Last Reviewed: November 15th, 2024

Best Rental Property Accounting Software Of 2024

What is Rental Property Accounting Software?

Rental Property Accounting Software is a specialized solution created to tackle the fiscal intricacies encountered by property managers. Its remit? To streamline complicated financial tasks, combat inaccuracies and save copious hours. Its key purpose is balancing books, enhancing financial transparency, and ensuring regulatory compliance. This software invariably brings multiple benefits, including precision, time-saving, and financial organization. Funky features ranging from accounts payable and receivable, general ledger, to bank reconciliations and financial reporting make this software worth a shot. Recent software trends are leaning towards cloud-based solutions and mobile accessibilities. The winners here? Rental property managers and real estate businesses. On the flip side, setup and training can be a touch daunting, and it might not scale well for larger businesses. Conclusively, Rental Property Accounting Software spells out precision, time-efficiency and financial good health but demands a measured approach towards its rollout.

What Are The Key Benefits of Rental Property Accounting Software?

  • Streamlined financial tasks
  • Increased fiscal precision
  • Improved financial transparency
  • Effective regulatory compliance
  • Time-saving processes
  • Manageable accounts payable
  • Efficient accounts receivable
  • Convenient general ledger
  • Easy bank reconciliations
  • Detailed financial reporting
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Overall

Based on the latest available data collected by SelectHub for 61 solutions, we determined the following solutions are the best Rental Property Accounting Software overall:

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Why We Picked AppFolio

AppFolio is an all-encompassing platform covering every aspect of property management. According to reviews, it’s an intuitive platform that localizes business processes and offers unique collaboration tools and a mobile app. Along with AI-embedded maintenance workflows, the universal search bar is one of its standout features.
However, reviews noted that it’s difficult to understand a variety of nuanced features without proper training. Also, due to no open API, businesses should be wary of their existing software stack requiring integration with the platform.
In conclusion, AppFolio is a robust management platform with various advanced features to support every kind of property. But the high cost, hit-or-miss support suite and scarce training resources can make it inconvenient for single landlords and managers with smaller portfolios.

Pros & Cons

  • Maintenance Management: 89% of users discussing this aspect said that they saved time with smart maintenance workflows.
  • Workflow Localization: According to 96% of users who reviewed this benefit, the software is feature-rich and localizes accounting, marketing and management workflows.
  • Ease of Use: It’s an intuitive platform that doesn’t require technical knowledge for beginners, as mentioned by 95% of users reviewing the user interface.
  • Collaboration: It provides an efficient centralized communication hub, according to 100% of reviews on native interactions.
  • Universal Search Bar: All the reviews on the search bar noted that it’s easy to locate documents and data throughout the organization.
  • Mobile App: Users can perform every major function remotely via the app, according to 88% of users reviewing the mobile app.
  • Integrations: It doesn’t support unique integrations with third-party software, according to 89% of reviews on backend connectivity.
  • Reporting: Reports generated through the platform lack customizations, as observed by 73% of reviews on the analytics module.
  • Accounting: Lack of automatic bank feeds and weekly recurring transactions and recording expenses without creating bills hinder smooth accounting, according to 57% of users reviewing the accounting module.
  • Customer Support: 67% of users mentioning customer support said that they were not satisfied with the support response time.

Key Features

  • Communication: Maintain a flat organization with clear communication between team members, managers, landlords and tenants. 
    • Individual Portals: Provide unique communication portals to associated parties based on their role. Tenants can pay rent, submit maintenance requests, interact with managers and view lease documents. Enables managers to communicate with multiple owners, issue work orders and send notifications and updates in bulk. Owners can track property-specific performance reports, assign tasks and transfer funds. 
    • Document Library: Maintain a centralized library of documents, leases and tenant information. Set role-based access permissions for each document. 
    • Board Member Management: Commercial property businesses can schedule board meetings, conduct polls on invoices and architectural requests, track votes and share documents and reports. 
    • Tenant Insurance: Tenants can submit proof of renter insurance or buy insurance provided by the vendor. Manage each policy and its maturity from the dashboard. 
    • Emails and Surveys: Email surveys, updates and notifications in bulk or send individually based on requirements. Offers unique surveys and text templates. 
    • Mobile App: Access the platform via any device and promote remote workflows. 
  • Accounting and Reporting: Gain visibility and make informed decisions faster. 
    •  Automate transaction recording and property-specific bookkeeping. 
    •  Offers CAM tracking and reconciling modules for commercial properties. 
    •  Use AI and machine learning to read PDF invoices from vendors, identify key information and automate accounts payable. 
    •  Leverage over 80 report templates and automate recurring report generation. Every template is customizable and updated frequently. 
    •  Customize the dashboard with real-time data visualizations and receive AI-driven performance insights. 
    •  Supports integration with personal banks and digital wallets to unify renting, accounting and reporting workflows. 
    •  Customize late fee processes. Set personalized rules in bulk or case-by-case waivers. 
    •  Manage multiple tenant accounts, track lease lifecycle and refund deposits directly from escrow. 
  • Marketing and Leasing: Generate leads, schedule showings, design leases and screen prospects from the dashboard. 
    • AI Leasing Assistant: Use an AI chatbot to automate property showing appointments, qualify leads according to set parameters, cross-sell units and answer FAQs. Respond to customer queries 24/7 through texts or emails. 
    • Omnichannel Marketing: Syndicate portfolio on multiple internet listing services (ILS) and manage every listing from the dashboard. Get real-time notifications upon each engagement and generate custom guest cards to track prospects. 
    • Personal Website: Design a personalized website with brand color and logo for portfolio marketing. Available at an extra cost. 
    • Rent Analysis: Retain a competitive edge by comparing rental prices of neighboring units to determine the best price for marketed properties. 
    • Virtual Showings: Accommodate prospects’ needs by scheduling and running live virtual tours of listed properties. Supports integrations with PropTech like smart locks and HVACs to facilitate self-guided property tours by prospects. 
    • Vacancy Management: Consolidate vacancy postings and tasks, view current status, and market units on multiple ILS from the unified dashboard. 
    • Tenant Screening: Screen every applicant’s credit score, eviction history, income verification and criminal record via TransUnion. Property managers can either pay for the reports or charge applicants. 
    • Leasing Hub: Design custom leases with personalized clauses and allow applicants to eSign them from anywhere. Track every lease lifecycle and set defaults for automatically updating lease dates, rent structures and statuses upon expiration. 
    • Student Housing: Supports lease and tenant management based on beds occupied. 
  • Maintenance: Streamline maintenance processes with AI and intelligent workflows. 
    • Smart Maintenance: Use the mobile app to receive maintenance requests, issue work orders and track progress. Set default rules to automatically dispatch pre-approved vendors. Accurately calculate the shared fee for common area maintenance and send invoices to renters. 
    • Vendor Onboarding: Vendors can access the platform, receive work orders, share status and send invoices. Automate bills payable and maintain records of work done for a clear audit trail. 
    • Utility Management: Track and charge each renter based on actual consumption and automate utility invoice processing. Use analytics to identify and fix leaks. 
    • Mobile Inspections: Perform mobile inspections, log issues and expedite turnovers. 
    • Auditing Center: View an itemized history of every activity and track changes made by team members and vendors. Use unique filters to identify and correct mistakes quickly. 
    • 24/7 Maintenance Contact Center: Deal with tenant calls, dispatch pre-approved vendors and input data directly to the user database. 
  • Team Management: Onboard unlimited team members, define role-based access levels and manage each person’s workflow. 
    • Training: Embed training manuals into the software to onboard new hires more easily. Centralize policies and procedures to ensure associates follow protocols while performing tasks. 
    • Task Management: Set tasks, assign staff and monitor progress with an interactive calendar. Team members can share tasks and customize workflows. 
    • Universal Search: Use the search bar to quickly navigate and find documents, records or data. 
  • Integrations: Supports integrations with personal marketing websites and third-party applications, including BlueMoon, CodeBox, Engrain, MatterPort and CIT. 
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Why We Picked Avail

Avail helps property managers and landlords market, maintain and manage their properties. Reviews state it’s an all-in-one solution ideal for smaller portfolios. Users have identified the lease template library, omnichannel marketing suite and responsive customer support as the standout features.
However, users have noted that it lacks any accounting capabilities and requires third-party apps for these tasks. Plus, the user interface is challenging to understand for beginners. The free starter plan is a good way to get a feel for the platform before deciding whether to choose the paid version.

Pros & Cons

  • Lease Templates Library: It’s easy to generate custom leases using the state-specific lease templates, according to 84% of users talking about digital leases.
  • Customer Support: Over 92% of users who reviewed support said they were satisfied with the vendor’s response time and quality.
  • Deployment: About 78% of users mentioning onboarding and implementation said it’s easy to deploy and integrate the solution with current workflows.
  • Marketing: It helps manage listings on multiple channels from a single dashboard, according to 100% of reviews on the marketing suite.
  • Tenant Experience: It enhances overall tenant experience through customizable individual profiles, according to 88% of reviews mentioning this element.
  • Prospect Screening: Around 89% of users reviewing the screening process said they were satisfied with the in-depth capabilities offered.
  • Accounting: Lacks accounting features and integrations, according to 92% of users talking about this feature.
  • User Interface: The user interface isn’t intuitive and involves a steep learning curve, according to 75% of reviews mentioning the UI.

Key Features

  • Automatic Listing: Create customized listings and automatically post them on various property listing websites. Leverages partnerships with industry-leading property websites, including Trulia, Zillow, Doorsteps.com, HotPads and more. 
  • Rent Analysis: Determine optimum rent for specific properties via rental analysis through collaboration with RentRange. Compare rent and other data with competing listings relevant to user portfolios. 
  • Customizable Digital Lease: Draft property leases with specific clauses, rules and attachments using state-specific lease templates tailored to comply with various laws and regulations. Invite tenants to e-sign documents and communicate with them from the online portal. 
  • Marketing Website: Create a personalized marketing website through which prospective tenants can view rental properties and apply for listings. 
  • Online Rent Payments: Save time and hassle with its automatic online rent collection system that handles payments, rent reminders, receipts and reporting. Renters can pay rent online at their convenience from any device and via checking and savings accounts, credit cards and debit cards, as well as set up monthly recurring payments via Autopay. Direct deposits rent payments into landlords’ bank accounts in approximately two business days; cut payment processing time and receive next-day payments with FastPay, available for landlords on a premium plan. 
  • Rental Application: Choose information to receive on rental applications based on customizable templates. The standard application contains screening questions on smoking, bankruptcies, felonies, evictions and more. Custom questions are available through the Unlimited Plus Plan. Applications are free for both tenants and landlords. 
  • Tenant Screening: Screen tenants through a partnership with TransUnion. Choose which tests to require, with options including background checks, credit score checks and a National Eviction Records search. Applicants can pay for their background checks directly. Reports don’t hurt their credit scores and can be reused on unlimited applications within 90 days. 
  • Maintenance Tickets: Plan and schedule maintenance activities while maintaining an open line of communication between all parties. Keep track of expenses, materials used and work status. Tenants can submit and track requests online, with the ability to upload pictures and videos as necessary.  
  • Integrations: Integration with CreditBoost helps boost tenants’ credit scores through timely payments, while the Lemonade integration provides renter’s insurance quotes and options. 
Start Price
$55
Monthly
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Why We Picked Buildium

Buildium helps property owners and managers digitize and streamline every property management workflow. Users prefer the solution because of its end-to-end property management features, ease of use and responsive support suite. Reviewers also mention that residents are fond of the platform’s mobility and prefer paying rent and issuing maintenance requests digitally.
However, reviews note that the platform is mainly built for residential properties and lacks nuanced features like complicated lease structures, automatic utility tracking, in-depth CC&R and violation tracking for commercial, student and community properties. Users also have to manually match transactions to bank entries and can’t issue work orders automatically. Considering everything, buildium can get confusing for larger portfolios but is perfect for single landlords and managers to organize and monitor operations from a unified dashboard.

Pros & Cons

  • End-to-End Software: Buildium is a comprehensive solution that can handle marketing, leasing, maintenance and management workflows of a property management business, according to 88% of users reviewing its features
  • Accounting: It offers robust and intuitive accounting features, according to 90% of reviews on this aspect.
  • Resident Experience: All the users who mentioned this element said that the software enhances overall tenant experience via individual communication portals, digital work orders and electronic rent payment.
  • Intuitive Interface: It has a simple and easy-to-use user interface, according to 80% of reviews on this aspect.
  • Customer Support: According to 90% of users who reviewed support services, the vendor offers responsive and agile customer support.
  • Commercial Property Management: The software lacks nuanced features for commercial property management, according to 100% reviews on this aspect.
  • Leasing: Insufficient in-depth leasing customizations are an issue, according to 85% of users who reviewed this element.
  • Automation: Accounting and maintenance management, according to 100% of reviews on this element.

Key Features

  • Accounting: Track and share owner, vendor and residential accounts and maintain accurate books. 
    • Property Accounting: Record transactions, convert work orders into bills and pay in bulk, automate bank reconciliations, identify discrepancies, and share customized reports. 
    • Company Financials: Capture financial overviews by tracking property-specific transactions alongside miscellaneous income and expenses. 
    • Online Payments: Accept rent, set up recurring transactions, pay bills and automate bookkeeping. Residents can add bank accounts or credit cards through individual portals. 
    • Retail Cash Payments: Leverage partnership with PayNearMe to allow residents to pay rent, dues and other fees in cash at multiple convenience stores like 7-Eleven, Casey’s General Store and more. Automatically update payments on respective ledgers and deposit them into bank accounts within a week. 
    • 1099 eFiling: E-file 1099-MISCs and 1099-NECs forms, mail paper copies to owners and vendors, and automate tax calculation based on year-round incomes. 
  • Business Operations: Streamline communication with owners, vendors and residents from a centralized platform. 
    • Resident Center: Residents can pay rent, set up recurring payments, submit maintenance requests coupled with photos and access important documents via mobile-responsive portals. Offers an announcement board to highlight updates, notifications and alerts from managers. 
    • Owner Portal: Owners can access property-specific financial documents and reports. Managers can control access levels for each owner portal. 
    • Document Storage: Securely store property-related documents, including leases, addendums, expense reports, vendor invoices and more and share with a few clicks. Offers unlimited storage space. 
    • Maintenance Tracking: Track maintenance requests, create work orders, assign preferred vendors and automate recurring maintenance activities. 
    • Property Inspection: Perform inspections on the go using an app powered by Happy Inspector. Choose from several templates to customize reports. Make a to-do list, take notes, and capture pictures and videos. 
    • Renters Insurance: Provide tenants with a fully integrated renter’s insurance solution powered by MSI. Document enrollment information and manage each policy till maturity from the dashboard. 
    • Analytics: Monitor real-time data visualizations, customize reports, compare data with localized industry benchmarks and share analysis with clients and board members. 
  • Marketing and Leasing: Increase digital visibility of the entire portfolio, shortlist suitable prospects and design custom leases. 
    • Rental Listings: Create and syndicate custom property listings on multiple channels, including Apartment List, HotPads, Lovely, MyNewPlace, Trulia, Zillow and Yahoo. 
    • Professional Website: Own and design a personalized property website for prospects to apply for listings. Upload important documents like residents rulebook, floor plans and model leases to create a secure self-service hub for prospects, tenants and owners. 
    • Rental Applications: Choose the best applicants based on personalized parameters through a customizable online rental application form that integrates with the website. Accept any related application fees online. 
    • Showings Coordinator: Leverage the module powered by TenantTurner to automate tour schedules according to set rules. Communicate with prospects via email, texts and SMS. 
    • Tenant Screening: Set custom credit score requirements, run background checks and receive credit score information from TransUnion. 
    • Leasing: Design custom lease templates and autofill data to expedite the process. Prospective tenants can digitally sign documents from remote locations. 
  • Homeowner Association Management: Log, track and report property violations remotely. Automate penalties and consequent bookkeeping. Offers a unified inbox for communication among board members, homeowners and vendors. 
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Why We Picked Propertyware

Propertyware is a robust platform that helps managers and landlords streamline marketing, maintenance, management and accounting workflows. Reviews identify a responsive customer support team, flexible interface and comprehensive reporting suite as the main reasons for the platform’s popularity.
However, due to the variety of features offered and inadequate training material available, implementing and understanding the software can be time-consuming. Given that, we advise small and medium businesses to tailor the software according to their needs and remove any extra features to avoid complexity.

Pros & Cons

  • Complete Package: Propertyware is an all-in-one solution that can handle every aspect of property management, according to 83% of reviews mentioning this element.
  • Customer Support: According to 100% of users who reviewed the support suite, the support team is helpful and responsive.
  • Customizable: It’s a flexible platform that can fit the needs of every type and scale of property management businesses, according to 72% of reviews on customization.
  • Reporting: It’s easy to design unique reports with business-specific metrics, according to 83% of reviews on data visualization.
  • Complexity: The platform has a steep learning curve due to the variety of features offered, according to 74% of reviews on ease of usage.
  • Training Resource: Propertyware lacks adequate training material for beginners, according to 81% of users reviewing this aspect.

Key Features

  • Marketing and Leasing: Integrated marketing and leasing modules ensure smooth data flow throughout the cycle, eliminating manual data entry and reducing lost leads. 
    • Branded Website: Design mobile-optimized websites with business color and logo for showcasing units. Provides a library of customizable templates. 
    • Listing Widget: Create brand-consistent property listings, offer search and filter features to customers based on leasing terms, and provide portals for applications. The widget functions on native websites, and there’s a code for usage on external listing channels. 
    • Lead Tracking: Track each prospect from lead generation to lease signing. Offers guest card information, CRM, customizable reports and dashboards, and more. 
    • Application Portal: Applicants can provide address validation and add co-applicants, guarantors and others to ensure data accuracy. Offers unique views, reports and dashboards to get real-time data into each applicant’s journey. Applicants can add themselves to waitlists and save and continue later with an application. 
    • AI-Powered Tenant Screening: Screen prospective tenants using an AI-based algorithm. Check tenants’ rent payment history, criminal background, credit score, monthly income-to-rent ratio and other factors to determine their ability and willingness to pay rent. 
    • Leasing Hub: Create templates for commonly used documents like work orders, leases, invoice approvals and more. Applicants can remotely eSign documents. Store unlimited files and use the search bar to find required ones quickly. 
  • Online Payment: Collect rent online through electronic bank transfers and credit and debit cards. Tenants can pay via cash at convenience stores like Walmart or create cash payment vouchers on mobile devices. 
  • Role-Based Portals: Owners and residents can use mobile-optimized portals to access property-related documents, pay and receive rent and other fees, issue maintenance requests with multimedia proof, and communicate with managers. 
  • Chat: Send DMs, group messages and emojis. Maintain a record of every interaction with tenants and owners for compliance. 
  • Maintenance Management: Get updates on every maintenance activity, log issues and perform inspections from the platform. 
    • Work Orders: Standardize recurring maintenance tasks and pricing. Call center specialists can dispatch pre-approved vendors to quickly resolve issues. Store work orders, track progress, work with multiple vendors and automate accounts payable. 
    • Mobile Inspections: Camera mode aids property inspections, additionally, customize reports, compare past inspections and share evaluations with owners and tenants. 
    • AssetProtect Program: Property owners and managers can choose insurance plans to protect rental assets, drive ancillary revenue and maximize insurance compliance. 
    • Utility Management: Avoid late fees on utility bills with a seamless billing and collection process powered by SimpleBills. Simplify utility management to improve net operating income, reduce costs and turnaround time, and ensure quick move-ins. Available for single-family properties only. 
    • Vendor Credentialing: Reduce compliance risks by choosing from over 135,000 pre-verified vendors. Obtain critical information from multiple sources to ensure a complete audit trail. 
  • Accounting: Leverage QuickBooks integration to save time and reduce hassle. Record company financials, maintain general ledgers, manage and track bills, collect markup for bills, and track discrepancies using automatic bank reconciliation services. 
  • Multi-Location Management: Manage properties from different locations, create standardization across every unit and consolidate reporting to measure performance and other key metrics from a single dashboard. 
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Why We Picked RealPage

RealPage has emerged as a prominent contender, offering a suite of features designed to streamline operations for property managers of all sizes. Let's delve into the feedback from users over the past year to uncover the strengths and weaknesses of this platform and determine if it aligns with your unique requirements.

RealPage has received accolades for its user-friendly interface and comprehensive functionality. Users appreciate the ability to efficiently manage rent collection, maintenance requests, tenant communication, and financial reporting all within a single platform. The software's automation capabilities have been particularly well-received, as they save property managers valuable time and effort. However, some users have expressed concerns about the software's pricing structure, finding it to be relatively expensive compared to some competitors. Additionally, a few users have noted that the software's customization options could be more robust, limiting their ability to tailor the platform to their specific workflows.

RealPage distinguishes itself through its extensive range of features and its focus on providing data-driven insights. The platform's analytics tools empower property managers to make informed decisions based on real-time data, optimizing property performance and maximizing revenue. Furthermore, RealPage's integration with various third-party applications enhances its versatility and adaptability. Considering its comprehensive feature set and data-driven approach, RealPage is best suited for property management companies seeking a robust and scalable solution to manage their portfolios effectively. It is particularly well-suited for larger organizations with complex operations that require advanced analytics and automation capabilities.

Pros & Cons

  • Centralized Communication Hub: RealPage serves as a central hub for resident communication, maintenance requests, and online rent payments, streamlining property management operations.
  • Accounting Features: The platform offers robust accounting tools, including accounts payable and receivable management, budgeting, and financial reporting, simplifying financial management for property managers.
  • Marketing and Leasing Tools: RealPage provides tools to create and manage property listings, screen tenants, and process lease applications, aiding in attracting and securing new residents.
  • Maintenance Management: The platform facilitates efficient maintenance management by allowing residents to submit requests online, tracking work orders, and managing vendor relationships.
  • Reporting and Analytics: RealPage offers comprehensive reporting and analytics capabilities, providing insights into property performance, resident trends, and financial metrics to support data-driven decision-making.
  • Customer Service: Users frequently report challenges in getting timely and effective support from RealPage's customer service team. This can lead to frustration when encountering technical issues or needing assistance with the platform's features.
  • Usability: The platform's interface can be complex and challenging to navigate, especially for new users. This complexity can lead to a steep learning curve and hinder efficient use of the software's capabilities.
  • Cost: RealPage's pricing structure can be a significant concern for property management companies, particularly smaller businesses or those with tighter budgets. The cost of the software may outweigh its perceived benefits for some users.
  • Integrations: Integrating RealPage with other software systems can be a complex process, potentially requiring additional development work or custom solutions. This can create challenges for property management companies that rely on multiple software platforms to manage their operations.

Key Features

  • GoDirect Marketing: Drive qualified traffic directly to personal property websites instead of indirect leads generated from internet listing services. Optimize marketing strategies and unify customers’ online journey. 
  • Digital Content Services: Increase engagement and drive online traffic with quality digital content. Streamline marketing efforts with centralized storage, manage media from the dashboard, and review and analyze data to elevate online visibility. Some of the unique content creation tools available are: 
    • Video Call Tours: Remote leasing agents can conduct virtual property tours with interactive walkthroughs and professional photography. Prospects can schedule tours on demand. 
    • Matterport Tour: Provide an interactive VR tour of high-definition photographs of up to 20 locations within a unit, including click points containing unique information. 
    • 3D Virtual Tour: Create an animated virtual tour from the property’s 2D or 3D floor plan; viewers can take control of their tours from inside the unit. 
    • Storybooks Digital Brochure: Arrange a mix of photographs, graphics and music to highlight the property’s best amenities. 
    • Lifestyle Video: Include premium quality videos shot on location with professional filming techniques. 
    • Drone Video: Offer a high-definition aerial view video with stunning visuals, providing a broader perspective of the location.  
    • Copy Service: Hire professional writers and editors to produce customized blogs, articles and listings to attract target demographics. 
  • Contact Center 3.0: Leverage an AI-backed 24/7 augmented solution to maximize conversions through on-time information delivery. Manage sales calls, leasing queries and maintenance requests. 
  • Personalized Website: Design professional websites and create unique touch points between the brand and renters with assistance from marketing reps. Increase engagement with mobile-friendly website templates. 
  • Leads to Lease: Make informed business decisions by tracking leads and integrating marketing data with revenue data. Draft customizable e-leases with personalized terms and clauses, and renew leases with new additions. 
  • Deposit Alternatives: Tackle bad debts and avoid losing leads due to requiring a high security deposit upfront. 
    • Deposit Insurance: Generate ancillary revenue; instead of paying a hefty security deposit, residents can set up an affordable and non-refundable monthly premium payment. 
    • DepositIQ: An upfront, non-refundable surety bond that ensures lease obligations, can be used in place of a hefty security deposit. 
  • Insurance Solutions: Mitigate risks for both residents and landlords, and enhance revenue with these unique and customizable solutions: 
    • Renter’s Insurance: eRenterPlan offers residents comprehensive insurance coverage of rental and personal assets. Optional RenterProtection provides coverage for vacant units or uninsured residents. 
    • AssetProtect: Offers property owners and managers an insurance program that protects rental assets, drives ancillary revenue and maximizes compliance. 
  • AI Screening: Access the industry’s largest rental payment database, screen for criminal background information and perform credit checks through top credit reporting bureaus. Verify identities and detect fraudulent applications using machine learning, equipped with behavioral data. 
  • Building Operations: Residents get keyless smart access to every door, use popular third-party applications for smart apartments and leverage high-speed internet access through the CommunityConnect integration. They can also submit maintenance requests with multimedia attachments to substantiate their claims. 
  • Payment Portal: Accept payments for rent, bills and other expenses through check, money order, credit and debit cards online. Integration with LockBox allows residents to mail checks to designated P.O. boxes. From there, checks are scanned, converted into digital transactions and routed to the owner’s account. 
  • Vendor Credentialing: Reduce liability and increase visibility by choosing pre-verified vendors who meet personal compliance requirements. The Credential Key Program thoroughly assesses each vendor’s background, success metrics and insurance and liability coverage to clear those eligible for same-day approval. 
  • Utility Management: Increase efficiency through a platform for billing ancillary costs. Manage and track property energy consumption and reduce waste. The submetering feature allocates utility costs among residents based on actual consumption. Reduce expenses through automatic cost allocation and avoid deploying on-site staff. 
  • Community Rewards: Offer residents digital reward points for engagement with the property?— from surveys and contests to online bill payments, renewals and more. Encourage engagement to increase loyalty and online reputation assessment scores, which helps cut lead tracking expenditure and cost-per-lease. 
  • Accounting Suite: Automate data entry, streamline workflows, record company financials, maintain general ledgers and manage and track bills. Outsource tasks to the SmartSource accounting team instead of staffing and training new accountants. 
  • Analytics: Gain critical insights into performance, track risks and opportunities, and maximize profitability. Optimize pricing through accurate demand and supply balance management. Receive detailed analysis of revenue management and market conditions. 
Start Price
$15.60
Monthly
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Why We Picked Tenant Cloud

TenantCloud is an all-in-one solution that can handle unit marketing on multiple ILS, screening and leasing prospects, maintenance work orders, online payment and reporting. Reviews identified its templates library, mobile apps and training material as noteworthy features.

However, it’s suited only for residential properties. The vendor doesn’t provide advanced features like intelligent automation, trust accounting and smart maintenance offered by competitors at the same price range as TenantCloud’s premium plan. It’s a good option for single landlords and small property managers but can bog down operations for businesses with more than 30 units.

Pros & Cons

  • Pricing: It offers a free starter plan, and the paid plans are economical compared to competitors, according to 81% of reviews on product pricing.
  • All-in-One Property Management: According to 93% of reviews on this aspect, the platform can handle every facet of property management and helps consolidate diverse operations.
  • Templates Library: Offers a rich templates library for emails, leases and other documents, according to 70% of reviews on templates.
  • Mobility: 89% of customers discussing this aspect said it’s easy for management and residents to access the platform via mobile apps.
  • Training: The vendor offers useful how-to guides and step-by-step tutorials, according to 82% of reviews on the knowledge base.
  • Unintuitive UI: It’s difficult to navigate chat notifications, application alerts and more, according to 65% of reviews on user experience.
  • Mixed Portfolio: All the reviews on this element mentioned that it lacks features for managing commercial properties and homeowner’s associations.
  • Automation: It doesn’t provide automation in key areas like double-entry accounting, invoice reading, autofills, assigning vendors for recurring tasks and more, according to 90% of reviews on this feature.

Key Features

  • Online Payment: Collect rent via online payment as well as credit and debit cards. Motivate tenants to pay rent on time by setting up late fees, as well as grace periods. Tenants can opt for recurring payments via auto pay. 
  • Accounting: Store, sort and retrieve all property transactions, balances, invoices and receipts. Track deposits, credit refunds and maintenance charges. Export data whenever required and maintain professional financial records. 
  • Maintenance Requests: Submit and schedule maintenance requests. Keep track of expenses, materials used and work status. Tenants can attach pictures and videos to their requests to better explain their problems. 
  • Rental Application: Share listings online, choose required documents and receive applications and fees directly. View prospective tenants using built-in lead tracking tools and invite them to apply. 
  • Online Leases: Create property lease and rental agreements with a few clicks and invite tenants to e-sign documents., Customize and renew documents with new tenant additions. Save time in designing lease agreements with pre-loaded, customizable templates. 
  • Tenant Screening: Run tenant screening tests directly on demand through partnership with TransUnion. A screening report contains a background check, credit score check and National Eviction Records search. 
  • On-Demand Reports: Generate comprehensive reports — add or remove different metrics and filters to access specific insights as needed. 
  • Mobility: Compatible with desktops and laptops; also available for both Android and iOS mobile devices. 
Start Price
$45
Monthly
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Why We Picked Rentec Direct

Stepping into the realm of property management software, Rentec Direct emerges as a prominent contender, capturing the attention of landlords and property managers seeking efficient solutions. User feedback from the past year sheds light on the platform's strengths, weaknesses, and unique attributes, painting a comprehensive picture of its capabilities and suitability for various needs.

Rentec Direct receives consistent praise for its user-friendly interface and comprehensive suite of features. The platform simplifies tasks such as rent collection, tenant screening, maintenance requests, and lease management, streamlining operations for property management professionals. Users appreciate the affordability of Rentec Direct, especially when compared to competitors like AppFolio and Buildium, which often come with higher price tags. However, some users have expressed concerns regarding the responsiveness of customer support, highlighting the need for improvement in this area. The ability to access the software from any device with an internet connection is a significant advantage, providing flexibility and convenience for users on the go.

Rentec Direct caters to a diverse range of property management needs, making it suitable for both individual landlords and larger property management companies. Its scalability and affordability make it an attractive option for those starting or expanding their portfolios. The platform's comprehensive feature set ensures that users have the tools necessary to manage their properties effectively, from tenant communication to financial tracking. While Rentec Direct may not be the perfect fit for every user, its combination of affordability, user-friendliness, and comprehensive features positions it as a valuable tool for those seeking to optimize their property management processes.

Pros & Cons

  • Tenant Portal: Tenants can pay rent and submit maintenance requests online, which can save property managers time and hassle.
  • QuickBooks Integration: Rentec Direct can be integrated with QuickBooks, which can make accounting easier for property managers.
  • Good Customer Support: Many users report that Rentec Direct has good customer support, which can be helpful if property managers have any questions or problems.
  • Customizable: Rentec Direct is customizable, so property managers can tailor it to their specific needs.
  • Mobile App: Rentec Direct has a mobile app, which can be convenient for property managers who are on the go.
  • Limited Accounting Features: The platform lacks robust accounting functionalities, such as generating a balance sheet or tracking depreciation, which are essential for comprehensive financial management.
  • Customer Support Challenges: Obtaining timely and effective assistance from Rentec Direct's customer support can be difficult, leading to frustration and delays in resolving issues.
  • Mobile App Limitations: The mobile app's functionality is restricted compared to the web version, hindering on-the-go property management tasks.

Key Features

  • Property Marketing: Fill up vacancies faster, increase inventory visibility and boost occupancy rate with marketing tools: 
    • Customizable Listings: Create personalized listings mentioning amenities and rules and regulations, and automatically syndicate them on industry-leading listing websites like Trulia, Zillow, HotPads and more. 
    • Personal Website: Build a custom website to showcase listings and accept online applications and fees. Customize the website with HTML or CSS coding to promote the brand and company. Free web hosting on vendor servers is included with the Pro and PM plans.
    • Lead Tracking: Track leads and automatically match prospective tenants with vacant units based on their interests and rental preferences. Tenants can save their preferences and get email notifications about suitable vacant properties. 
  • Rental Applications: Choose the best applicants based on personalized parameters with a customizable online rental application form. Accept applications and screening fees online. Store applicants’ data online and notify them upon selection. 
  • Tenant Screening: Identify the best applicants through screening for various parameters like background check, minimum credit score, national eviction searches, SSN validation and more. 
  • E-leasing: Create and store unlimited custom leases with specific clauses and obligations; invite renters to sign them virtually. 
  • Property Maintenance: Receive maintenance requests and assign work orders. Residents automatically receive email notifications upon work completion. Conduct virtual property inspections with the mobile application, powered by ZInspector. 
  • Online Portals: Save time and reduce confusion with a single platform for communication between property managers, owners and residents. The individual portals offer a few extra benefits: 
    • Tenant Portal: Residents can pay rent and ancillary charges, view statements, purchase insurance and submit maintenance requests. They can also receive announcements and notifications via this portal. 
    • Owner Portal: Owners can track property performance, occupancy rates, cash flows and notices. Download statements and reports. 
  • Payment: Receive and pay rent via online bank transfers, credit or debit cards or eChecks. Residents can also directly pay rent via cash by depositing the money at any of the 20,000 cash payment locations provided. They can also set up monthly recurring payment schedules. 
  • Accounting: Review, edit and print ledgers for every property, owner and bank account managed. Electronically file 1099-MISC tax forms with assistance from Nelco Solutions. Save time and reduce human error by automating double or triple entries through the QuickBooks integration. 
  • Reporting: Quickly view, analyze and drill down on specific items with a robust reporting system. Email, print or export reports as PDF or Excel files. 
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Why We Picked Rent Manager

Rent Manager garners mixed reviews from property managers. Users praise its ability to streamline operations, automate tasks, and provide robust reporting and analytics for informed decision-making. The online tenant portal enhances communication and resident satisfaction by facilitating rent payments, maintenance requests and communication.

However, the platform faces criticism for its steep learning curve and complexity, particularly for users new to property management software.

Ultimately, the decision to choose Rent Manager depends on individual needs and priorities. It’s a top solution for rent collection, automation, marketing and accounting. However, if user-friendliness and a robust mobile app are high on your requirements list, you’d be better off considering alternative options.

Pros & Cons

  • Robust reporting & analytics: Users appreciate the detailed reports on income, expenses, vacancies and tenant data, enabling data-driven decision-making for improved property management.
  • Streamlined operations & automation: Automating tasks like rent collection, maintenance requests and accounting saves time and effort, freeing managers to focus on strategic tasks.
  • Improved tenant communication: The online tenant portal facilitates easy rent payments, maintenance requests and communication, enhancing resident satisfaction and reducing the communication burden.
  • Marketing & advertising tools: Simplifying advertising vacant units and attracting new tenants through online listings and marketing automation saves time and effort, potentially increasing occupancy rates.
  • Scalability & adaptability: Rent Manager caters to various property sizes and types, offering flexible plans and features that adapt to growing needs.
  • Learning curve & complexity: The interface can be challenging for beginners, requiring significant time and effort to learn and navigate effectively, especially for those unfamiliar with property management software.
  • Pricing concerns: Additional fees beyond the monthly subscription can add up, making it potentially more expensive than competitors for certain users, especially those with smaller property portfolios or limited budgets.

Key Features

  • Marketing: Fill vacancies faster with the following strategic and automated marketing tools: 
    • Prospect Manager: Create branded application portals and allow prospects to apply for tenancy. The system helps you compare prospects and send personalized direct messages and unit letters. 
    • Website Development: Connect the system to an existing website or design a new one from scratch using customizable templates. Alternatively, get assistance from the rmWebPro team for advanced website building. 
    • Guest Cards: Prospects can answer personalized questions while browsing the site and fill out tailored cards. Automatically generate potential client profiles and store them in the database. 
    • Automatic Listing Syndication: Increase inventory visibility by pushing units and property information onto various popular ILS. The system automatically updates ILS postings for every database update. 
  • Tenant Screening: Choose the most suitable tenant by screening the income history, accumulated debt, and criminal and eviction history of each applicant. 
  • Leasing: Digitize the leasing and renewal processes, eliminating the hassle of handling paperwork. Create custom leases with personalized clauses and have clients sign them electronically. 
  • Communication: Interact with employees, owners and renters via VOIP phone calls, custom text messages, voicemail broadcasts and web chat. Offer 24/7 comprehensive maintenance support via its call center, powered by Anequim. 
  • Mobile App: Communicate with renters, owners and managers, receive rental payments, submit inspection reports to maintenance techs and issue work orders. Address rule violations and bill residents for utilities from any Android or iOS device. 
  • Payments: Accept payments in cash, credit and debit cards, check scans, and ACH transfers. The system automatically updates concerned ledgers after every transaction. 
  • Project Management: Customize workflows and automate recurring tasks and data entry. Track and manage inventory to update status and quantities in real-time. Reduce turnover periods for units by creating task lists via Make Ready boards. Delegate duties to associates and receive notifications upon completion. 
  • Property Management: Perform inspections and issue service orders. Track task progress and automate work orders for recurring maintenance activities. Simplify payables by integrating billable expenses into work orders and delegating chargeback costs to owners or tenants at a markup. 
  • Prospect and Tenant Portals: Create branded portals to accept applications and guide prospects through the screening and leasing process. Tenants get unique portals to manage important documents, pay rent, track utility consumption and request maintenance. 
  • Reporting: Gain actionable insights to make informed decisions with over 450 built-in state-specific reports. Alternatively, use drag-and-drop tools to craft personalized reports tracking custom metrics. Define rules to automate timely report generation and sharing with owners or team members. 
  • Accounting: Record company financials, maintain a general ledger, automate receivable and payable entries, manage and track bills, and create budgets using intuitive accounting tools. The system automatically imports bank statements along with reconciliation statements to avoid cross-checking and eliminate errors. 
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Key Features

  • Zego Pay: Offer multiple payment options, including debit and credit cards, e-checks, digital wallets, check scan and cash. Collect rent into a single account irrespective of payment mode, and simplify reconciliation by collecting rent into multiple bank accounts. Residents can automate the rent payment cycle and set reminders. 
  • Zego Utility: Maximize utility expense recovery and boost operational efficiency by automating invoice auditing, accounts payable and resident billing, and creating intelligent workflows. With individualized billing and submetering, charge residents based on their actual utility consumption. Save time, avoid billing errors, monitor theft and get notified about delinquency within a day. 
  • Mobile Doorman: A customizable app for Android and iOS helps residents pay rent and utility bills, submit maintenance requests, communicate with on-site staff, receive notifications, allow guests entry, submit reservation requests and connect with communities, owners or managers. 
  • Zego Smart: Connect residents to their smart homes and manage their experience from a single platform. Stay competitive by providing a package of smart-apartment devices and property-wide WiFi. Expedite the unit turnover process by enabling self-guided tours and digitizing access keys. 
  • Integrations: Save time and streamline workflows through integrations with popular apps such as Yardi, MRI, Rent Manager, ResMan, CoreLogic, 365 Connect and more. 
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Why We Picked Entrata

Entrata helps property managers handle every business operation, including accounting, marketing, leasing and reporting. Reviews noted that the intuitive interface closely mimics popular social network interfaces, enabling users to use the platform with minimal technical knowledge. Another standout feature is the student housing management module, which allows leasing-by-the-bed and bulk unit assignments to shuffle roommates easily.
However, reviews noted that it doesn’t provide a native email inbox and redirects users to external Microsoft Outlook servers through email notifications. In-depth user-based access role customizations are unavailable, and the platform lacks an itemized record of tracked changes. In conclusion, Entrata can be less effective for large enterprises but is suitable for property managers with small to medium portfolios.

Pros & Cons

  • User-Friendly Interface: Entrata is designed with an intuitive interface that's easy to navigate, making it simple for users to adopt and utilize its features effectively.
  • Comprehensive Feature Set: The software provides a wide array of tools covering essential property management tasks, from handling leases and maintenance requests to generating financial reports, all within a single platform.
  • Seamless Integrations: Entrata offers an open API and supports integrations with various third-party systems, allowing businesses to streamline operations and connect their existing software solutions.
  • Efficient Communication Tools: The platform facilitates clear and efficient communication channels between property managers, residents, and staff, simplifying interactions and improving service delivery.
  • Buggy Software: Users report frequent software glitches, especially with dashboard notifications and after updates, hindering smooth property management.
  • Difficult Implementation: The software setup is often reported as time-consuming and problematic, potentially delaying property management operations.
  • Unreliable Support: Customer support receives mixed reviews, with some users finding it unresponsive or unhelpful when dealing with software issues or seeking assistance.
  • Non-Intuitive Features: Certain functions and tools are not user-friendly, making it challenging for some property managers to utilize the software's full potential.
  • Resident Transfer Issues: Some users experience difficulties with the resident transfer process, leading to inaccuracies and administrative headaches.
  • Reporting Inaccuracies: Generating accurate reports can be challenging, impacting data analysis and potentially hindering informed decision-making.

Key Features

  • Data Management: Help residents move in faster, post transactions to the ledger, track maintenance activities, automate lease renewals and more on a single platform. Incorporate property accounting, purchasing, facilities and leasing data into a comprehensive package. 
  • Prospect Portal: Capture, convert and engage prospects with a secure, responsive website. Choose from a variety of templates to showcase real-time data. Track lead sources, ROI and abandonment rates to make informed marketing decisions. 
  • ILS Portal: Automatically syndicate data on property pricing, details and availability on all primary Internet Listing Services (ILS). Leverage integrations with Zillow, Zumper, Craigslist, Abodo and more. 
  • Revenue Management: Compare regional and seasonal data to price units optimally and maximize revenue. Owners and managers can set desired price range limits and optimize for specific variables with dynamic pricing. 
  • Online Marketing: Pull data from various ILS websites, Google My Business and Facebook Marketplace into one centralized platform. Combine organic SEO with paid ads to help beat competitors. 
  • Reputation Management: Pull all online reviews into a centralized dashboard. Monitor the units’ online visibility over time and post on social media to build and maintain reputation. 
  • Leasing Center: Customize and renew leases with personalized clauses. Bring mobility to leasing through e-signatures and an app for Android and iOS devices, powered by SiteTablet. 
  • ResidentVerify: Screen tenants swiftly based on their credit scores, criminal history, national eviction records and proprietary risk scoring. Attach the results directly to applications received through Prospect Portals to save time. Automatically club screening fees with the application fees. 
  • Payment: Offer residents a complete solution for accepting payments through credit cards, ACH and check scans. Residents can pay with cash by depositing funds at any MoneyGram location across the nation. Receive rent, deposits, utility bills and charges for pets and rentable items via any payment option. 
  • Resident Portal: Residents can pay rent and utility bills, receive parcel delivery notifications, submit and track maintenance and lease renewal requests. Manage resident transactions, send bulk announcements and advertise inventory from a single integrated dashboard. 
  • Accounting: Record company financials, maintain general ledgers and keep track of bills and discrepancies. Create and edit work orders, and record real-time transactional data in books automatically. Store and create snapshots of the company's financial health as and when required. 

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Buyer's Guide

Rental Property Accounting Software Is All About Streamlining Workflows

Rental Property Accounting BG Intro

Gone are the days when it was practical and sufficient to store all your receipts and invoices in a shoebox and only care about them during tax season. In today’s digital world, you need smart accounting solutions that can automate daily bookkeeping and enable you to manage multiple properties at scale from a single dashboard.

With rental property management software, you can digitally track payments, expenses, utility bills, work orders and invoices. It also lets you generate public disclosure forms like IRS form 1099 and 1099-NEC with a few clicks.

Aside from saving valuable time, these systems provide an overview of your business’s financial health and help track depreciation. In this guide, we discuss the primary benefits and features of the software, followed by vendor comparison and pricing strategies.

Executive Summary

  • Rental property accounting software automatically records your business expenses, income, rent and payrolls. You can maintain property-specific ledgers and automate monthly owner disbursements.
  • It helps comply with local laws, save time by automating data entry and maintain a secure environment void of manual errors and cyber threats.
  • A few of its key features include general ledgers, tenant and owner portals, reporting, and 1099 portals.
  • There are many vendors in the market, and it’s easy to choose a feature-rich platform, but that doesn’t necessarily translate into better performance. You need a solution that fulfills your requirements without complicating daily operations.
What This Guide Covers:

What Is Rental Property Accounting Software?

Rental property accounting software is a comprehensive platform for tracking the financial health of a real estate business. It’s similar to accounting software and automates repetitive tasks like ledger balancing, bank reconciliation and reporting. But it also packs a few nuanced property management-specific features that simplify the daily lives of rental managers or investors. The platform helps:

  • Set up individual accounts for each property, room and tenant
  • Collect and track rent payments
  • Charge late penalties according to user-defined rules
  • Record ancillary incomes
  • Account for utility bills and automate bills payables to maintenance vendors
  • Generate financial reports per business-specific metrics

Primary Benefits

Rental Property Accounting Software Primary Benefits

Simplify Compliance

Filing taxes can be as complicated as solving a Rubik's cube if you don’t know what you’re doing. Reliable rental property accounting systems can automatically generate year-end audit reports and help you comply with local, state and federal forms. A few platforms also offer built-in portals for filing 1099 forms.

Streamline Data Entry

You no longer need to input financial data into every ledger manually. The system allows you to make data entries on a centralized dashboard and automatically distribute them to respective ledgers and accounts. Alternatively, you can import external datasets in XLSX and CSV format at the push of a button.

Reduce Costs

You can avoid costly manual errors and boost overall productivity with various automation tools. The rental property accounting system also helps unearth critical details and obligations buried deep within leases and datasets. Use these insights to remove unnecessary expenses and avoid last-moment auditing costs.

Increase Security

Most cloud-based platforms have two-step or multi-factor authentication processes to safeguard information. They also encrypt the data into scrambled, unreadable language that only makes sense with a decryption key.

With on-premise rental property accounting software, you can install custom security measures to safeguard your data.

Key Features & Functionality

Not all rental property accounting solutions are the same. Still, they all contain a few key features essential for successful implementation:

Rental Property Accounting Key Features

General Ledgers

You can maintain, edit and print specific ledgers for properties, tenants, owners and bank accounts. Unlike traditional systems, the platform lets you define relationships between ledgers and avoid double or triple-entry transactions when more than one party is involved.

Rent Collection

Connect the platform with your preferred payment gateway and accept rent, utility bills and deposits via credit card, ACH transfers or walk-in cash payments. The system automatically logs every payment in respective ledgers and saves you the effort of storing invoices and bill receipts.

Owner Transfer

Calculate monthly owner incomes by adjusting rent and other revenue with operating expenses and management fees. You can quickly transfer funds to the owner's accounts.

Advanced solutions offer owner portals where they can log in and check fund transfer status, property-specific documents, tenant information, property health and more.

Trust Accounting

A trust account is for a set of assets (properties in this case) managed by external forces (property managers and investors) for a specific beneficiary (owners). You can store tenant payments and deposits separately from the property management operating account. The trust account funds belong to the owner; property managers or firms can’t use them.

Most property management accounting solutions are trust accounting-certified and comply with local, state and federal regulations.

1099 Portals

You can use built-in portals to visit the IRS MISC 1099 page and submit your forms easily with a few clicks.

Tenant Portals

Tenants can use their portals to pay rents, utilities, deposits and late fees by connecting with their bank accounts or payment gateways. They can also view leases and rent reminders.

Reporting

The depth of this module depends on the software you choose. You can expect report template libraries to generate quick visualizations and automate timely report generation.

Most solutions allow you to export and print reports and integrate datasets with external analytics modules.

Mobile App

This feature is more prevalent in enterprise-level software but can be handy for anyone and everyone. You can track your finances from anywhere and receive real-time notifications for every major event.

Software Comparison Strategy

Reports suggest the global real estate accounting software market will grow at a 27.4% CAGR from 2021 to 2030. The industry is thriving and has plenty of software vendors in the market, making it exceedingly difficult to choose the perfect system for your company. With an overabundance of software and features, selecting the right platform that streamlines your accounting workflow can be overwhelming.

We recommend preparing a detailed requirements checklist to narrow your options to a handful of products that fulfill all your needs. Here are a few pointers you can consider while devising your checklist:

  • Compliance: It’s no rocket science to figure out that your accounting software must comply with every law and regulation your business operates under. Otherwise, audits and tax seasons can become nightmares you dread throughout the year.
  • Integrations: Proptech is the future of real estate and can streamline every aspect of property management, not only accounting. Therefore, even if you don’t own other property management tools currently, you should look for rental accounting solutions with accessible APIs that can integrate with external modules when needed.
  • Scalability: The platform should be flexible enough to scale as your business grows. It must integrate with potential external modules, onboard extra team members, and keep up with modern and upcoming tech trends.
  • Usability: Going gung-ho while collecting all the top and trending features in the market sure sounds nice. But adding unnecessary features can complicate your day-to-day operations and negatively affect efficiency and productivity. Look for software with an intuitive interface. You should be able to figure things out and navigate independently instead of calling vendor support for every little snag.
  • Mobility: Even if the platform doesn’t have a native mobile app, it must be mobile-optimized and accessible through mobile web browsers. Otherwise, investing in desktop-only software in 2022 is like buying a Blackberry over iPhone or Samsung.

Aside from the requirements checklist, you should also research online reviews and contact old customers to understand how the software and vendor operate.

Cost & Pricing Considerations

Rental property accounting software is predominantly available as cloud-based SaaS. Vendors charge you on a per property, per month basis. They usually charge a monthly minimum $250-$200 fee and an additional $5-$25 fee for each property. You might also incur additional charges (based on the vendor) for:

  • Onboarding
  • Setup and implementation
  • Premium support
  • Adding extra team members
  • Advanced features

It’s better to prepare a budget for software and additional features beforehand. You can narrow your options by striking off platforms that can’t fulfill your requirements within the budget.

The Most Popular Rental Property Accounting Software

You must realize that there isn’t a solitary solution available that’s best suited for every type and scale of property management business. To kickstart your search for the ideal rental accounting solution, we’ve listed some of the popular options in the market as a reference.

All the platforms below are all-encompassing property management suites (PMS) with robust accounting modules. We’ll focus on bookkeeping to give you an idea of what to expect in your system.

Yardi Voyager

Yardi Voyager is one of the most robust PMS that can handle every type of property, including commercial, residential, vacation rental, government buildings, campgrounds, public and student housing, self-storage, and more. If you’ve got a property, chances are Yardi Voyager can manage it.

It has a simple yet efficient accounting module that can manage payables, receivables and general ledgers. You can maintain escrow and trust accounts and generate financial reports with highly customizable templates. It also offers a portal to prepare and e-file 1099 tax forms without leaving the platform.

Yardi Voyager

Owners can log in to their profile to track performance and access property-specific documents.

Buildium

Buildium offers a native payment processor integrated with its accounting suite. It records every payment, fee, deposit and refund on a unified dashboard for an accurate picture of your business’s financial health.

You can automate CAM and bank reconciliation and use the built-in automated calculator to determine what you owe your company, property owners and vendors. It lets you convert work orders into bills payable and pay them online or define recurring payment rules.

Buildium

Track transactions, reconciliations and property-specific ledgers from a unified dashboard.

AppFolio

AppFolio offers a smart accounting module with built-in artificial intelligence. It can handle multiple properties, tenants and ledgers. Reporting tools help generate custom reports and create visualizations and dashboards for in-depth financial visibility.

The AI reads bills, invoices and PDFs to recognize information, auto-fill common fields and automate accounts payables. You can streamline CAM reconciliation, track lease lifecycles and refund deposits directly from escrow.

AppFolio

The native AI analyzes business and market data to suggest optimum rent structures.

 

 

Questions To Ask

Use these questions to start a conversation internally and prioritize your requirements:

  • What are the major pain points in your business’s accounting workflow?
  • How can you use software and automation to streamline bookkeeping?
  • How many team members need access to the accounting module?
  • Which other software needs integration with the new system?
  • What’s your overall budget for software and additional features?

Rental Property Accounting Key Questions To Ask

Use these questions to start a conversation with vendors:

  • Does it follow every accounting standard your business complies with?
  • What are the deployment options?
  • Which integrations does the platform support?
  • What are the training and support options?
  • Is the platform mobile-optimized or has a mobile app?

In Conclusion

Accounting can be tricky at times, more so when done manually. But picking the right rental property accounting software can also prove troublesome due to the many options available in the market. Adding the right software to your business can be like adding Shaquille O’Neal to the Orlando Magic for the ‘92 season. It’ll not only help you defend by automating bookkeeping but also be aggressive by uncovering unnecessary expenses and growth opportunities.

The trick is to decide your requirements and budget before jumping into the software selection process. For everything else, you can use this guide as a roadmap. Happy selecting!

Product Comparison

About The Contributors

The following expert team members are responsible for creating, reviewing, and fact checking the accuracy of this content.

Technical Content Writer
As a Senior Technical Content Writer at SelectHub, Riddhiman Roy delivers content about eCommerce, legal, employee scheduling, procurement, hotel management and property management software. He holds a Master's in multimedia journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. When he is not fighting huge-article-ogres and evil Grammarly suggestions, you can find him in his natural habitat grooving to music and banging his drumkit.
Technical Research By Shweta Bhandari
Senior Analyst
In her role on SelectHub's research team, Shweta Bhandari works on categories like manufacturing, CMMS, construction ERP, takeoff software, supply chain management, field service, construction bidding software and construction estimation software.
Technical Review By Kankana Kalita
Principal Analyst
A seasoned business and research analyst, Kankana Kalita specializes in ERP, CMMS, manufacturing, construction, supply chain, HRMS and CRM. Prior to joining SelectHub, she earned a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and Engineering, an MBA in Operations and Marketing, and worked in email marketing and logistics.
Edited By Pooja Verma
Content Editor
Pooja Verma is a Content Editor and Senior Market Analyst at SelectHub, who writes and edits content for endpoint security, legal, CRM, fundraising software, eCommerce, and mental health software. She earned a literature degree from Miranda House, DU and also holds Master’s in Journalism from Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication in India. In her free time, you can spot her reading a book or binge-watching the latest web series and movies.