A survey of property owners, operators, real estate investment trust and developers conducted by KPMG LLP confirms Yardi’s leadership as a real estate technology provider. KPMG, a global professional services firm, reported that: Forty-four percent of survey respondents claim Yardi as their property accounting general ledger system provider. The next most popular provider is cited by 11%. “Respondents said they based their choice … on user friendliness, reporting capability, and cost effectiveness. Similar results were found for fund accounting general ledger systems,” KPMG notes. Thirty-two percent employ Yardi for asset and transaction management. Thirty-three percent use Yardi for leasing software. Asked about their approach to investing in property management technology, 79% of respondents said they prefer partnering with a technology vendor. Many organizations noted that “improved decision-making is most valued, followed by the ability to lower operating costs, and improve customer engagement.” The cloud is the preferred system for hosting property accounting general ledger systems for 52% of respondents, with 21% favoring internally hosted onsite systems, 16% outsourcing the function and 11% selecting “other.” Real estate companies’ technology investment priorities over the next 18 months are, in descending order, investor reporting, cybersecurity, asset management, leasing, tax reporting and fund accounting GL systems. KPMG’s analysis of the survey results also offers clues to opportunities for real estate solution providers. “Unlike other industry-leading organizations, many real estate companies are behind the curve when it comes to taking full advantage of new technologies, like data and analytics and artificial intelligence,” KPMG says, adding that continuing to rely on spreadsheet applications for critical financial tasks “can open them up to significant risks.” Learn about industry-leading Yardi solutions for property management, asset management and investment management. View the complete KPMG survey...

Are online payments really worth the fuss? The short answer is yes! But don’t take our word for it. Check out seven reasons why online payments are a necessity for successful communities. Renters Seek Convenience Today’s residents love their smartphones. “According to recent reports, the average American checks their smartphone almost 50 times per day. For millennials, the number is even higher, at 74 times per day. With half of the renter population under the age of 30, digital technology is a game changer at apartment communities for both the residents and property managers,” said Esther Bonardi, vice president of marketing at Yardi. Online banking is one of many tasks that modern renters perform on their smartphones. It offers the simplicity that renters crave: more than two-thirds of respondents to the NMHC Consumer Housing Survey said they seek technologies to make their lives easier. You Seek a Competitive Advantage Offering online rent payments gives your communities a competitive advantage. The most recent NMHC Kingsley study reveals that more than 25 percent of respondents currently pay their rent electronically. Nearly four times as many would prefer to pay their rent online. “An astounding 90 percent of respondents say that online rent payment availability is important or very important when considering their apartment community. This is the second highest rating behind online maintenance requests,” shared Bonardi. Better Security Cash in the leasing office? No, thank you. Fraudulent or lost checks? You likely want to pass on those, too. Online payments offer greater security and fewer risks than cash or checks. Flexible Payment Options When residents have access to quick, easy payment options, you will receive your payments faster and on time. With payment processing, you have several options to extend to your residents. They can pay with traditional...

Yardi has been named for the fourth time to the Forbes Cloud 100, the definitive list of the top 100 private cloud companies in the world. Yardi landed at #30 on the list for 2019. “We’re honored that Forbes recognized us again this year for our industry-leading cloud solutions,” said Jay Shobe, vice president of cloud services at Yardi. “To continue to rank among these prestigious companies reflects the efforts of our employees and the tremendous support of our clients worldwide.” Published by Forbes in collaboration with Bessemer Venture Partners, the list will appear in the Sept. issue of Forbes magazine and is available at forbes.com/cloud100. Award winners were first announced Tuesday night at a gala awards dinner in San Francisco. The evaluation process involved four factors: market leadership (35%), estimated valuation (30%), operating metrics (20%), people & culture (15%), which the judge panel then weighed to select, score and rank the winners. With that data, the Forbes Cloud 100 judge panel, which includes major public cloud company CEOs, was then responsible for selecting and ranking the top 100 companies worldwide. “The private cloud ecosystem has matured, making the competition to land one of the coveted spots on the Forbes Cloud 100 list steeper than ever,” said Byron Deeter, a top cloud investor, and partner at Bessemer Venture Partners. “In fact, the average valuation of a company on our inaugural list just four years ago was $1 billion, while the average valuation on this year’s list spiked to $1.7 billion. These founders represent the absolute best in cloud computing today, and they will most certainly follow in the footsteps of our esteemed Forbes Cloud 100 alumni. Congratulations to these cloud leaders!” “There has been tremendous growth in the cloud market in recent years, as...

Did you know that Yardi offers products and services for 18 industries? We are continually in development of quality software that maximizes technology and benefits your business. There are several ways to learn more about Yardi’s solutions for your real estate company. Online, All the Time The Resources page is available 24/7. Whether you’re looking for quick bites of info or in-depth analysis, we’ve got you covered. eBooks – These in-depth resources explain key benefits of our software solutions in reader-friendly formats. They’re rich with informative graphics and helpful data. Client Success Stories– Explore how clients in your industry use Yardi to revolutionize their businesses. Client success stories address tools for improved efficiency, going paperless, and other ways to improve the bottom line. Quick Videos– Got 3 minutes or fewer? Client interviews and “explainer” videos are an easy way to get your real estate questions answered and learn about Yardi software and services. White Papers– Dive into case studies that give you a detailed look at how fellow industry professionals used technology to advance their businesses. Product Brochures– Maybe you’ve heard the buzz about a new product and now you’re ready to learn more. Our brochures offer a high-level overview of product information. You will also find helpful contact information for additional details. Upon visiting the Resources page, you will encounter our latest and most popular uploads. Looking for something specific? Simply use the Filter to drill down into materials unique to your industry. You can also search by Solution Type. Live, Customized Experiences At Yardi, we value the opportunity to meet you face-to-face. These priceless encounters are a great way to dive into the nuances of the industry, your business needs, and how Yardi software bridges the gaps. The Events page delivers current...

As we head into uncertain economic times, is your multifamily portfolio recession proof? Now more than ever, you need data you can trust and a smart revenue management strategy to set competitive rental prices, maximize occupancy and spend marketing dollars wisely. And, with the arrival of artificial intelligence and machine learning to inform business intelligence, computers understand what is happening in the market before people do. In a July 2019 Forbes article, “Three Ways to Recession-Proof Multifamily Properties,” the author stated “Just as ‘all politics is local,’ so is real estate. In their Beige Book, the Federal Reserve governors said real estate activity is declining in some regions even as others pick up the pace. Much of that activity centers on multifamily real estate: 319,000 apartments are due for completion this year nationwide, which the Wall Street Journal determined is the most new units in about three decades. Local conditions should dictate new multifamily purchases and impact investors’ efforts to recession-proof already-owned properties.” Come for Answers So, how do you drive property performance in a changing industry? Join us at Maximize 2019 for some great answers — NAA’s premier event taking place on September 23-24 in Atlanta. This year’s conference will focus on the intersection of asset and revenue management and will deliver knowledge and tactics that attendees can put into action. Educational sessions include the must-attend “Revenue Management and the Recession” on September 24 at 10:00 a.m., moderated by Dhar Sawh, industry principal of revenue management at Yardi. Sawh will be joined by panelists Trey Lane, vice president of pricing and revenue management at Progress Residential, Michael Lilly, director of revenue management at Weidner Property Management and Jessica Mills, senior consultant at D2 Demand Solutions. Attendees will discover what experienced pricing managers learned during the last recession and...

Team Yardi will join 800 multifamily professionals in Las Vegas on October 2-4 for MFE Conference 2019, a must-attend event for industry executives, operators, managers, developers and investors. To meet new challenges and capitalize on fresh opportunities, this year’s focus is “Pivot Planning: Your Path for Multifamily’s Changing Future.” Heading into 2020, multifamily businesses will be dealing with rent control, rising operating costs and fast-changing customer demands. Finding solutions including the best technology to smooth the path forward will be critical — and the conference agenda is designed to help attendees do just that. Now more than ever, having good operational data is necessary to understand and drive property performance. From actionable analytics and holistic benchmarking to just-in-time marketing with prescriptive actions, big data is a must-have for every multifamily business. Must-Attend Session with Industry Leaders Don’t miss Anant Yardi, founder and president of Yardi, on October 4 at 10 a.m. for “Unleash Data: An Interview with RealPage and Yardi.” Mr. Yardi will be joined by Steve Winn, founder and CEO of RealPage. This intimate conversation with the leaders of the industry’s top data providers will be led by Jamie Gorski, chief marketing officer of The Bozzuto Group, and will cover strategies to adopt now and in the near future to drive smart decisions in a changing industry. “The MFE Conference provides industry professionals with a wealth of knowledge on how to effectively navigate industry trends and changes. It is an honor to moderate the ‘Unleash Data’ session — which is occurring for only the second time in the conference’s history. I am particularly excited to interview the founders of Yardi and RealPage, two reputable industry leaders of real estate software, and hear their insights on short- and long-term strategies for driving business decisions...

Established in 2015, Shannon Commercial Properties (SCP) is a subsidiary of Shannon Group plc and provides commercial property solutions to commercial, industrial and aviation markets. The company owns and manages seven business and technology parks and has over 1.8 million square feet of office and industrial space, as well as approximately 1,600 acres of development land in over 40 locations across counties Clare, Limerick, Tipperary, Kerry and Offaly in Ireland. “We are focused on expanding our property portfolio in the Mid West region with the provision of further third generation office and industrial facilities, primarily located in Shannon Free Zone West, beside Shannon Airport,” said Jennifer Kearns, finance manager for Shannon Commercial Properties. SCP adopted Yardi Voyager to improve business processes and to gain better control and visibility of operations in one system. The move from disparate systems enabled SCP to handle all aspects of portfolio management including lease management, reporting, budgeting, maintenance, and financials from a single database. Prior to adopting Yardi solutions, SCP was operating across six different management systems. Initially, a new structure was proposed which detailed a four-system approach: property management, financial management, debt management and document management. However, after further examination and detailed discussions with Yardi about the company’s key needs, it became apparent that SCP could streamline onto just one system, Yardi Voyager. “Streamlining onto a single system has allowed us operate with a more reliable set of data. Multiple systems had resulted in unreliable data, which had increased the potential for inaccurate reporting. Combined with the powerful reporting functionality with Voyager, SCP is far better positioned to make strategic decisions than previously,” said David Neylon, capital sales executive for SCP. Gaining control over workflows was a key driver in SCP’s move to Yardi Voyager. Voyager enables SCP...

Yardi didn’t have to venture far recently to share sustainability expertise with an audience eager for innovative energy efficiency ideas. The company provided top-level sponsorship plus an exhibit and speaker for the California Higher Education Sustainability Conference (CHESC), a forum for research and case studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara, just a few miles from its headquarters. The four-day gathering included more than 700 California higher education professionals including sustainability coordinators, construction, energy and environmental managers, engineers and facilities directors along with faculty and students. Experts from Yardi shared how the Yardi Pulse Suite, an integrated set of software solutions, supports sustainability efforts by helping reduce energy costs and consumption across all property types. They provided examples of the company’s success in helping property owners benchmark to ENERGY STAR® and make energy efficiency investments, and shared how Yardi promotes energy efficiency and sustainability through webinars, articles in trade publications, educational sessions at industry conferences and other activities. CHESC attendees learned that Yardi further displayed its sustainability sensibilities by achieving ENERGY STAR certification for its headquarters in 2018 and installing a real-time online dashboard that shows consumption data for each building at the corporate campus. In April 2019, the company’s initiatives earned designation as an ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year. “It is our hope that tools like ours will continue to help property owners and managers be more successful with energy initiatives and comply with new mandates like the California 2030 Green Building Goals,” Lexi Beausoleil, marketing campaigns specialist for Yardi energy solutions, told the conference, adding that technology can be a powerful tool for engaging people to “see the impact of their behaviors and empower them to make better choices.” Other presenters at the conference’s opening session included Dominique Hargreaves, deputy...

Yardi contributed hugely to the success of the recent Realcomm ׀ IBCon conferences, an annual premier event in the commercial real estate industry, by showcasing innovative technologies that control revenue and expenses. Yardi focused on the benefits of Yardi Elevate, Yardi Kube and Yardi Pulse. These product suites blend business intelligence from Yardi Matrix with operational tools into a single connected platform that harmonizes leasing, deal management, tenant improvements, budgeting, construction management and other operations. Property owners can make better decisions, manage pipelines more efficiently and foster closer interaction between external brokers and asset managers. Rob Teel, Yardi senior vice president of global solutions noted in a live-streamed interview during Realcomm ׀ IBCon that property managers must manage revenue and expenses more actively than they did a decade ago to generate expected returns. “Success comes when teams work together to create an ecosystem of users who can collaborate to improve operational performance,” he said. Watch the full interview below: The solutions also give rise to new revenue streams from coworking membership arrangements, better forecasting capability, lower energy consumption and expenses without sacrificing occupant comfort, and budget and schedule certainty for construction projects. With their real-time connection to the Yardi Voyager property management and accounting database, they’re easier to use and more reliable than point solutions. “Yardi has extended solutions from the Yardi Voyager property management and accounting platform to encompass other elements, making property owners and managers more efficient,” Brian Sutherland, industry principal of global solutions, said in another live-streamed interview. Watch the full interview below: “Realcomm ׀ IBCon was a great opportunity for the Yardi team to connect with and learn from clients, vendors and other industry participants. The conference’s quality is second to none,” Teel said. Asked the secret of Yardi’s success, Sutherland said,...

DENVER (June 26, 2019) – The National Apartment Association’s annual summer conference, Apartmentalize, got underway Wednesday at the Denver Convention Center. It’s the ultimate destination for multifamily professionals to get educated, engaged and inspired. But a consistent theme throughout the event’s opening sessions was not renting apartments or multifamily technology, but something far simpler: people. “I love this industry because we interact so intimately with our customers,” said Melissa Joy, vice president of Village Green. “Renting an apartment is the best or the worst day of someone’s life.” Making the experience as positive as possible for residents is Village Green’s constant goal, Joy explained. “We obsess over our residents and their happiness.” The theme of this year’s Apartmentalize is “Everyone. Together.” That spirit of inclusivity pervaded the educational sessions – which covered topics like fair housing, short term rentals, technology, management techniques, benchmarking, investment ROI, leasing best practices, workplace violence, apartment advocacy, reputation management and more. A highlight of Wednesday’s Living Room Learning, a series of quick TED talk-style presentations, was Heather Blume and her service dog MoonMoon, who bluntly addressed the negative reaction she has encountered to her certified service animal. “When you have a service dog, your disability is on display,” Blume confided. But MoonMoon has enabled her to overcome debilitating panic and PTSD attacks to travel, work and give speeches again. She urged multifamily professionals to consider the whole picture when considering renting to residents who rely on support animals. “Home is supposed to be a safe place, and we are home providers,” said Blume, a training and leasing consultant from Seattle, with MoonMoon calmly seated behind her on the stage. Wednesday concluded with a keynote address by Brandon Stanton, who you may have never heard of – but he’s the...

Property managers using Yardi’s ScreeningWorks Pro solution have a new tool for making resident screening faster and more reliable. The Work Number® from Equifax enables instant online verification of current employment status and payroll income and eliminates reliance on applicant-provided pay stubs and federal W-2 forms. “We are very excited to join forces with Yardi to offer instant verifications to the rent community utilizing The Work Number database,” says Tom Ciulla, vice president of enterprise alliances at Equifax, which manages the nation’s largest repository of verified income and employment information. “Available for the first time in rental markets, these solutions will not only help speed up the application process, but greatly assist the consumer and property manager with each transaction.” Patrick Hennessey, vice president of resident screening for Yardi, adds, “Without online access to verified income data, property managers could spend hours tracking down current and legitimate pay stubs. The Work Number is a great service that helps ScreeningWorks Pro clients reduce fraud and speed up the approval of qualified applicants.” The Work Number database houses employment records contributed by tens of thousands of employers nationwide, including 82% of the Fortune 500, a rapidly increasing number of small and medium-size businesses (SMBs) and the majority of the federal government’s civilian employers. See how companies are finding success with ScreenWorks Pro, a comprehensive solution that includes credit reports, rental history and other publicly reportable civil or criminal records....

With the excitement of spring and summer holidays ahead, most of us have in mind that the key to a great vacation is careful planning, research and a clear idea of where you want to go. Lifting a real estate company out of individual spreadsheets and into collaborative systems is a very different kind of adventure, but mapping out the steps in the process and knowing what results you need are no less critical to having a successful experience. Going Digital Without Hiring Engineers Many real estate companies in Asia Pacific, and elsewhere globally, are starting their journey toward mining the data from their team activities and customer experience with systems that look much the same as what they had been using in the 1990s. This can put property firms at a disadvantage as they expand into new markets or try to ramp up growth. With online analytics now common in finance, ecommerce and other firms, more real estate companies are looking for ways to get accurate, real time data on their businesses, but get put off by the challenge of adopting new systems, Bernie Devine, regional director for Asia at Yardi, explains. “Our message for them is that the benefits are worth the pain, and there really isn’t that much pain anymore.” Devine indicates that that while systems like Yardi’s, which allow real estate firms to manage their leasing, track building maintenance and link their financial reporting directly to the front end of their businesses, are built by teams of programmers, implementing them does not require technical knowledge. “The key to getting your business online is having a clear understanding of how each step of each process works and being able to map those steps out,” Devine said. After having helped scores of...

Yardi was recently named Property Software Company of the Year award. Hosted by Arabian Business, a weekly business magazine published in Dubai, the awards recognize the most accomplished companies and senior executives from around the region. The awards ceremony took place at the Ritz Carlton, Dubai and celebrated top technology performers in the UAE. Drawn from a select group of over 600 companies and individuals, 21 awards were presented. Arabian Business covers all aspects of Middle East commerce and investment, as well as lifestyle and real estate news. Last year, Yardi was recognized by Arabian Business as the UAE’s top real estate technology provider. This second consecutive year of recognition for software excellence demonstrates how the company is expanding its role in the region’s real estate business. “Yardi has a proven track record across the Middle East for providing long-term, customer focused solutions that represent innovative use of technology across real estate sectors,” said Said Haider, Yardi’s Regional Director for Middle East, who accepted the award on the company’s behalf. “We are honoured to receive this recognition from Arabian Business.” The company also recently announced that it is helping its clients participate in the DubaiNow platform, which provides digital access to multiple government services. DubaiNow is the first unified Dubai government services app, and currently offers over 55 services from 24 government entities. The DubaiNow platform makes city services more seamless and efficient. Examples of tasks that can be accomplished via the app include utility bill pay, visa tracking, trade license renewal, car registration and much more. Yardi worked closely with its Dubai-based clients in the development and testing of the new interface. For real estate and relocation, users can perform transactions associated with moving to a new residence using the DubaiNow app. This...

There are two groups that want you to optimize online payments: your residents and your staff. According to the National Apartment Association, about 79 percent of residents prefer to pay their bills online. It’s quick, easy, and means one less task to occupy their time each month. Your staff wants to enjoy a workweek without opening mail, scanning checks, trips to the bank, or data entry into your real estate accounting software. When you increase adaptation to online payment processing, everyone wins. Check out these six tips to boost online payment enrollment. Provide easy access to the payment portal. Consider adding a button directly on your property website or prominently displayed on the resident portal. Make enrollment easy for your residents. Consider creating a step-by-step how-to guide on enrollment that includes screenshots. The text and visual aids will help your residents, resulting in fewer calls to your office for help. Designate a tablet or computer to online payment enrollment. When a resident visits the leasing office with a rent check, agents can then offer to help them setup online payments on the spot! Inform residents of their options. Some residents may be unfamiliar with the options available or not understand the lingo. Broadcast which options they have– ACH, Text to Pay, reoccurring EFT—and well as what each payment option means. Create an awareness campaign including emails, social media posts, and print posters at the leasing office (especially near the drop box). Consider a catchy slogan and imagery for the campaign that will stick in residents’ minds. As a last resort, create an incentive program. Consider gift certificates, prizes, or small discounts off the rent. The incentives are an upfront investment with long-term payoffs. Learn more about online Payment Processing with...

If you’re currently using Yardi Voyager as your property management platform, make sure you’re taking advantage of all the great features designed to make your job easier — and help your organization meet its goals faster. One of Yardi’s own Voyager gurus, Amy Walston, shared some helpful tips about five Voyager features you might not be using, but probably should. To find out what they are and what they can do for you and your business, keep reading.   Amenity-based pricing What it is: An amenity is an included, non-optional feature of a unit that increases or decreases its market value above or below the unit type rent. You can view units according to premiums that increase value such as cabinet upgrades or a desirable location.  An example of an amenity that decreases a unit’s value is a view of a parking lot. Benefits of using it: Pricing rental units only by number of bedrooms and bathrooms doesn’t always deliver the best results since other factors affect desirability. Attracting the right tenant at the right price is key. This tool allows you to control individual unit pricing based on the features of each unit, and lets you easily change unit pricing by updating amenity values. This tool includes user-based security to allow or restrict updates to amenity values and unit pricing.   Leasing specials What it is: Leasing specials are deals or offers that prospects can choose when they apply for units and that residents can select when they renew leases. Specials can be created to occur only once, such as a bonus for renewing a lease early, or they can repeat monthly, such as a rent discount for signing a 14-month lease. Benefits of using it: To improve occupancy by converting more prospects and retaining good residents,...

Getting an email from the human resources often means forms to fill out or documents to sign. The creative minds in Yardi Atlanta HR decided to spice things up. It has become their tradition to encourage holiday cheer by hosting a fun and engaging activity for the office. This year, they sent out an email initiating the first ever Yardi Wrap Battle. No, it wasn’t a present wrapping contest. This battle challenged teams to create a holiday-inspired rap song. Catrina Ishman, human resources generalist with Yardi, shared the inspiration behind the event. “One of our employees writes a daily positive message on her white board,” said Ishman. “As I was reading Monday’s message, I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be fun if we could do a poetry contest but with a twist?’ and the wheels started turning from there. We decided on a Wrap Battle that’s a play on wrapping gifts and wrapping up the year 2018.” For the Wrap Battle, teammates collaborated to write, perform, and record a 60-second rap. They were challenged to include the words: wrap, jingle, bells, snow, and Yardi. A committee of peers judged the submissions and announced the winners based on overall creativity. The winners of the 2018 Wrap Battle represent RentCafe Affordable team! The grand prize is a catered lunch of their choice. In the spirit of the holidays, HR decided to create a snack basket for other participating teams. In addition to showing the friendly side of HR, the annual holiday events support Yardi corporate culture. “Some of the characteristics that make up Yardi’s unique culture are fun, collaboration and team work,” said Ishman. “I think activities like these allow employees to showcase their creative sides while still embodying who we are as a company. Our culture is...

The second annual Santa Barbara Gives! (SB Gives!) is now underway. This holiday fundraiser and competition is a fun way to unite local donors and nonprofits. When their efforts are combined, Santa Barbara thrives. So, What’s This All About? SB Gives! aims to motivate philanthropy by highlighting innovative nonprofits. Readers can explore the nonprofits’ missions on the SB Gives! website. Once inspired, readers are encouraged to donate to their nonprofit(s) of choice. Of course, a little friendly competition keeps things interesting. SB Gives! features a leaderboard to show which nonprofit has raised the most funds to date. Donations are tracked in real time! What’s the Skinny on EqualiTech? Among the noteworthy nonprofits stands EqualiTech, the brain child of math teacher Danny Fitzgibbons. Through his studies and career, he learned of the disparity that occurs between children with early access to technology and those without. Learning gaps are evident as early as kindergarten. Fitzgibbons wanted to create a program that provided access to critical technologies regardless of socioeconomic status. Today, EqualiTech makes technology accessible to residents of Goleta and nearby neighborhoods. The organization aims to improve computer literacy by providing public computer access at Goleta Valley Tech Center. The site is staffed by a bilingual manager and instructor who is available to answer questions and work one on one with patrons who need help. At the center, students learn basic computer skills such as typing, navigating a computer, and creating and managing an email account. Students can also receive help with special projects like website design and resolving hardware issues. Students’ time at EqualiTech is meant to be fun and practical. Naturally, students learn how to keep in touch with loved ones via social media. Of equal importance, they learn tips and tricks on how to...

Choosing the right property management software determines the efficiency and productivity of your organization. Jumpstart your selection process with these eight simple questions. Is the software installed at the premises or cloud-based?This is a matter of preference. Some organizations prefer installed software because data access does not depend upon an internet connection. The industry, however, shifts towards cloud-based platforms. Such web-based software permits users to access the data in the office, in the field and anywhere in between. Cloud-based solutions often include updates for the latest improvements and changes in compliance. Staff is free to focus on their roles, not the nuances of software.   What security and backup procedures are available? Cloud security services combine convenience with safety. Ensure that your cloud-based software offers data recovery, encryption and around-the-clock server operation monitoring.   Is the pricing model determined by the number of users or units? Software may be priced per licensed user or per unit. Licensing by user may be convenient for organizations with few employees and limited plans for growth. Pricing by unit allows the greatest flexibility and scalability. Staff growth and software usage are not hampered by paid licenses.   Is the product out-of-the-box or customizable? Turnkey solutions offer the ability the hit the ground running. Customizable systems will suite your portfolio more precisely and grow with you as your needs change.   Does the software integrate with other services necessary for your business? A fully integrated platform makes daily operations easier. The suite keeps data consistent between services such as accounting, leasing, resident screening, marketing, maintenance, and utility billing.   When is technical support available? Emergencies don’t wait for convenient office hours. Check support service hours to ensure that you can receive assistance on weekdays as well as weekends. Read...

When it comes to Excel, there are two kinds of users: those who love it, and those who love to hate it. Regardless of which camp you’re in, there’s no denying the ubiquitous tracking tool has earned its role as a mainstay in offices in every industry across he world. But as the complexities of business have grown, so has the need for flexible tracking tools—a fact that’s increasingly obvious in senior living. With many different levels of care, various floor plans, myriad amenities and portfolios of communities, new time-saving tools can have a huge impact. In this post, we’ll examine common budgeting and tracking challenges faced by senior living operators and a solution that makes all the difference. The challenges: Antiquated systems are inefficient Since most companies purchase office software packages, it seems most cost efficient to use the spreadsheet that’s included to record and analyze the organization’s budgets. And while that strategy is an effective way to save money on paper, creating a scalable document to track all business operations from a blank tab in Excel is incredibly painstaking and time consuming—and once it’s been created, maintaining the document is no easy feat. If you recall the concept of opportunity costs from freshman economics, you’ll begin to understand that there is no efficiency in sapping countless man hours to make a tool not created for your business actually work for your business. Versions get outdated quickly—and aren’t easily shared Have you ever wasted time updating a spreadsheet only to find that you weren’t looking at the latest version? One of the most common frustrations with using static spreadsheets, rather than live solutions which are updated in real time, is the data becomes stale quickly, especially when multiple teams are making edits. On...

The evolution of the flexible office sector has shaken up the real estate industry and has arguably changed it for the better. Yardi recently brought together a panel of experts in the UK to discuss the many segments of flexible offices and what lies in store for the sector. Mary Finnigan, head of transactions, real estate, WeWork Chris Pieroni, operations director, Workspace Group Adrian Goldney, co-founder, Flexible Office Space John Williams, head of marketing, Instant Group Joff Sharpe, head of operations, British Land Tony Freeth, director coworking, Yardi Europe Liz Hamson, editor, Property Week – chair   LH: With all the different definitions out there, what should we be calling the sector? Should there be a standard definition or does it really matter? CP: All the definitions out there are very different – hybrid, coworking, flexible, service – and then you’ve got all sorts of issues around whether they are an operator or a landlord and then you’ve got all sorts of issues about what sort of services are offered; whether they are exclusive or not. And it’s really complicated to pull all the data together and try to get an understanding. I’ve got my own view on where we stand in the flexible office market and we didn’t fit into any of the definitions. We’ve decided to just look at the flexible market.   LH: So what do you define flexible as? CP: So we had three different categories – something under three months, and then we stopped at over 12 months. But actually, I think now as larger corporates want flexibility, you might be saying flexibility for them is three years. So I don’t know, but we stopped at over 12 months. JS: I don’t think the starting point is flexibility; it’s...