Selecting the right real estate management tool can help you manage tenants and stay on top of rent collection.
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We conducted this analysis based on reviews and ratings data as of November 2, 2021. In order to present the most up-to-date information, the product cards below show real-time ratings. Please note that this means the ratings value in the product card may not reflect the ratings value at the time of analysis.
As a real estate manager, you need to stay on top of multiple tasks, including property advertising, leasing, capturing accurate tenant information, and staying compliant with national, state, and local laws. Managing your real estate without a real estate property management tool can be daunting.
A real estate property management software helps real estate managers streamline their rental operations, from listing their property on industry-leading websites, capturing potential leads to lease signing. This software can assist you in attracting, screening, and managing renters, as well as responding to their maintenance needs and accounting for all of the associated costs and revenue.
The software also helps you customize lease or application forms. You can add supplementary clauses in addition to the basic details, such as name, rent amount, and address.
This article looks at the nine best real estate property management software from Capterra’s Shortlist 2021 arranged alphabetically.
See the full list of real estate property management software tools in Capterra’s software directory.
1. Avail: Comprehensive rent analysis report
Avail is a cloud-based real estate property management software designed for independent landlords to find, screen, and maintain tenants. It publishes your property on popular rental sites such as Zillow, Trulia, Walkscore, and Apartments.com. You can quickly manage leads from these rental listings by responding to potential clients, in-person coordination, and virtual meetings. You can share your property listing on social media platforms such as Facebook to increase your reach.
Conduct tenant verification and background checks through TransUnion. With its customizable online rental applications, receive detailed information on potential tenants so you make the right choice.
Avail furnishes state-specific and lawyer-reviewed rental lease agreement templates, including all the necessary disclosures and attachments. Customization, such as adding custom clauses, can be done online to prepare the final agreement. It also has an option to get digital signatures from the tenants.
Avail’s online rent collection feature enables landlords to collect rent payments through direct deposits online. You can also track and report payments and send automatic reminder emails and payment receipts.
Avail offers phone, live chat, and email support. It is a web-based tool and also has a mobile app for both iOS and Android devices.
Key Features
- Contact management
- Residential properties
- Rent tracking
- Tax management
- Tenant portal
- Lease management
Trial/Free Version
- Free Trial
- Free Version
Cost to upgrade
Device compatibility
Screenshots
Tenant dashboard in Avail
2. Buildium: Track work orders for maintenance
Buildium is a cloud-based real estate property management software that enables residential and association property managers to administer rental leasing, rental applications, tenant screening, online rent payments, vacancy management, and maintenance cycles and accounting.
Buildium allows you to post customized property listings on popular websites such as Zillow, Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and Zumper. You can add unit details, property-specific information, and amenities attributes to each of your property listings.
Buildium real estate property management software helps to create rental applications with custom sections that fit your requirements. The software dashboard reflects the application status and allows you to add or edit it manually.
The tenant screening feature is powered by TransUnion. You can request a tenant background check to access full credit, criminal, and eviction history. Once you accept or reject an applicant, an automatic notification is sent to them with further instructions.
Buildium software allows residents, owners, or employees to submit work orders or maintenance tasks and get timely updates on laptops, phones, or desktops. The property management accounting system integrates with maintenance tracking. Vendor invoices and costs can be monitored and paid online, eliminating the need for manual record-keeping.
Buildium offers phone and email. There is a mobile app for both Android and iOS devices.
Key Features
- Residential leases
- Residential properties
- Lease origination
- Maintenance management
- Rent tracking
- Tenant tracking
Trial/Free Version
- Free Trial
- Free Version
Cost to upgrade
Device compatibility
Screenshots
Rental dashboard in Buildium
3. Entrata: Access easy data sharing
Entrata is a cloud-based real estate property management software embedded with property management, marketing, and leasing features. Its comprehensive marketing suite allows you to list your property on industry-leading websites to attract prospects. It provides real-time information on leads to improve your listings’ visibility.
Entrata’s leasing suite features specific tools to generate custom lease agreements as per your requirements. Lease documents can be sent directly to your tenants for e-signing. Its accounting feature manages all your ledgers, returns, and payments on a single platform.
Entrata’s ResidentVerify module runs in sync with the leasing process. It combines applicant’s data, screening submission, and offers comprehensive reports. You can choose from a number of screening options as per your requirements. Its screening options include instant national, state, and country-level criminal history, applicant trade-line and credit scoring, criminal category classification, national eviction coverage, manual court searches, and proprietary risk scoring.
Eventee offers call and email support. The tool is web-based and also has a mobile app for both iOS and Android devices.
Key Features
- Tenant portal
- Tenant tracking
- Residential properties
- Payment processing
- Commercial property management
- Lease management
Trial/Free Version
- Free Trial
- Free Version
Cost to upgrade
Device compatibility
Screenshots
User dashboard in Entrata
4. Hemlane: Send automatic follow-ups
Hemlane is a cloud-based property management system that facilitates rental advertising, applicant screening, leasing, rental payments, and maintenance. This real estate property management tool helps you advertise your property on rental websites and track potential leads.
Hemlane tracks and responds to potential tenant leads after pre-screening to help you make an informed decision. It keeps your property at the forefront by sending personalized emails and detailed descriptions to leads and applicants. Hemlane allows you to add licensed agents to display your rental property, making it a time-efficient tool.
This real estate property management solution gives you access to a comprehensive credit report, criminal data, and a nationwide eviction history, to help you find the most qualified tenants. This eliminates the risk of having an unsuitable tenant.
Hemlane sends alerts and notifies users about their lease renewal dates. For property and tenant-specific records, online storage is also available. It also simplifies rent collection and financial tracking with instant bank verification and automated late fees. You can enable recurring rent requests and payment reminders. This helps in controlling payments and avoiding evictions.
Hemlane is a web-based tool, optimized for use in mobile web browsers as well. You can connect with specialists via live chat, call, or email.
Key Features
- Tenant portal
- Residential properties
- Rent tracking
- Owner portal
- Property database
- Commercial property management
Trial/Free Version
- Free Trial
- Free Version
Cost to upgrade
Device compatibility
Screenshots
All properties dashboard in Hemlane
5. Innago: View collection reports for insights
Innago is a free cloud-based software designed to help real estate managers and landlords collect rent payments, sign leases, and screen tenants online. It comes with zero set-up or monthly fees. However, charges are applicable as and when online payments are made or when tenant background checks are conducted.
Innago enables automatic rent debits from the tenant account to ensure on-time payments. It notifies tenants and sends reminder emails before rent is due, when it is due, and if the payment is late. The real estate management software sends updates about on-time payments, late fees, and repeated charges. It generates exportable payment collection reports for your references.
This software lets you customize lease agreements as per your requirements and initiate online lease signing. It comes with a built-in application maker to create customized application forms uploaded on your website or social media platforms to invite tenant applications.
Innago gives you full access to national data on applicants’ criminal, credit, and eviction history. It creates instant reports for you to analyze and finalize whether or not your prospective tenant is the right fit.
Innago offers call, chat, and email support. The tool is web-based and is also available as a mobile app for both iOS and Android devices.
Key Features
- Residential properties
- Rent tracking
- Tenant tracking
- Tenant portal
- Property database
- Commercial property management
Trial/Free Version
- Free Trial
- Free Version
Cost to upgrade
Device compatibility
Screenshots
Property dashboard in Innago
6. Rentec Direct: Features a complete accounting system
Rentec Direct is a fully-featured real estate management software with accounting, operations, lease and management, and reporting features for real estate managers, landlords, and property managers.
This real estate management software provides a free professional website optimized for desktop and mobile to promote your properties. It comprises customizable pages to list your vacant properties and invite applications from prospective tenants.
Rentec Direct integrates with HelloSign to create lease agreements with custom clauses and sends them to your tenants for e-signing. Its work order management system receives property maintenance requests from tenants, tracks work orders, and maintains a record for reference and approvals.
Rentec Direct comes with a general ledger accounting software that enables you to review, edit, and print ledgers for every property and tenant. It creates automatic double-entry and triple-entry accounting records, eliminating manual errors and saving you time. It gives you access to downloadable, comprehensive financial reports for property portfolios and relevant data to keep records.
Rentec Direct saves your time from unqualified tenants by initiating robust and reliable credit reports via TransUnion, nationwide criminal reports, and eviction reports. It even guarantees 100% money-back in case of any errors in the report.
Rentec Direct offers chat and email support. The tool is web-based and also has a mobile app for both iOS and Android devices.
Key Features
- Residential properties
- Retail leases
- Tenant tracking
- Tenant portal
- Work order management
- Property management
Trial/Free Version
- Free Trial
- Free Version
Cost to upgrade
Device compatibility
Screenshots
Summary dashboard in Rentec Direct
7. Rent Manager: Generate business reports
Rent Manager is property management software designed for residential and commercial real estate properties with portfolios of any size. It offers a complete suite of accounting and reporting, marketing and leasing, business operations, maintenance, and software customization features.
Rent Manager enables you to upload your listings on industry-leading sites and invite online applications from tenants. You can customize your application templates and embed them with your listing to quickly convert prospective clients into tenants.
Rent Manager's signable papers function allows you to create electronic, signable leases and documents with ease. Prospects, tenants, and owners can access and sign existing letter templates or PDFs through their online portal accounts by adding signable fields.
Rent Manager’s tenant screenings can uncover possible credit difficulties, such as late payments or accumulated debt, as well as criminal and eviction histories, without any time-consuming setup on your end.
Rent Manager offers call, inquiry forms, and email support. The tool is web-based and also has a mobile app for both iOS and Android devices.
Key Features
- Residential properties
- Tenant portal
- Tenant tracking
- Commercial property management
- Property database
- Rent tracking
Trial/Free Version
- Free Trial
- Free Version
Cost to upgrade
Device compatibility
Screenshots
Dashboard view in Rent Manager
8. ResMan: Customizable budgeting templates
ResMan is a real estate property management software equipped with accounting, budgeting, marketing, reporting, tenant screening, and property maintenance tools.
ResMan enables you to meet all existing and future property maintenance requirements from a single, user-friendly platform. ResMan unifies a complete set of maintenance tools and simplifies operations, allowing you to save time and advance your business. It gives you insight into a real-time view of your property, inventory, and project management.
ResMan provides online leasing to your residents, along with automated screening and payments, and integrated application forms. Its budgeting feature gives access to customizable budgeting templates, allowing you to generate historical data directly from the general ledger.
Property maintenance managers can use ResMan’s mobile maintenance capabilities to view, edit, assign, and finish work orders from anywhere, and respond to urgent maintenance requests. You can use tools for inventory management and expense tracking for all properties.
ResMan is a tool that helps businesses manage prospect and application interaction via a lead funnel, saving all contact information and previous correspondence in one place. It helps improve residents’ credit reports by sending automatic notifications to several credit bureaus of on-time rental payments.
ResMan is a web-based tool that offers call, live chat, and email support.
Key Features
- Residential leases
- Residential properties
- Rent tracking
- Tenant tracking
- Lease management
- Commercial property management
Trial/Free Version
- Free Trial
- Free Version
Cost to upgrade
Device compatibility
Screenshots
Property demographics in ResMan
9. TurboTenant: Online rent payment module
TurboTenant is an all-in-one real estate property management software that helps you to screen tenants, market your property, invite and receive applications, and collect rent online. It lists your property on leading websites like Realtor.com, Apartments.com, and Rent.com, among others.
After listing, you can view and respond to potential applicants with further information and details about the property. TurboTenant eliminates the need for manual applications by sending out customized application forms to your prospective tenants online. This form collects and provides you with all the required information to decide whether the applicant is suitable or not.
TurboTenant provides you complete access to important tenant information such as credit reports, criminal history, and eviction records from TransUnion. This information will help you shortlist your rental prospects.
The real estate management tool creates lawyer-approved, state-specific lease agreements including all information such as rent amount, fees, tenant details, and other customized clauses. This lease can be sent to your tenant directly for e-signing at no extra cost.
TurboTenant’s online rent payment module helps you to collect rent conveniently. It also sends timely reminders via email to ensure that rent is received on time. The software also keeps a comprehensive record of payment history between you and your tenants for record keeping.
TurboTenant is a cloud-based tool that offers email support for all your queries.
Key Features
- Rent tracking
- Commercial property management
- Lease management
- Residential properties
- Tenant portal
- Tenant tracking
Trial/Free Version
- Free Trial
- Free Version
Cost to upgrade
Device compatibility
Screenshots
Renters dashboard in TurboTenant
How to choose the right real estate property management software
These considerations can make selecting the best real estate property management software easier:
Integration with other tools: The real estate property management tool you choose should be able to integrate with other solutions. For instance, you will need dedicated tools if you want to list your property on rental websites or promote them on social media. Integration with related tools saves time and enhances business processes.
Customization: You need to create rental application forms to invite tenant applications and gather required information. Most forms aren’t one-size-fits-all, which is why the software you choose should offer customization. It should also include customizable lease templates to make adjustments to specific clauses.
Tenant data storage and security: Renting a property involves exchange of personal information and tenant’s data. Any kind of data breach may affect the tenant-property manager relationship. Thereby, you should consider investing in a cloud-based real estate management software which automatically stores files and protects them from data breaches.
Common questions to ask while selecting the right real estate property management software
Here are some questions to ask real estate property management providers before making the final purchase:
What type of deployment and access options are available?
A real estate property management software can either be a cloud-based or direct connection. It is better to invest in a cloud-based solution to establish a fast connection from anywhere.
Does this software offer work management tools?
A good real estate property management software should be equipped with work order management tools. It should not only allow maintenance record filing but also allow you to edit, assign, and track work orders.
What type of tenant background check does this software offer?
Check the different types of background checks offered by a particular software. Ideally, it should offer a comprehensive report of criminal, eviction, and credit records of a tenant.
What kind of customer support does it offer?
Always check and see the types of customer support your software provides, and are there any additional charges associated with them.
Does this software offer reporting and analytics?
Property managers require real-time data to keep track of their properties at all times. It gives you the most up-to-date information on any property. Ensure that the software has some reporting and analytics capabilities for you to keep a track of your listings seamlessly.
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