 4 units already rented, rent and maintenance are most of the day-to-day. The first vacancy is where you'll spend the most time though, so look at how listing, applications and screening work too.

    +1 to Amanda's list. I'd also get tenant contact info, signed leases and whatever vendor list the PM uses.

    1Reply
  • Matthew MorrowBusiness Member
    Investor · PA - NY - NJ · Member since 2019 · 775 posts · 266 votes
    5d

    @Joshua Oakes before the software, I'd figure out the system. On our rentals, what eats the time isn't collecting rent. It's maintenance calls, coordinating contractors, and keeping the ledger straight when payments come in late or a platform holds them for a few days. Whatever you pick, make sure it does ACH with clean records, takes maintenance requests, and keeps your documentation in one place. Line up your contractors before you take over, too. Brian's point is fair: count your time, not just the fee. Hopefully it goes smoothly.

    [email protected]484-791-6200
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  • Sundeep Babbar
    Rental Property Investor · Austin · Member since 2022 · 14 posts · 4 votes
    5d

    One thing that bites in the switch is the overlap month. Send every tenant a written notice with the date rent starts going to you and how to pay, and ask the PM in writing how they'll forward any payment that still lands with them after that. Expect at least one tenant on autopay to keep paying the old portal for a cycle.

    1Reply
  • Drew SygitBusiness Member
    Property Manager · Royal Oak, MI · Member since 2012 · 13k+ posts · 9k+ votes
    5d

    If you're terminating your PMC to save money then you're probably going to be looking for a CHEAP PM software.

    So, look at RentRedi - free if you upgrade your BP membership

    [email protected]248-209-6824
    Logical Property Management4.9465 Reviews
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  • Leo SteinBusiness Member
    Property Manager · Orange County, CA · Member since 2025 · 177 posts · 41 votes
    5d

    Before comparing software, I'd list the three things you'd want it to do most (rent collection, maintenance requests, tenant messaging) and test any free trial against a real month of your own tasks. Whatever you pick, a clear written process for after-hours maintenance calls matters as much as the tool. Which of those three eats the most time for you today?

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  • Pawel Swiecki
    Accountant · Netcong, NJ · Member since 2026 · 14 posts · 6 votes
    5d

    I've been able to manage up to 6 units just fine using Zillows free tools for management, with 4 doors I think you could pull it off as well. If you don't like it, that's fine, you'll have learned specifically what you want to look for in another platform without any financial cost. I've used app folio and buildium as well so if you want to upgrade to a paid solution, both were good for me but figured no sense in paying for a service when the free one works for me.

    1Reply
  • Divin KanyamaBusiness Member
    Accountant · Seattle, WA · Member since 2025 · 535 posts · 227 votes
    4d

    @Joshua Oakes With four properties, I’d prioritize ease of use over an oversized platform. The most valuable features are usually online rent collection, tenant screening, lease storage, maintenance tracking, automated reminders, owner reporting, and clean bookkeeping exports.

    Before choosing, test a few platforms using a real property and pay attention to tenant usability, support quality, payment processing time, hidden fees, mobile access, and how easily you can export your data. Common frustrations are limited accounting tools, extra charges for key features, and difficult cancellation or migration.

    Since you plan to transition in 2027, ask your current manager now for complete leases, ledgers, deposits, inspection records, vendor contacts, and maintenance histories. Good systems and documented procedures will matter as much as the software itself.

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  • Katrine Razniak
    Member since 2021 · 1 post · 1 vote
    4d

    I like Avail - pretty straightforward to use for both me and tenants. Minimal fee if you want to speed up ACH, otherwise free.

    1Reply
  • Chris SeveneyBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Investor · VA · Member since 2015 · 21k+ posts · 19k+ votes
    4d

    We self-manage a few assets because the property management options are awful. I seriously can't believe, in some of these locations, how these property managers operate and exist. I wouldn't let them run a lemonade stand, never mind deal with tenants. For the ones I'm talking about, we use Buildium.

    7e investments53 Reviews
    WebsiteView Page
    1Reply
  • Mundo Sanchez
    Member since 2026 · 2 posts · 1 vote
    4d

    Congrats on getting there. One thing to decide before you pick software is where your books will live. Most PM platforms are great at rent collection and maintenance requests, but they get thin once you want a real P&L per property and clean numbers for your CPA.

    What's worked well is a dedicated bank account for the rentals, with all rent landing there and all expenses paid from it, and the PM software handling only tenants. When you take over from the PM, get their full ledger and the security deposit balances in writing for each tenant, so you start clean.

    For my own portfolio I ended up building my bookkeeping to be AI-first, so transactions categorize themselves and I just review them. The old way was me spending weekends in spreadsheets. At 4 doors you don't need that yet, but set it up clean now and scaling is painless.

    At 4 doors, the cheap or free tiers of most PM platforms cover you. Pick the one your tenants find easiest to pay through, since that's what drives on-time rent.

    1Reply
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