The Official AppFolio Blog

When we ran a contest to give away two free iPads, we had no idea how many people would enter. To enter to win the iPad, contestants had to say how they would use the iPad for their property management business. We selected the 2 iPad recipients at random and sent the iPads to the lucky winners.

What we then had was a list of hundreds of interesting responses to the iPad question. You would think that reading through all of these responses would be a chore but actually, it was a lot of fun. As the hours passed, the AppFolio marketing team decided that we had to break the responses up into categories and share them with the world because frankly, they were so good!

We started to notice some trends based on who was entering the contest. Some professionals were leasing agents while others were owners and maintenance personnel. One thing was in common: they wanted the iPad to save them time, the freedom to work remotely using Web-based software, and to make their lives easier.

If you didn’t catch these stories as they were released you can quickly reference them below. Like a good book, they are fun to read, even for the second time.

Property Management Marketing With An iPad
Acquiring New Property Management Business With An iPad
How Would You Use an iPad – Staff Favorites
Property Maintenance Using the iPad

Each person thinks of different ways in which they would use a new iPad if they were to win one. For some property managers they wanted the iPad to help them better market their properties but to others, they would like the iPad to help them deal with maintenance issues for their properties; here are their clever ideas.

As the maintenance supervisor I would be able to update work orders, contact vendors, owners, and tenants and update all of the accounting from the iPad. It would save the company time and money. –Michele

You can use the iPad to do video inspections of your property and then upload them to YouTube, and send the URL to Owners and prospective tenants. Also, you can use the iPad for move-in and move-out condition report back up. –Leeann

[The iPad would mean] no more driving back to the office after a move-out inspection. I would download the pics, send the report to the owner, and make work orders while on site. THEN ON TO THE NEXT THING. Throw away the map book, I GOT GOOGLE EARTH/MAPS with me. –Michael

I am the maintenance supervisor for my company. Carrying a laptop tends to be cumbersome, but carrying an iPad would be easier because there is a potential for an all in one solution without the cords (as well as looking stylish). –Nick

I can instantly create new work orders in the field and email them to the appropriate staff if I am approached by a resident while I’m on site at a property. I will never forget about a single resident! I will also be able to talk to my residents about their ledgers, lease terms and other information, without asking them to travel 45 minutes to the main office. As I am the only staff member at my satellite office, an iPad would do wonders for me, it would be like having another employee! My work efficiency could almost double with that saved time. –Morgan

I would use the iPad for property inspections…we have a 5 Point Inspection that is done 6 months into a lease, having access to the actual leasing information from AppFolio in the field is priceless…it allows me to check daily/monthly on actual 5 Point inspections needing to be done and the iPad would allow me to keep the inspections and the letter handy and available to email to the client. Having field access is the only way to keep my business running smoothly and effectively. –Anna

[I would use the iPad to] automate the maintenance walk-through process. A manager could walk a unit taking video and/or pictures of problem items, create the work orders on site and upload videos/pictures, and email out the work orders to owners for approval, or vendors to schedule work. This would eliminate the need for a call in to the office, additional paperwork, and tracking of work orders outside of the system. –Colin

The iPad would allow me the ability to create work orders right from the property when doing move out inspections…or to access my AppFolio while on vacation! –Mike

We would let our maintenance person carry the iPad so that she could get readable work orders on the road. –Devorah

I am an IT director for a property management company. I would use the iPad as I travel to different properties to check all the open IT work orders (we have an IT request website that logs IT issues) for that property. I can then fix any open items or follow-up with resolved cases. I can also check our actual inventory at the property against what is logged at the corporate office. Finally, it would allow me to “show-off” any new IT initiatives to both executives and property managers. –Lena

While going through the responses for our iPad giveaway, there were several comments that made us laugh and we feel obligated to share some of the staff favorites. Interestingly enough, many of the comments had something to do with vacation. Enjoy and let us know what you think.

After I rent 3 houses with it in one afternoon because I can show all my listings to the many people that arrived to my showing, I would then launch the last space shuttle with it, then I would find a great restaurant with it and meet a very attractive woman there for a romantic dinner, then I would find out the movie times with it, then I would plan to go to Fiji with it and book my flight. Then I would put on some old spice and drink a Dos Equis. Stay thirsty my friend. –Troy

I would use my iPad to reach hundreds of people and create a flash mob experience at my property, video and edit it with iMovie, then post it to the Internet and create a buzz about our property. –William

While floating down the Colorado River on my raft and fly fishing, I will use my iPad to check and respond to emails, update tenants and owners, send out work orders, and to check to see what flies are working with fish at that time. –Darren

I would use the iPad to check emails or do work related things, or NOT. Probably not. –Jim

Currently I’m in my doctors office waiting for over an hour for 10 minutes of my doctor’s time. Well, with an iPad, I could review advertisements, screen applicants, and upload inspection photos to AppFolio….if my doctor can fix my back I’ll be all caught up and ready for golf. Who knew the doctors office could be so productive!! –Kevin

As an outsource bookkeeper for two companies using AppFolio, it would be great to be able to answer questions for one client while working at the other client’s office (or at least they could think that). Really, I would be sitting on the beach. –Maria

We would use an iPad to play angry birds, of course! When you’ve had a really stressful day where owners are demanding you to do your job for less pay; where tenants are demanding that you act as their marriage counselor; and where vendors are demanding money you don’t have yet. That’s when Property Managers need a sane way to release all the stress. With an iPad I could curl up in the corner under my desk and escape for just a little while from the chaos of property management. –Jennifer

The I-Pad is small enough that I could put it in my saddle bags and still get my work done when I’m on a weekend trail ride. This way when I’m on-call for the weekend, I can still do my normal activities right from the back of my horse! –Lynne

With an iPad I could sit along side the road, in a parking lot, or at the beach and do everything I currently do at the office. This would enable me to me to give up my office and not pay anymore rent. I can send money and collect rent via ACH and do everything I need to do to continue to run my business. Think of all the money I’d save on office expenses. Heck, speaking of money…if I had any I’d buy an iPad right now and not wait for the drawing. –Buster

We have one rule here: all office personnel is kept informed of building operations daily via e-mail. I could go on vacation and not be missed. –Geraldine

I would use the iPad to schedule rent increases…from Tahiti! –Chris

I would be unstoppable! I constantly have “work thoughts and ideas” when I am not at work. I would carry this with me all the time. It would be the best tool ever! –April

I would use it in the field for taking pictures, updating rental information, etc! Of course I would use it to manage my accounts while out of town basking in the sun awaiting my scheduled deep sea fishing experience and then again while waiting at the airport during my three hour layover. –Richard

Curious to see how your property management peers would use an iPad to acquire new business? We have 10 great comments listed below. You guys came up with so many creative ideas! Thank you for contributing.

1. I’d use the iPad in my sales presentations to pull live comps with the client right there with me! I would use it to scare the crap out of them, with photos of examples of properties I’ve taken on where owners got tenants without a property manager, and the house was TRASHED! -Rachell

2. How convenient it would be if we could pull up our website and show our listings to business acquaintances, prospective tenants, family, and friends on the iPad instead of telling them to go home and look up our Website. “A bird in the hand” is like…..an “iPad in the hand”. There’s no time like the present to show our property management website and listings. There is too great of a chance of losing the potential client if you send them out on their own to view the listings. I’ve used an iPad and it’s sooooo easy. -Kathy

3. I would use an iPad as a presentation tool for a prospective client to show our ability to search targeted areas to help with price determination for their properties. I would illustrate our personalized application through AppFolio that helps potential lessees in one step – apply, pay, and send in an application in the simplest and most user friendly way. AppFolio makes me and my iPad a team! -Stella

4. I would use the iPad during a new management presentation, allowing me to sign contracts digitally, then email them to the owner right there without needing to carry additional copies or extra folders and fill everything out twice. It would also allow me to take all measurements of the property and photos at the same time and then email those to the owner as well so they could approve the whole thing. What took days to accomplish in the past, because I would need to go back to my office to load everything up on the computer there, email the owner and then wait to hear back from them, I would be able to take care of in that first 1 hour meeting. I hope I win. -Lance

5. With the application Pages, you can make beautiful home brochures and flyers, etc! -Valerie

6. I do renovations and restorations for my investors. Keeping track of receipts and shopping lists can be tricky because if we forget something, it comes right off the bottom line. I use “notes” and have a page for each house. When I need something I put it into the “notes” on a particular house. I then take the iPad with me to the store and add the item to the list with the cost. Then when I get back to the office, everything is right there – not on napkins, on the backs of business cards or left in the store. It makes my bookkeeping so much easier and organized. -Linda

7. I think it would be a wonderful tool to add to our company for leasing agents. I would be able to process credit and criminal backgrounds right at the showing to expedite our approval process on rental applications. People wouldn’t have to wait to find out if they are approved or not, and sometimes they have cash in hand and want to lease right away. It would save mileage to the office for processing as well. -Amanda

8. [I would use the iPad to make] presentations for those potential owners! Dazzle them with your hi-tech knowledge of AppFolio and how professionally their property will be managed, all with a touch of the screen! Show them how their properties can have that colorful and professional look in flyers and the company website and the 100s more that AppFolio offers. -Susan

9. Being able to show potential new owners what we are all about and how we do day-to-day business on the iPad would be huge. I would be able to show my owners that no matter where I’m at, I will always be able to update them on everything they need to know about their home and their tenants with just a couple taps on the screen. -Kyle

10. When at a prospective owner meeting you can browse your website from the iPad and show them what options they have available for marketing their property. -Rob

We had so many great responses to the iPad 2.0 Giveaway Contest that we decided to break up the comments into key property management related categories.

Here are some of our favorite responses to how the lucky winner of the iPad would use it for marketing their property management business. We hope you enjoy these and we promise more to come!

1. If we had an iPad we could take it on tours with us. Since our community location is a “hot spot,” we could show people different things in the neighborhood or Google things on the tour to help sell prospects on our property. While we were in a vacant apartment, we could use the furniture mover feature as well, so the applicant could actually stand in the apartment and see what the furniture would look like -Renee

2. We would use the iPad to introduce tenants to their own network of fellow residents. We could take their photos and they could post classified ads amongst themselves and host mixers, etc. Basically we would try to create a sense of community for each development and use the iPad2 as an Ambassador. -Dianne

3. We’d use the iPad as an interactive leasing tool for non-English speaking prospects and to translate for current residents who speak English as a second language that may have leasing renewal questions or need assistance with service requests for example. -Scott

4. I would love to be able to use the iPad 2.0 video feature to film a vacant unit, upload it to Youtube, and write a caption about it while simultaneously uploading it to our website. We would also use it to post our vacancy ads to Craigslist. It would allow me to access AppFolio while I’m out of the office so that I could always be ready to answer vacancy questions. -Jayme

5. As a very active Chamber member and Marketing Queen, I have the awesome privilege of interacting with A LOT of people at local businesses as well as large Chamber events! So, I will use my iPad to take our community with me everywhere via virtual tour! As an added bonus, just for taking their tour they’ll get to use our Slot Machine app to see what their move-in special will be when they move in!!! -Dee

6. THROW AWAY THE LEGAL PAD When marketing with the iPad we could jot down names and numbers and show prospects pictures, balcony inspection notes, record pictures of move outs and take notes…this is an all in one TIME SAVER when out of the office. -Jennifer

7. Whenever I am out of the office marketing, I always feel super unorganized. I have pens, paper, cameras, MapQuest directions, and more scattered throughout my vehicle when I get the day started. My car is basically like one big unorganized desk. With the iPad 2.0, I would be able to create an agenda for the day, take pictures of properties, type in notes/helpful information, and Mapquest would be at the tip of my fingers! The iPad 2.0 is the PERFECT outside marketing tool! I would be better organized and it doesn’t get any better than that. -Natalie

8. We would use them for prospective residents to log into their Facebook and check-in or “like” us and receive half off their application fee! -Ashley

9. We would use the iPad to plan and track events scheduled for our residents such as pool parties, Valentines Day Mingles, etc! What a great gift to help organize and run a property!! -Lori

10. You could manage all of your Social Media sites on your iPad and your property management software would only be a click away. You could use the iPad to create new marketing plans and strategies, especially with it being so portable – you can use it just about anywhere, anytime your creative juices begin to flow….on the beach, at the park, walking your property, doing community service work, wherever you get your inspiration from, you would be able to keep your ideas fresh and not have to search all over for a pen and paper to jot them down – WOW talk about how technology has advanced! -Denise

Thanks to all participants who contributed!

Last week I gave an invited presentation at the MIT Enterprise Forum. The topic was “Cloud Computing and Software as a Service (SaaS) a $160 Billion Market Opportunity.”

The audience was delighted to learn about cloud computing and the vision behind AppFolio and about our web-based solution for property managers.

What is Cloud Computing? It is Internet-based computing where shared resources, software, information, and massively scalable IT capabilities are delivered on demand “as a Service.” But the real advantage of Software-as-a-Service is that it can be accessed from anywhere, any device, using just a simple browser. Users can be working from PCs, Macs, iPhones, and even new iPads. This is exciting!!

Cloud computing represents the next major computing cycle after Mainframe Computing, and PC & Client/Server Computing [Wikipedia] because it dramatically reduces the IT complexity. As Nicholas Carr, the author of “The Big Switch,” likes to point out, 100 years ago large companies stopped generating their own electricity and instead plugged into the newly built electric grid. This freed them up to focus on their core business instead of electricity generation. The same exciting transformation is happening today with Internet cloud computing. It allows companies to focus on their business and customers, instead of managing servers, databases, backups, and the complexities of information technologies.

Annual worldwide IT spending today is close to $400 Billion [IDC], 95% of which is delivered by on-premise IT solutions. Only 5% is delivered by IT Cloud Services. But this is changing quickly. No wonder IDC predicts that cloud computing is a $44B opportunity, Gartner predicts $56B of cloud services revenue, and Merrill Lynch estimates cloud-computing revenues will soon reach $160 billion.

There is a tidal wave going through the IT industry, the future of computing is web-based and property managers are definitely embracing web-based technology. When you’re no longer required to be at your desk to access and share information, you can get so much more work done!

Property Managers – In addition to web-based property management software, what other kinds of Software as a Service applications are you using to improve your productivity?

The iPad is here, and property managers love it! AppFolio is excited too, and we’ve put together a list of ways you can use the iPad with AppFolio.

The Top 10 Ways Property Managers Can Improve Their Business with the iPad and AppFolio:

1. Bring an iPad to your next meeting with a prospective owner and demonstrate how efficiently you run your business using AppFolio.
2. A leasing agent can bring an iPad when showing a new property. If the prospective resident doesn’t love the place, give them a real-time demo in AppFolio of other properties you have in your portfolio.
3. Enter work orders while in the field – imagine you’re conducting a move-out inspection and you see three maintenance issues, you can submit the work orders immediately.
4. Use the iPad to guide residents through the process to set up online payments right when they move in (don’t collect that rent check!).
5. Mark work orders complete on the fly – save the effort of taking notes, then re-entering them at the office.
6. Take new photos at a property, upload them right away to your vacancy postings…real-time photo updates for your vacancies.
7. Respond faster to issues when you’re out of the office. The iPad is so easy to carry around, you can be at your son’s baseball game and send important reports to an owner.
8. Update a unit’s vacancy and advertise it without going back to the office.
9. Get an iPad tough case and let your maintenance team update work orders in the field.
10. Forgot to call someone important while you’re out to dinner? Look up resident or owner contact information wherever you are.

Do you have other ideas on how you can use the iPad in your property management business? Share them with us by leaving a comment!