Rental Property Inspection App – Propertyware

A Smooth Move Out Starts With a Well-Planned Move In

Leah Mendes — Thu, 11 May 2017 11:07:00 +0000

Thinking about a tenant’s move-out process before they even move in may feel like putting the cart before the horse, but property owners and managers should use the pre-lease interactions with a prospect to clarify aspects covering the entire life of the lease. Smart planning and precautionary measures now will help contribute to an easier – and cheaper – transition at the end of the tenancy.

Screen prospects thoroughly

The first step to ensuring a smooth move-out process is to choose trustworthy, high-quality tenants, which makes thorough screening a must. In addition to conducting a credit check, contact all references listed by the applicant. To simplify the process, consider using online tenant screening to document all tenant and application information.

Explain the security deposit

Some prospects, especially those with limited rental experience, might not know the purpose of a security deposit. By explaining how the refunded portion of the deposit depends on the tenant, you preemptively incentivize the renter to take better care of the unit and move out according to lease stipulations. This discussion will also provide the opportunity to clarify what constitutes normal wear and tear. By putting the expectation in writing, you avoid tenants arguing with you later when you deduct from their security deposit for badly stained carpets or scorched stovetops.

Detail tenant responsibilities

Don’t leave any ambiguities with regard to upkeep. Use part of the lease to clearly explain the occupant’s maintenance responsibilities as well as those covered by you and your maintenance providers. To help protect your property, you should additionally include a process for maintenance requests and a timeframe during which the tenant must notify you of new issues. Property maintenance software can help with this process. By attending to maintenance concerns quickly, you’ll fix minor problems before they become more costly.

Supply a move-out checklist

Whether your renter signs a three-month lease or plans to stay for years to come, you should provide a checklist of what they’ll need to do before moving out. Typical requirements may include keeping all utilities active until their move-out date, having the carpets cleaned, returning any painted walls to their original colors, disposing of all trash and debris, replacing any burned-out lightbulbs and having working batteries in all smoke detectors.

Keep the lines of communication open

Do your best to maintain open and honest communication throughout the entire tenancy. Rather than juggling random text messages and emails, consider using a tenant portal, which will make communicating easier while tracking all questions, issues, repairs and scheduled maintenance in one place.

Use property management software

While taking a proactive approach to setting expectations for your tenant will save you plenty of headaches, utilizing property management software can save you time as well. You can streamline everything from move-out inspections to security deposit returns with a single system that lets you manage and document the entire process. Learn more about the time – and money – you can save with the solutions available through Propertyware.

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Saving Untold Hours with Property Inspection Software

Marc Eiting — Thu, 16 Feb 2017 10:00:00 +0000

Cutting costs doesn’t have to mean compromising. The right technology should help you do the things you already do better, while also saving you time. Inspections provide a perfect example. In fact, today’s property inspection software makes you wonder how you ever handled inspections before.

Getting it done on the spot

With a property inspection app and a cell phone, iPad or laptop, you have everything you need to get the job done far faster and more accurately, without a trip back to the office to re-enter all the information you gleaned at the property. You can easily customize the mobile app with checklists and fields that fit the unique inspection criteria for each of your properties. When it’s time for a move-in or move-out inspection, you simply progress methodically through the checklist. There’s no opportunity for oversights, so not only are you saving time, you’re reducing the possibilities for errors. And the system enforces consistency, an important consideration for property management companies with multiple people performing inspections. “Rogue” inspection standards are a thing of the past. Thorough property management inspections help you make repairs before they become emergencies.

Adding notes, photos and videos

The real beauty is that as you’re working your way through the property management inspection checklist, you can take supporting photos and videos, as well as add notes, and append them to the inspection items. In one place you have a complete record of the inspection, ready to report; no more patching together inspection reports and overlooking important details. Compare this to the clipboard approach. You end up with a written checklist and handwritten notes, along with photos or videos taken with either your cell phone or digital camera. The photos aren’t even associated to the items in the checklist. It’s up to you to go back to the office and put everything together in a report: not only time-consuming, but full of opportunities to overlook or forget something.

Eliminating misunderstandings

One of the most surprising and rewarding results of using a cutting-edge mobile inspection solution is the reduction of misunderstandings that can lead to trouble between tenants and management companies, and between management companies and owners. If you’re like most property managers, one of your least favorite tasks is dealing with damage or maintenance problems where there isn’t agreement about who’s responsible. The fine details you begin to capture with a mobile solution, since it’s so fast and easy to include them, resolve a lot of issues that otherwise might turn into trouble. Among other things, you’ll be more likely to include and compare “before and after” photographs and notes that can bring a heated discussion with a tenant to a fast close. As a side benefit, you can often head off potential maintenance problems. A water stain on a ceiling that wasn’t there in the “before” might indicate a recent leak that can be addressed in advance of its becoming a big problem.

Reporting to owners

Owners love the new mobile inspection reports because they’re so complete and informative, allowing them to keep up with every detail of their assets and get a heads-up about potential maintenance issues. Owners don’t like surprises, and detailed reports documented at the site, with photos and notes attached to each item, are a huge selling point in getting and keeping new owner/clients. There are plenty of incidental reports of property management companies using their mobile inspection solution as the key element in winning new business. They’re a differentiator that’s clear for owners to see, and clearly superior to what they might have seen from competing property management companies. Smart property management software is paying off in nearly every nook and cranny of our business, but it would be hard to find one more dramatic than the task of inspections. Learn more about the payoff of rental property inspection software today!

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Quick Guide to Rental Property Inspection Software

Marc Eiting — Wed, 02 Nov 2016 10:00:00 +0000

“Whether you hire a professional or conduct the inspections yourself, it’s critical to regularly assess and track the condition of your rental property.”(Zillow) Whether it’s a seasonal inspection or one that you complete as your tenants move out, property inspection software can help you document property concerns and become a better property management company. Share on LinkedIn with Your Network No more clipboards: a property inspection app is your mobile inspection solution.

Property Inspection Software Can Save You Time and Money

According to Bigger Pockets,

“ensuring that “move-in” and “move-out” inspections are performed at the beginning and end of a rental relationship can mean the difference between you as the landlord retaining all or a portion of the security deposit to compensate you for damages or losing it.”

A property inspection is part of your due diligence as a property manager. If your tenant gets injured due to a part of the home that’s in poor repair, you could be blamed. By using property inspection software to coordinate inspections, you can thoroughly document the home and get proactive about repairs.

A Property Inspection App Helps You Schedule Maintenance

Property inspection software helps you stay on top of maintenance and repairs like never before. Perform spot inspections or move-in, move-out inspections and use these to collect data for your maintenance and repair regime. Check for exterior maintenance, outside improvements required, the condition of interior walls and fixtures, and the condition of systems such as the heating and air conditioning system. Look for urgent repairs required, items that need maintenance soon, and use the data you collect to recommend changes to the overall maintenance regime for your properties, helping you become better at customer service. Better inspections can lead to better maintenance and happier tenants.

When to Use Property Inspection Software

Often, landlords and property managers think about property inspections during move-in time, but property inspections should be a regular part of your property management process. Use property management software when you start to manage a property, when your tenants move in and out, for spot checks and seasonal inspections, or if tenants complain about maintenance or repair issues. Whenever you need to document your properties, inspection software can help electronically store relevant information and photos. Regular property inspections help you discover and address problems before they become serious.

Key Property Inspection Software Features

When you’re looking for property inspection software, look for a tool that will truly help you as you work on site. Your inspection software should be adaptable and integrated, saving you time and money. Here’s what you should ask for in your mobile inspection software:

Custom templates that allow you to document the information that you need
Visual documentation, so that you can keep a photographic record of what’s occurred at your property
Integration with work orders and billing, so you can use your inspections to coordinate maintenance
Integration with custom reporting, so that you can track information about each property

Make Property Management Easier with Mobile Property Inspection App

Property inspections help you become a better property manager, and they give you important information about your properties and your tenants. Make property management simpler with mobile software. Look for a mobile and desktop solution that sync up online with your iPhone® or Android® phone saving you time and giving you more flexibility. All of your property inspections data can now be centralized, reducing paperwork and duplicate data entry.

Ready for Mobile Inspection Software?

Simplify your property inspection process and connect your inspections directly to other data about your properties. When you’re looking for the ultimate in flexible, mobile inspections, look to Propertyware’s mobile inspection software.

Learn more about Propertyware Mobile Inspections!

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How to Stay on Track with Property Inspection Software

Marc Eiting — Fri, 01 Jul 2016 00:00:00 +0000

While most inspections seem routine, they’re all critically important to the wellbeing of tenants and properties. By taking advantage of the right tools, you can thoroughly document your inspection process to ensure that both your business and your renters are protected. Here’s how to stay on track with property inspection software:

Simplify Move In, Move Out

As tenants move in and out, it’s important to be prepared for property inspections. Come with a list of items you look for during every inspection and thoroughly document the condition of the property using video and photos. Property inspection software allows you to do this on the spot, taking notes and photos that go directly to your files.

Schedule Maintenance with Property Inspection Software

Properties need regular upkeep and repairs, and property inspection software helps you easily schedule maintenance. By documenting the changes in your properties, you can note when maintenance should occur to avoid potential problems. In addition to your usual move in, move out inspections, you should perform random and seasonal inspections to stay on track. According to Bigger Pockets, “when you are conducting this inspection you are looking for issues which the tenant has caused, such as pulling a door off its hinges, and those items you are responsible for such as a leaking faucet.” You’re also looking for existing problems with the potential to become more serious. For example, if you notice frequent roofing problems after winter snowstorms, take a proactive approach and use property software to schedule annual roof inspections during the spring. Inspections allow you to anticipate problems and manage repairs before they get too large.

Prevent Serious Property Problems

Property inspections not only help ensure that an owner treated a property well, they also allow you to measure if a home is safe for tenants. A property inspection can reveal large problems that would otherwise go unnoticed. For example, you might discover a leak in the attic, which could lead to mold in the walls if not fixed immediately. Use your inspections as an opportunity to ensure that there are no serious problems in the works.

Document Changes Over Time

How do your properties age over time? Use your inspection software to document changes each year and determine how similar properties in your portfolio might fare. For instance, you can use software to determine that the decks on homes in a particular suburb all need to be coated with stain during a certain time frame. This will help you understand the costs of maintaining specific types of homes and prepare for change. Understanding your properties over time will also help you as you determine where to invest in the future. According to Entrepreneur Magazine, your property is an investment and you should constantly analyze whether it’s meeting your financial goals: “you shouldn’t shy away from taking the time to understand your goals and make sure each investment is a step toward achieving them.”

When you’re looking for property inspection software, look to Propertyware. We’re here to help you experience stress free property management. With our software products, you’ll be able to easily schedule and document inspections and manage your move-in, move-out process. Contact us today and get pricing for the software that could change your business.

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Labor-Saving Property Inspection Technique: Simplify Rental Property Management

Marc Eiting — Mon, 01 Feb 2016 23:33:27 +0000

When you work in rental property management, you need to understand what’s happening at all of your properties, both with your tenants and with your buildings. Managing rental properties is a huge job, and the time and expense of ongoing property inspections and follow up maintenance can seem wearing. Property Casualty sums up the typical feelings about inspections, stating that “property inspection is stressful, complicated and can be downright miserable.” However, inspections are essential if you’re going to keep your property management running smoothly. How can you keep inspections from feeling onerous and ensure that property maintenance stays on track?

Set Up a Regular Schedule

Setting up a regular inspection and maintenance schedule may seem like it uses a lot of time and money, but it will save you difficulties in the long run. Ongoing inspections will reveal emerging maintenance issues that you can address with proactive maintenance. This prevents emergency repairs, saving the money and time you’d spend bringing in contractors to conduct those repairs.

Use Visual Documentation

As you inspect a property, you need to document what’s going on so that you have a reminder of maintenance requirements and the current condition of the property. Visual documentation can really help keep this process moving, allowing you to take photos or video rather than documenting using handwritten notes. Quickly map a property, take photos or video, and understand the condition of a property. You can share this information with others as well. Rentec suggests sharing information about property conditions with tenants as well since inspections can “make sure your tenants are following lease terms and taking care of tenant required maintenance.”

Create Custom Templates

When you use software to manage your property inspections, you can also develop custom templates that allow you to easily structure and input the information you need to gather about each property. With prompts from the templates, you’ll never forget to add essential pieces of property information, and you’ll be able to share and store this information in the cloud.

Organize Work Orders and Billing

From property inspections come property work orders as you aim to make sure that your properties are in top condition. Using apps such as the Propertyware Maintenance Plus app, you can tend to these tasks while in the field. Instead of playing phone tag, you can use property software to communicate directly with your employees or send reports to vendors who can come to the property to conduct necessary work. When the work is complete, you can also post tenant damages to your online ledger in the tenant portal before the tenants move out.

Develop and Store Reports

When you’re in rental property management, you need to keep accurate reports of the condition of your properties so that you can track emerging problems and maintenance needs. Using rental property management software, you can develop written and visual reports about each part of the property and file these online, so that you have an easy cloud-based reference.

Are you looking for software that will simplify rental property management? Try Propertyware’s labor-saving inspection tools. Get pricing today.

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How to Choose a Home Inspector for Your Rental Property

Marc Eiting — Fri, 22 Jan 2016 22:19:28 +0000

In your quest to manage many properties, a home inspector can be your greatest ally. Whether you’re managing a move or simply need to check in on a property, a home inspector gives you the experienced advice you need to make wise decisions about property management. Maintain your properties well with these home inspection tips for property managers.

Why Have a Home Inspector?

As a property manager, you must do your due diligence and ensure that your properties are safe, pleasant, and updated. Part of this process may involve regular maintenance such as lawn mowing or house painting. However, you also need to ensure that your properties are well-maintained for safety reasons. Property inspections can save you money. According to the Bigger Pockets Blog, “While performing “safe and clean inspections” during a tenancy is important, ensuring that “move-in” and “move-out” inspections are performed at the beginning and end of a rental relationship can mean the difference between you as the landlord retaining all or a portion of the security deposit to compensate you for damages or losing it (possibly with triple damages) at the hands of a judge.” Proactive home inspections with a qualified inspector allow you to ensure that your property problems get solved easily, early, and with less expense.

Create a Rental Property Inspections Checklist

What should be part of a move in-move out or safe and clean inspection? Make sure that the home inspector that you hire is willing to check the following:

Is the home clean? Does it need basic maintenance such as repainting?
Are decks, stairs, and other outdoor elements in good repair?
Do the electrical outlets work?
Do the windows open?
Is flooring intact, even under rugs?
Are the appliances well-maintained and not rusty?
Do all appliances work well?
Do faucets work and drains drain properly?
Is the water heater intact?
How is the sewage system working?
When were the furnace and air conditioner last inspected?
Is the roof intact, and are there any stains indoors that could show potential leaks?
What is going on in the attic?
Are the exterior walls clean and sound?
How is the chimney holding up?
Is the slab or foundation cracking?
Are there any signs of pests?

Add inspection items to the list as you work with the home inspector to ensure that your properties are properly inspected.

How to Choose a Home Inspector

Choosing a home inspector is one of the most important investments you’ll make in your property management. A good home inspector is open to discussion, prompt with reporting, and a member of an inspection organization. Many home inspectors come from a building background, which is helpful when understanding structural problems. The HGTV blog recommends that you “look for an inspector with a broad knowledge of a home’s systems and structures, not just a specialized person such as a plumber or electrician.” Questions to ask a home inspector:

Tell me about your experience
Do you have experience in the building industry?
Do you have a membership in a home inspection organization?
How long does each of your inspections take?
Can I be present at the inspection if necessary?
What kind of inspection report will you deliver?

Look for Upgrades

A home inspector looks at how your property stands right now, but a good inspector can also give you recommendations for upgrades. Upgrading your properties and processes can reduce long-term maintenance concerns. For example, if you switch to a tankless hot water heater, you’ll reduce the chance that your hot water tank will leak.

Manage Your Inspections with Property Management Software

Property management software can help you manage your to do list for your properties. Virtual maintenance programs offer reminders that keep you on track for inspections and maintenance and helps you note problems and follow-up with solutions. You can also keep a list of your preferred contractors and contact them on an ongoing or emergency basis depending on your needs. Use mobile property inspection software to manage your inspections while you’re on-site and upload information to the cloud.

Are you trying to improve the efficiency and success of your rental property maintenance? If so, Propertyware can help. With our rental property management software, you’ll be able to manage your property inspections without a fuss. Sign up for a free online tour today.

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Are You Getting the Right Mobile Solutions for Your Property Management Business Needs?

Marc Eiting — Thu, 07 Jan 2016 23:06:30 +0000

Is your business mobile? As you work to develop your property management company, flexible tools can help you bring your business online to serve your tenants, owners, and employees. According to PR Newswire, 48% of mobile visitors who visit a site that is not mobile-friendly felt the company just didn’t care about their business. Integrate your audience and move your business online with tenant portals and cloud-based property management software for your employees.

Communicate With Your Tenants

As a property manager, your tenants are your customers. According to Vertical Rent, one of the most important ways to maintain a good relationship with your tenants and even encourage the loyalty of quality tenants is to maintain proper communication. You communicate with them in many different ways: through email, through text, and on the phone. However, your office is not open 24 hours a day, and if a tenant needs to pay a bill or check when maintenance is due on a particular part of their rental property, they need to connect with you during business hours. If you have an online tenant portal, this is no longer the case. Tenants can access information, pay bills, and send requests 24 hours a day, making your business much more convenient to their needs.

Simplify Lease Agreements

Do you need to sign a new lease agreement? When you manage multiple properties, bringing on new tenants is frequently part of your job. With mobile technologies, you no longer need to rely on paper lease contracts to help your tenants sign a lease agreement. You and your tenants will have access to the paperwork you need online so that you can bring it for tenants to peruse and sign on the spot.

Give Owners Updated Information

Owners need information about their properties, as well. They want real-time information that tells them about the status of their property and payments. Online tracking makes it easier for your owners to get this information no matter where they live and regardless of the time of day it might be. You can also track your communications with owners so that you can see what’s been requested and what’s been done.

Troubleshoot On the Go

When you’re out managing your properties, you need to be a well-educated resource for owners, tenants, and contractors. When did this maintenance last take place? How much rent is overdue? Whether there’s a problem or you’re being proactive, you need to be able to access the required information so that you can be informed and can have a more meaningful conversation with your tenants, owners, and contractors. With online tools such as Propertyware Mobile, you can do just that.

When you’re seeking mobile solutions for your property management business, look to Propertyware. Our software will help you manage your properties online, so that you’re able to connect with the information you need when you’re working outside the office. Watch a demo today.

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Hyperlapse: New Way to Showcase Your Community Using Mobile Technology

pwadmin — Mon, 08 Sep 2014 20:06:27 +0000

I’m all about using visuals to market rental properties, which is probably why I’ve been locked into Instagram’s new Hyperlapse app that launched last week. Hyperlapse uses Instagram’s in-house stabilization to shoot polished, time-lapse videos (which were previously impossible to do without using a tripods or expensive video equipment). Focused on simplicity, the new Hyperlapse app makes mobile time lapse and steady video capture easy. The app allows users to make time lapse videos using standard video captures with your smartphone camera on the go. And to keep simple, well, simple, the only thing you can change about the images you capture is the speed of playback in your Hyperlapse video. Augmenting content with visuals, audio and video are becoming the norm when marketing rental housing. Prospects and residents have limited time to consume content, and using rich media increases marketers’ chances of reaching them with the right message within the marketplace. And with the newer changes implemented in June to Facebook’s algorithm reflecting video usage, using Hyperlapse technology in that space can help enhance the impact of social media marketing efforts. Have fun with Hyperlapse and experiment with the new technology at your property with these tips: – Property tours – Document move-in days – Resident appreciation events – Decorating ideas:how-to’s and do-it-yourself (DIY) ideas – Sunrises/sunsets – Landscaping the property (progression video documenting before, during, after) The possibilities are endless. Keep it light, fun, interesting. Pique curiousity in any way you creatively think – challenge residents to make their own and post it to your social media pages. Looking for ideas? Check out ways Hyperlapse has already been used here Other competitors eager to get into the game have released their own versions (See Microsoft’s first-person videos and the Android version of this called Crispify, which uses video compression technology to automatically enhance the tempo of the video while preserving its original quality. Instagram’s Hyperlapse is currently available only on iTunes. Android users must wait a while longer to experience Hyperlapse from Instagram. What do you think? Do you plan on experimenting with the Hyperlapse app to show off your properties? If you’re willing to experiment, please share it with us on Facebook @Propertyware. (Image source: Shutterstock)

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Deck Safety Month Means Time for Deck Checks

Michael Cunningham — Thu, 01 May 2014 16:29:36 +0000

It’s been a long, cold, and crazy winter for the majority of the United States and we’re all ready to head outside to enjoy some decent weather for a change. If your properties have any sort of attached deck (elevated, especially), now is the time to have them inspected so everyone can gear up for a fun and safe summer.

It’s Time to Inspect Your Decks

According to the North American Deck and Railing Association (NADRA), there are 40 million decks in the United States over 20 years old. In an effort to save lives and prevent injuries from failing decks and balconies, NADRA has declared May as Deck Safety Month. The biggest concern is deck collapse and railing failures. These failures occur for a variety of reasons, including old age, poor maintenance, improper building methods or exceeding load capacity. Heavy snow loads during the winter can weaken the deck. Which is why the spring thaw is an ideal time for homeowners and property managers to inspect their decks before high levels of activity returns, preferably with the assistance of a qualified engineer, builder, or home inspector.

Is Your Deck or Balcony Party Friendly?

The International Code Council, a membership organization dedicated to building safety and fire prevention, states that a common safety hazard occurs when balconies and decks are nailed to buildings rather than attached with the proper anchors or bolts. Other safety hazards to look for are:

Split or rotting wood
Wobbly handrails or guardrails
Loose, missing or rusting anchors, nails or screws
Missing, damaged or loose support beams and planking
Poor end support of the balcony deck, joists or girders
Excessive movement of the balcony when walked on
Swaying or unstable balconies

The Full-Deck Safety Checklist

Additionally, the NADRA offers a one-page Consumer Checklist that lists 10 key signs that the deck needs attention. In addition to the hazards listed above, the NADRA cites several key maintenance and safety tips:

Remove any tree branches that could endanger the deck by breaking free and falling.
Clean away any leaves and debris, since these can be slippery and promote mildew. If applicable, apply a new waterproof coating.
Make sure any sources of fire or heat are safely placed away from flammable surfaces or that the deck surface is protected by a non-flammable pad
Be sure all lighting is working, all electrical outlets, appliances, and features are up to code, and that any electrical cords do not present a tripping hazard
Avoid placing outdoor furniture or outdoor storage units at the edge of the deck.

We recommend sharing the NADRA Check List with your deck contractor and maintenance team or calling a local deck contractor or home inspector for this task. They know what to look for and what building codes are in force for your municipality. Deck failures can be avoided through regular maintenance and inspection and knowing the limits of the deck structure, in addition to working with qualified contractors. Visit http://www.NADRA.org for a list of contractors, a Deck Evaluation Form or for more information on Deck Safety Month. (Image sources: Header image from Shutterstock. Image of father holding baby from NADRA)

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