MRLANDLORD.COM CONSUMER REPORT -
MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE REVIEWS
This Software Survey was suggested by Aldo, one of our regular
Q & A contributors. He thought (and we agreed) that
a survey of this kind would be helpful to rental owners
like himself who are looking to purchase
a new software program.
Below are reviews from visitors to the mrlandlord.com website
regarding various software programs (to use with rental properties)
that they have tried or are familiar with. If you would like to share
your input about a property management software program,
please email, editor@mrlandlord.com. We will add your review
to future editions of this "consumer" report. In addition to any
comments about features of the program, it would also help
if you are able to provide approximate price range of the program
and where the program can be purchased
Thanks for your input.
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RE: Software Survey (by John [Ohio])
Posted on: April 16, 2001 10:54:17
Message: I use and enjoy Rent-Right. This program has a lot
of features and almost makes the paper work bearable.
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RE: Software Survey (by Brad-IN [IN])
Posted on: April 16, 2001 11:03:11
I use Quicken, but it does not have management features.
It is an accounting program. (by management, I mean
tenant data, late letters, work requests, etc.)
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RE: Software Survey (by JJ [CA])
Posted on: April 16, 2001 11:59:32
Message: I used to use a shareware program which
became "Rentalls" when written for windows. I loved it
in the DOS version, but 1.0 for windows had bugs,
so I went to RentRight.
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RE: Software Survey (by John [MI])
Posted on: April 16, 2001 16:28:41
Message: What is of importance, is the stability of the
maker of any software, how long has it been in existence,
do they have a good support program. Back in the good
old dos days, I had a program called pm500(8yrs.) it went
belly up. The consumer user base, was large enough to be
purchased by Tenant-Pro which was quite similar in its format.
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RE: Software Survey (by Sue [MI])
Posted on: April 17, 2001 13:17:54
Message: I like the Tenant File Management software
which comes free with the mrlandlord.com
gigantic subscription package.
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RE: Software Survey (by Chris Dennis [Colorado])
Posted on: April 18, 2001 14:01:46
Message: We are currently using Promas. While I like a
lot of the management features, you need a good bookkeeping
background to keep up with it. I am very interested to see
what other users think of their PM software.
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RE: Software Survey (by Keith [Colorado])
Posted on: April 18, 2001 14:16:24
Message: I use QuickBooks, which is designed for accounting,
but can automate letters to tenants with connections to later
versions of Office ('97 and later I believe). It also has a To Do list
to remind you of when new leases need to be signed, and a
diary of contacts to the tenants for documentation (e.g., "I agreed
to waive this month's late fees in light of past good performance").
You can keep track of the tenants' phone numbers, etc., too.
Quicken is inadequate. Way powerful, and easy to prepare
for taxes (I use a LLC) with integration to TurboTax for Business.
Been using it about a year, so you can probably do more than
I know about. Costs about $250.
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RE: Software Survey (by Barry [Arizona])
Posted on: April 18, 2001 15:41:19
Message: I used the old (dos) Yardi for many years
and succumbed to the upgrade urge (unfortunately).
The new Windows Yardi has peculiar (and unusable)
ASCII character sorting, misleading documentation,
mediocre search capabilities, and expensive tech support.
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RE: Software Survey (by John Brewer [WV])
Posted on: April 18, 2001 17:22:04
Message: I'd like to put in my 2 cents for Rent Right
(www.mrlandlord.com/software). It does exactly the things
that I need, including archiving of letters to tenants, provisions
for making form letters and merging tenant names into the
letters, income and expense record keeping, etc. The expense
records are sorted according to category as on the schedule E,
so tax accounting at the end of the year is a snap -- it prints out
a report of all expenses for the year for each property
arranged by category. I've been using it since '99.
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RE: Software Survey (by Bob Ferver [CA])
Posted on: April 18, 2001 17:33:07
Message: I've been using Rent-Right since their early days
several years ago, and have been very pleased with it,
especially the strong support the company provides as
they have steadily improved their product. Updates are
posted for download at the website, which also has a
free sample that can be downloaded. Rent-Right can be
purchased for varying numbers of rental units.
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RE: Software Survey (by Bill [Nebraska])
Posted on: April 18, 2001 18:15:59
Message: We currently use Quicken, however it is
woefully inadequate as we have grown (soon to be 28 units).
Some of the research I have read has highlighted Tenant Pro.
I just received a demo disk from them to try out, they seem
very willing to help etc. We plan to involve our CPA in our
decision process so that all the data can be effortlessly transferred.
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RE: Software Survey (by Smith's [KS])
Posted on: April 18, 2001 20:22:25
Message: I just purchased RentRight after looking over
several software programs. I really like it so far.
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RE: Software Survey (by Craig Bartels [Indiana])
Posted on: April 19, 2001 05:13:40
Message: I have a LLC and have found Quick Books Pro
to be of great benefit. Well, designed and easy to use.
I have never used the other programs, so may not
know what I am missing.
Craig
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RE: Software Survey (by Wayne King [GA])
Posted on: April 20, 2001 22:02:18
Message: I've been trying to find a PM pkg. for months that
might work with Quick Books, which I use for my accounting.
After reading a post on Property Boss, I went to their website
(propertyboss.com) and found that you could use it with QB.
So Bill, update your Quicken to QB Pro and try Property Boss.
I think that is what I'm going to do unless I hear something
negative from you guys. PS Price starts @ $499 for 100 units.
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RE: Software Survey (by Mike [VA])
Posted on: April 21, 2001 22:05:06
Message: I use Quicken as my rental software. I heard about
Quicken from Lori in the Chat Room on Wed. nights and since
I already had the program, I started a new account with the
address of the rental unit. I recently went to court and used
the reports to show the judge what I had spent and where
every penny went on this property. I won everything I asked for!
The reports that Quicken generate are very helpful, you can start
and stop the reports from Jan 1st. to Dec. 31 for tax purposes.
I am well satisfied with Quicken and with the information
I am learning from this web site.
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RE: Software Survey (by Reid [Ks])
Posted on: April 21, 2001 22:44:47
Message: I used "Easy Landlord for Windows " But it turned out
to be non Y2K compliant. And currently use nothing but the
"DOME Simplified monthly Bookkeeping Record"
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RE: Software Survey (by Carol [Ohio])
Posted on: April 24, 2001 09:13:45
Message: I have used Landmaster for several years,
updating to the current Promas Landmaster for Windows version
three years ago. It is specifically for property management and
has all the necessary features for recording tenant records, rents,
deposits, invoices, work orders, check printing, etc. It can print
any type of report imaginable, including end of month and end
of year financial reports. Pricing is based on number of rental units.
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RE: Software Survey (by Selina James [Virginia])
Posted on: April 26, 2001 07:22:55
Message: My company is currently looking at several of the programs
mentioned. We do strictly residential and have 3,000+ properties.
Peak seems to be a good program, but I have not actually started using it.
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RE: Software Survey (by Richard Castleberry [California])
Posted on: April 26, 2001 08:51:40
Message: There is a program called 'Pushbutton Landlording.'
Its from the same folks who publish the book 'Landlording' by
Leigh Robinson which is excellent for DIY property owners.
The largest PM in town say they use Yardi and paid $30,000.
for the program! Could they be true?
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RE: Software Survey (by Eric [Florida])
Posted on: April 27, 2001 08:35:42
Message: We made the mistake of choosing Yardi.
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RE: software (by Rebecca [Arkansas])
Posted on: May 24, 2001 12:16:35
I have found RentTracker, Rent-Right and Pushbutton Landlording.
I need something that works w/ Quicken and Pushbutton is the
only thing I have found.
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RE: property management software (by Wallace [VA])
Posted on: June 2, 2001 04:09:57
Inexpensive is the WRONG word to use when you are trusting
your client's financial accounting to a software program.
For ease AND economics, you should use the PROMAS software -
it does all of these and adds on modules as you increase
your (professional property management) business.
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RE: property management software (by Ronald [ARK])
Posted on: June 2, 2001 12:46:50
Message: Rent-Right from www.rent-right.com
(Note free demo and discount for mrlandlord.com visitors are
available if you purchase through www.mrlandlord.com/software)
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RE: property mgmt software (by Chuck [OR])
Posted on: June 1, 2001 12:18:15
For those looking for a property management software
program that runs Macintosh OS.
Steve Jobs wouldn't allow his OS to be run on anything
but Apple machines and we're all paying the price for
his big ego. Bite the bullet and buy a PC.
A definitely inferior OS, but an OS is useless
without applications s/w.
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RE: favorite prop. mgmnt. software? (by Darrell [MI])
Posted on: June 5, 2001 12:47:21
Message: Hands down - RentRight There is no other program
like it no matter what anyone tells you. It is affordable and has
features that are automated in addition to those that save you
tons of hours and labor come tax time. I still after two years
haven't taken advantage of all it has to offer. I am on their
testimonial list and would be happy to answer any of your questions.
ddeward@netzero.com Good luck!
RE: PDA Rental Software (by Susan [Colorado])
Posted on: May 31, 2001 06:05:52
Message: I am in the process of setting up an information
database for our PDAs using ThinkDB (thinkingbytes.com).
It is just a basic database program that is tailorable and
pretty easy to use. As with any software, it isn't perfect
and there are some things that I wish I could "tweak" but can't.
I manage professionally and have a lot of units, so it is a
great saver to have a handheld for each maintenance person
and manager to pull information while in the field. I looked at
a lot of different PDA databases before I settled on ThinkDB,
and I think I made the right choice. You can download a
test version from the web site.
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RE: PDA Rental Software (by Rita [MA])
Posted on: May 31, 2001 10:06:55
Message: I don't use my Palm Vx for my rentals (yet) but
I do use it to keep track of work related stuff with Excel, Word, etc.
I found a program called Documents to Go that transfers/updates
my spreadsheets and other documents to my PDA through the
HotSync and those documents are fully useable on my Palm.
We also conducted a Landlord Poll on mrlandlord.com
We asked the following question -
Of five popular software management programs,
which one has been most helpful?
ANSWERS (VOTES) FROM OUR WEBSITE VISITORS
42% A. RentRight
36% B. Tenant File
4% C. Tenant Pro
9% D. Promas
9% E. Peak Property Mgmt.
Email any comments or reviews you may have
of management software programs you have used.
We will be glad to include additional reviews in
future editions of this "informal" consumer report.
Also, please let me know if you have found this
report helpful to you in anyway. Thanks!
Email - editor@mrlandlord.com
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