Property management software is abundant. Dozens of companies are out there vying for your business, and sifting through reviews isn’t exactly something a busy property manager has the time or the desire to do. That’s why we’ve reviewed Propertyware, so you don’t have to.
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What Is Propertyware?
To put it simply, Propertyware is a cloud-based, comprehensive property management solution that you can use on your computer, iPhone, or Android device.
It’s designed for the property managers of single-family homes or other low density, residential properties and provides managers with a set of tools to make managing rental properties a little easier.
Features include:
- Reporting
- Accounting
- Tenant screening
- Tenant portals
- Owner portals
- Marketing
- Maintenance
- Payments
- Contact centers
This software can work with a small business or a large one, but property managers that oversee 50 or more units will probably see the most benefit from it according to Propertyware.
How Propertyware Works
One of the best things about Propertyware is its ease of use – it’s so user-friendly. Once you open it up and begin to use it, it’s straightforward.
Plus, if you’re the administrator you can customize what each user sees and has access to. There are also a ton of training programs offered through Propertyware University that are all very helpful.
A few of Propertyware modules include:
- Dashboards. This allows you to create snapshots in real time of any key performance indicator or metric you want. So, if you want to see which tenants have outstanding balances at the beginning of each month, you can easily bring it up.
- Properties. This allows you to see all the information related to a specific property such as current and previous leases, marketing information, and maintenance history, among many.
- Leases. The leases inside of Propertyware aren’t simply documents, they also contain all the information for the tenant as well as a ledger specific to the tenant. This lets you access the tenant’s personal info, work orders associated with the unit, lease information, and other important things at the touch of a button.
- Money In/Money Out/Banking. These three modules inside of Propertyware make up the accounting and banking information. This is the module you access to pay vendors, update any information about vendors, pay bills, and reconcile bank statements for the management company.
- Maintenance. You can generate and track work orders and maintenance requests in this module, which even lets you create bills associated with work orders. It’s pretty handy for you and your handyman.
- Management. In the management tab, you can view the activity for the property owners. It’s kind of like the lease module, but for owners instead. You can find any and all information available to you about owners and portfolios here.
- Reports. A great property management software needs to be able to produce good reports and Propertyware does a reasonably good job here. You can track KPIs and other metrics through reports and even email them to specific owners, vendors, and staff. The reports are customizable too, but that is a function with a few limitations.
Propertyware’s Best Features
Propertyware, as we highlighted above, has a lot of features. Each of these features are standard across any property management software platform. But a few stand out from the rest. These include:
Tenant Screening
Propertyware has a customizable application that joins together with its rental listing widget that allows applicants to apply, and be screened, right through your website.
The application goes directly to Propertyware where criminal background, credit, and other screenings can be done efficiently.
Conversations
One of the best things about Propertyware is the conversations feature. This messaging function is built into the software and allows owners and tenants to communicate with the property management company (and you with them).
It then keeps all of the correspondence in one place for an instant record of communication for all parties involved.
The only caveat of this feature is that these communications can be scattered under different tabs, such as under work orders or leases, so you have to search through different parts of the software to find exactly what you need.
Templates
Propertyware allows you to create email templates in the software that everyone has access to. So, if there’s an email you find yourself sending out often, such as move in or move out information, then you can save it as a template to use in the future.
This is a huge time-saver, which is something all property managers probably feel like they need more of. When you send a template to a contact in Propertyware, it automatically logs it for your records. Another handy way to keep track of your correspondence.
Propertyware Pricing
Propertyware has a scalable and straightforward pricing structure with the availability of three different plans. The basic plan is the best value, but the upgrades unlock some features that may help you better streamline your business.
1. Basic
The basic plan starts at $1.00 per unit, per month with a $250.00 per month minimum. It includes:
- Property Management
- Global customization and reports
- Owner portals
- Marketing
- Tenant portals
- Accounting
- Payments
- Screenings
- Maintenance
- No limit on storage
- Unlimited support
- Free online training
2. Plus
The plus plan costs $1.50 per unit, per month with a $350.00 per month minimum. You get everything from the basic plan as well as:
- Inspections
- eSignature (or DocuSign)
3. Premium
The premium plan costs $2.00 per unit, per month with a $450.00 per month minimum. It gives you everything you get with the basic and plus plans as well as:
- Vendor portals
- Maintenance projects
Propertyware does offer a free 15-day trial to help you decide if it’s the right software for you.
Propertyware: Buyer Beware?
There are a few common complaints you’ll find from Propertyware users that are important to be aware of before you dive in. These include:
A Dated Interface
If you want to be transported back to the early 1990s, then Propertyware may be the property management system for you. It’s hard not to notice right off the bat that Propertyware has a dated look to it.
To go along with its look, the data on the interface isn’t always where you think it should be. In all fairness, and a deep respect for the 1990s, the clunkiness of the interface doesn’t have a crippling effect on the user’s experience.
But it’s dated look is a downside to the product. It’s one the company fully admits to and one you’ll see mentioned in many Propertyware reviews.
Updates and Improvements are Slow
Users also complain that since Propertyware was purchased in 2009 by RealPage, the innovation and improvements made to the software have slowed quite significantly. In fact, you can pay for upgrades, but the core product has changed very little since 2009.
Support Isn’t 24/7
One thing about the property management software is that when it works, it’s great, but when you need help with an issue, then the help is usually needed urgently. Some companies offer 24/7, live customer support but Propertyware isn’t one of them.
They also do not have chat support. You have to place a call to a call center or open a case with them to get assistance, making the process cumbersome. While the phone support is good, it’s simply not as good as some other products out there.
Propertyware Pros
We’re not total Debbie Downers because there are some really great things about Propertyware that should factor into your decision to get it or not. It’s:
Fully and Easily Customizable
Hands down, its easy customization is one of the Propertyware’s biggest strengths. Almost everything on the platform is customizable. If you are a big fan of tracking things (as any good property manager should be), then Propertyware sets itself apart from other products.
They do this by allowing you to create custom fields at your discretion that you can then use to generate reports and capture important data.
Basically, you can find new and exciting ways to use this product to benefit your property management business. You simply don’t find that with other software.
Open API
You can now connect Propertyware with other programs and software to share information pertinent to your business. This is a big improvement and promises some exciting things down the road.
Scalability
No matter how many properties you manage, you can’t really outgrow Propertyware. It is set up in a way that allows it to grow with you, which is a big plus.
User Review
If you really want to know how a product works in the real world, then you have to look at what real users are saying about it.
Michael D, a Propertyware user, writes on Softwareadvice.com:
Our property management company could not function without Propertyware. The custom fields option they offer allows us to record any information we want or need for our business. Plus, the system is robust enough to allow you to create reports that allow you to track just about anything you want. Their support system can be slow, but they are thorough and tenacious about getting to the bottom of any problem you’re experiencing.
Our Take
If you value simplicity, this is the platform for you. There aren’t any fancy tools and the software is straight forward and user friendly. Personally, I used Rent Manager, which has more tools than the Space Shuttle.
However, not everyone likes to push their software to the max. In fact, the in-depth tools may actually be a hindrance to your business by taking up your valuable time while learning how to use them.
If you are looking for other software options, don’t fret. Read our software guide on the best property management platforms. In this guide, we break down the top companies and their pros and cons.
Should You Use Propertyware?
Propertyware has been a constant part of many successful real estate and property management companies. While they certainly don’t offer a perfect user experience (but who does?), Propertyware is a solid product that meets the majority of your business needs.
