Purchasing any kind of software is a significant investment. Property management software is no different. If you’re a landlord looking to buy software to improve your current rental management, you no doubt want to do as much research as possible before making a selection.
Your first step is to check out software review sites, including G2, Capterra, and TrustPilot. But what should you look for in a review? What makes a review valid or relevant? Who should you trust?
Read on to learn how to use reviews when evaluating property management software.
Recency
The first factor you’ll want to consider is the recency of reviews. Does the software have a lot of reviews posted in the last year or month? A plethora of recent reviews indicates that the software company is attracting new customers and isn’t likely to be outdated.
Recent reviews also give you a lot of information about how the software tackles problems of modern real estate renting. Landlords today face different challenges than they were just ten or even five years ago, so recent reviews can tell you whether or not the software is fulfilling those newly developed needs.
As you read through reviews, look for recent trends. Are there any new bugs or problems currently being resolved? Does the software company respond to negative reviews? If the software company has been recently active on the review site, you’ll be able to garner insight into their responsiveness and service.
Quantity
The number of reviews for a particular property management software can also tell you much about it. How many total reviews are there? A high number of reviews reflects the software’s overall popularity.
Additionally, lots of reviews means many users have tried and tested every feature the software offers. If a software choice has a high number of reviews, the company has probably already had plenty of input from users about the functionality of their product. This means fewer bugs and issues for you to worry about!
Quality
In addition to quantity, you’ll also want to consider the quality of reviews when looking for property management software. Quality can refer to the raw ratings or scores (for example, 3.5, 4.8) as well as the content of written reviews about the software.
Remember, no score exists in a vacuum. You should always compare scores to others across the industry in order to better understand the context of the score. What is the general standard for property management software? Are most scores highly competitive and centralized around the top? If so, a 4.5 might be more of an outlier than it appears.
Once you’ve compared scores, you should read through written reviews on the product. Do reviewers tend to complain about the same issues? Are the negative reviews usually about minor bugs, or do they indicate larger structural problems with usability or functionality? What about the positive reviewers—which features are they using and not using?
Ask yourself these kinds of critical questions before you make your selection.
Platform Diversity
The last factor you should consider when evaluating property management software is platform diversity. In other words, compare reviews of various software solutions across several platforms.
Capterra, G2, and TrustPilot are three you should always check, but other sites offer valuable insight too. Be aware that the difficulty of posting a review varies across platforms. Some platforms require identity verification on LinkedIn or proof of purchase, while others are less stringent. Use your own judgment to determine whether certain sites are worth more or less of your attention.
Also, be aware that a software company’s position on the list does not necessarily indicate better or worse quality. Some platforms calculate positioning based on average rating and number of reviews, while others allow companies to pay for the top spots. Don’t rule out a company near the bottom, especially if it has high ratings and satisfied reviewers.
In general, aim to find out whether reviews and scores remain consistent across platforms.
Use Reviews to Find Software You Love
Using reviews is a great way to ensure you get the best value for your purchase. If part or all of the software is free, you might even be able to trial the software before making your final decision. Ultimately, you know what features and capabilities are most important to your business. Make the choice that best accommodates your property management needs.