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Given the advent of technology and AI-powered tools, finding the best rental property management software is has become a big challenge in the real estate industry.
Dozens of options exist, making it difficult to determine which is best for your specific company's needs.
To facilitate your search, we built this guide that provides an overview of one of today's property management software options: Building Stack.
We'll start by discussing Building Stack as a company and then dive into the many features its rental management software offers. We'll also go over the software's pricing options and then offer an alternative option so that you can make an informed decision.
While reading this Building Stack review, you should keep in mind the needs of your property business. Ask yourself these questions:
- What are the most important features for you?
- What pain points of your property management process could use optimizing?
- What type of landlord, property manager, or property management company are you?
- What types of properties do you manage in your real estate portfolio?
- What's your budget?
There are other important factors as well, but these are basic questions to help get you thinking about what you actually need.
With that said, let's jump in!
About Building Stack
Building Stack is a property management software company that was founded in 2009. Headquartered in Montreal, Canada, Building Stack has served property managers in not only Canada but also the U.S. by offering a robust property management software built to improve the efficiency of landlords, property managers, and property management companies.
The software offers a wealth of features that the modern property manager needs, including the following:
- Accounting tools
- Lease management
- Tenant portal
- Maintenance request management
- Marketing tools
- Time and expense tracking
- Online payments for rent
- Tenant communication
Some of these features are typical in a standard property management software, while others, like time and expense tracking, are pretty unique.
Additionally, Building Stack advertises itself for residential and commercial portfolios.
Building Stack Property Management Software Features
We'll now go over the aforementioned key features offered by Building Stack in more detail and pinpoint their pros and cons.
Accounting
Building Stack has extensive reporting options. For example, Building Stack offers time and expense reporting options as well as customizable reports for property owners and other parties.
As a property manager, you can also use Building Stack to export bills into a PDF invoice. Within that invoice, you can personalize it to include your company's logo and other pertinent details. You can generate bills for recurring expenses automatically as well.
Building Stack's website doesn't list other typical accounting features, unfortunately. So if you use Building Stack, you still may need an additional accounting software. That being said, the software doesn't have an open API, so you'll have to make sure Building Stack integrates with your other financial software too.
Leasing
At the core of property management is leasing, and Building Stack has you covered in that department. Building Stack centralizes your leases, security deposits, online rent payment collection, renewals, and more on its cloud-based platform so that everything is accessible on the go.
Its lease balance-tracking tools also let you check whether your tenants are paying rent, how much you are owed, and which payments may have been missed. Receive online rent payments easily, enjoy robust rent-tracking tools, monitor tenant balances, and stay on top of your rental income for all your properties.
With Building Stack, you can sign pre-populated leases digitally. The software has pre-configured lease settings for lease templates from Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, and other areas.
Tenant Portal
Tenant portals are a great way to foster good tenant communication, and fortunately you can easily give your tenants access to whatever they need for their rental through Building Stack's resident portal.
Through the portal, tenants can submit maintenance requests through a ticket system. Meanwhile, you can review and track progress on those requests. You can also send out important notices to several renters at once and see who has read them.
From the tenant portal, your residents can also pay rent, view the balance and payment history of their leases, and obtain building information.
Maintenance Request Management
As mentioned, Building Stack's tenant portal contains the building maintenance request system and can document tenant requests. Tenants can report issues and request maintenance for their units. If needed, they can also share relevant photos and files.
Marketing
In addition to having a wealth of leasing tools, Building Stack offers many marketing listings to help advertise property management businesses and vacancies, from automated postings and an application form to customized business websites.
Once you generate property listings, Building Stack will post them to leading listings channels like Trovit and Kijiji, update them when needed, and remove them once your unit is filled.
Once potential renters fill out applications for your listings, Building Stack transfers the information for those leads into your account to simplify tenant selection. This is a great way for Canadian businesses to manage leads.
You can boost your business's online presence with a custom company website as well.
Time and Expense Tracking
One unique feature Building Stack offers that other property management software companies usually don't is time tracking and expense tracking. This is great for those looking to manage a bigger property management business with an office.
With Building Stack, you can get an overview of worked hours for your entire team down to the minute.
You can also use this feature to track the time taken for work orders and bill as needed.
Through these features, you can send your property owners customized invoices as well.
Although these features are nice, landlords and property managers from smaller companies typically don't need them. But if you do, then Building Stack may be a great option for you.
Building Stack Canadian Property Management Software Pricing
Building Stack only lists annual contracts on its website. There is no monthly subscription option advertised. It has multiple pricing tiers for its property management software depending on your needs.
The first is its Core Platform for $25 per month (with a one-year contract). The Core Platform plan includes lease management, a tenant portal, an online payment platform, automatic rent payments, rent tracking, and owner and vendor management.
If you're looking for marketing tools, Building Stack has an option for that for $65 per year (with a one-year contract). This plan includes everything from the Core Platform, as well as some helpful marketing features like multi-channel property listing syndication for leading listings channels and custom websites.
Similarly, there's a communication option for $65 per year (with a one-year contract) if you're looking for maintenance requests and real-time notifications in addition to the core features.
If you need all of this, however, you'll need to upgrade to the Full Stack package for $99 per month (with a one-year contract).
Note that the aforementioned prices cover up to 25 units. After that, the prices significantly increase to $125, $315, $315, and $499 per month (again, with an annual contract as well).
Interestingly, Building Stack does have a free version for online payments. However, this option only includes the basics, such as a tenant portal, online rent payments, and automatic payments.
Building Stack Alternative: DoorLoop
If you want something more flexible that doesn't necessitate a contract or want a rent manager, financial software, digital lease features, marketing tools, tenant communication, and more out of your real estate management software for a more affordable price, then DoorLoop may be a better option for you to manage your properties.
DoorLoop was made by property managers and investors for property managers and investors, which is why its software services include the most important features you need out of your property management software: accounting, online rental applications, a rent manager, the ability for renters to pay rent and you to monitor tenant balances, and so much more.
DoorLoop Features
DoorLoop's comprehensive suite of features includes the following:
- Accounting and bookkeeping
- Tenant screening
- Rent collection
- Tenant portal
- Owner portal
- Maintenance request management
- Online rental applications
- eSignature
- Secure file storage
- Marketing tools
Since DoorLoop is a cloud-based property management software, that platform is available anywhere and anytime. Whether you're using a computer, tablet, cellphone, or other device, DoorLoop's website and mobile app have everything you need in one place.
DoorLoop is also known for offering top-notch service to its customers, including quick response times. So if you ever happen to have any issues, the support team will always have your back.
Most notable is the fact that DoorLoop's accounting tools are so robust that they mitigate the need for having other financial software. You can truly do it all from one single app.
Additionally, the software is built for any type of property management business. Do you manage residential real estate? Commercial? Associations? No matter the business or types of tenants, DoorLoop has you covered.
DoorLoop Pricing
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DoorLoop has a pretty straightforward and cost-effective pricing model. It has three pricing plans: Starter ($59 per month), Pro ($119 per month), and Premium ($179 per month). Each of these gives you up to 20 units to start. There are no contracts, and if you want to save money by switching to a yearly plan, you can.
This makes DoorLoop one of the most flexible Canadian property management software options on the market!
DoorLoop's cost-effective Starter plan includes everything property managers need: accounting, customer service relationship (CRM) management, maintenance requests, rent payments, eSignature, a tenant portal, and more.
With the Pro plan, you get all of the above and an owner portal and tenant announcements, among other features. You can also enjoy a customizable property management software by customizing your dashboards.
Finally, with DoorLoop's Premium plan, you get it all in your rental management software. This includes the aforementioned features and some other powerful property management tools like a personalized website, API access, and unlimited users, data storage, and free eSignatures.
Conclusion
Regardless of whether you choose the Building Stack team, DoorLoop team, or that of another property management software altogether, we hope that this guide has helped you.
From here, we recommend reading Building Stack reviews and DoorLoop reviews both to see which option will not only cater to your needs and maximize your rental income but also please your tenants. Which is a good company with a great support team that will have your back if a problem ever arises?
It's a difficult decision to make, which is why DoorLoop offers an entirely free demo so that you can see what it has to offer firsthand and get a full understanding of how it can fulfill the needs of your investments and business.
Take your Canadian property management business to new heights and try out DoorLoop's free demo today!
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