Property Management Company Registers Growth with AppFolio

A Bit of Backstory

Register Real Estate manages every conceivable type of property — from single-family homes to multi-unit complexes and from low-income rentals to luxury condos. Owner JC Register's expertise is far-reaching and comprehensive, as are his goals to grow the company in the coming year. To do that, Register knew he would first need to find an easy-to-use property management solution that would simplify business processes and scale with future growth.

Not All Web-Based Solutions Are The Same

Register was using Propertyware, but the solution was falling short of his ease-of-use expectations and his company’s need for greater efficiency. "We were using a solution that was simply not user friendly," Register explained. "It didn’t provide easy owner access to statements, work orders were a hassle, and navigating through the software to find things was too time consuming." According to Register, basic tasks required too many steps to complete, resulting in inefficiencies and wasted time.

And then there were the additional costs for adding features to the product. "If we wanted to add a feature, we had to buy modules, and those costs really added up," he said.

Register began to look for a more cost-effective solution that delivered on the promise of greater efficiency. "There were other packages that were like filling out a government contract to get in all the information," he said. On his must-have list for a new solution: "Simple pricing that wouldn’t cost us an arm and a leg" and the ability to make direct ACH deposits, thus eliminating the need to write and mail checks to owners every month. And he needed a web-based, intuitive solution that would allow owners to log in remotely when they needed information rather than calling Register’s office. That’s when he discovered AppFolio Property Manager.

Increased Efficiency at the Right Price

"Web-based property management software looks similar from the outside but the differences show up when you really use it to run your business," Register said. For him, AppFolio’s simplicity, ease of use, and well-designed functionality set it apart from Propertyware. "I wanted a solution that is simple and easy to use, but that does everything I need it to do, especially from an accounting perspective," he said. "AppFolio does this at the right price point. To input a new owner or tenant, it only requires a few clicks and you’re done."

Register believes that efficiency is the most important aspect to running a successful property management business. With AppFolio, he can now skip tedious and repetitious tasks, such as printing, scanning, and mailing work orders; instead, he simply sends an email directly from the AppFolio software. "These are the time-saving items that make my life easier and help me to focus on my clients and my tenants," he said. Plus, AppFolio’s customizable reports enable Register to further fine-tune business reporting and more effectively manage his data.

Growing The Portfolio with AppFolio

"AppFolio is helping my business grow this year," said Register, who has already seen tangible results. Since launching a new property management division in June 2009, he’s added 40 units. And while AppFolio is helping Register run his own business more efficiently, AppFolio’s ease of use is also a strong selling point for winning new clients. "What is quick, easy, and efficient for me is also a big convenience for my clients," he said. "This is a deciding factor when they choose my company to manage their property."

Another key advantage to using AppFolio is that it provides owners with greater transparency and access to their own properties, a benefit Register highlights in his company’s advertising. "I tell owners they can see the information they want, when they want," he said. "This helps me stand out from my competition." AppFolio also enables Register to expedite payments to owners by using direct ACH deposits. And this, too, is a strong selling point for prospects. "I tell owners that if they come on board, they don’t have to wait for a check. I put the money in their account within 12-24 hours," explained Register. "They really like that."