RealPage, Inc. ‘ OneSite

OneSite is a completely integrated browser-based property management/ financial solution. OneSite’s architecture has been designed to handle thousands of transactions simultaneously; hence, its clientele includes large property management companies as well as mid-sized and smaller companies.

EASE OF USE – 5 Stars
OneSite’s navigational screen contains a series of function tabs at the top that provide one-click access to system features such as Prospects, Applicants, Residents, Facilities, Purchasing and Reports. The Setup function is also located here and has three sections: Company Setup, General Property Setup and Crossfire. The company information screen has numerous areas to enter company information, including general information, property information and any related sites you wish to include. You can enter user-specific information in the leasing screen, including applicant follow-up specifics, reason for moving, common traffic sources and even allowable pet weight ranges. Various templates can be set up according to your needs, as well.

Setup is not a simple task for large or mid-sized companies; a tremendous amount of information needs to be entered in order to have the system function properly. As a result, the company assigns implementation consultants to assist with the setup process at large and mid-sized companies. However, OneSite’s JumpStart Program for companies with five or fewer sites does not require the assistance of an implementation consultant. Rather, clients can ‘jump’ right into the program.

You can choose to set your Start page to any of the functions found on the navigational toolbar. One of the best solutions is to set it to Today, which displays an availability summary, tenant renewals, a quick financial summary, a list of appointments, and tasks to do for that day.

FEATURES – 5 Stars
OneSite’s Applicant Entry screen is intuitive and designed to be used for both telephone and walk-in applicants. After entering applicant information, you can click on Check Availability at the bottom of the screen to search for units currently availability that fit the collected applicant criteria. The Facilities feature lists all service requests entered into the system, what the request/problem is, whether the service request has been assigned to a maintenance technician, and the scheduled repair/response time. A ‘make ready board’ provides managers and maintenance coordinators quick access to vital information with a single click. The Assets feature lists unit equipment information including current equipment condition, warranty expiration dates and product serial numbers. The Administration feature allows quick payment posting, late charge posting, a web site setup function, and a resident portal for maintaining contact with residents electronically. The Screenings feature lets you customize screening criteria that prospective tenants must meet. All prospects receive a score that assists management personnel with the approval process. Approval criteria are user defined and entered during the setup process.

INTEGRATION – 5 Stars
OneSite is a series of applications that revolves around the Leasing and Rents application. Accounting, Facilities, Purchasing, Screening, Payments and Portfolio applications all integrate to form a powerful property management/financial software product. Data is easily imported from third-party software products and utility programs. Using XML technology, you can integrate the accounting function with other products or choose to import data directly from QuickBooks. Company asset values can be tracked using YieldStar. And marketing leads are optimized when using CrossFire, a marketing tool designed to automate prospect leads and increase tenant retention.

REPORTING – 5 Stars
Reporting options are excellent and numerous. Clicking on All Reports will bring up a detailed list of available system reports. Report groups include Leasing and Rent Reports, Prospect Management Reports and Facilities Reports. Leasing reports available include lease expiration (both detailed and summary), monthly activity reports and unit availability reports. The prospect management report choices are also excellent and include leasing activity, detail and summary, a referral activity report, a lost prospects report, and a prospect follow-up worksheet.

HISTORY & SUPPORT – 5 Stars
RealPage, Inc. has provided products and services to the property management industry for more than 15 years. Today, over 20,000 apartment communities use RealPage’s products.

Customer support is available Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and an 800-number is available for all customers. The company offers a number of training options as well, including traditional classroom training, which runs $300 per student per day. On-site training, web training and ‘training the trainer’ classes are also available. Implementation can be time consuming and is coordinated by OneSite personnel to eliminate potential problems and deployment delays.

RELATIVE VALUE – 5 Stars
RealPage, Inc. will evaluate the needs of each potential customer prior to providing a quote, but it will cost approximately $1 per unit per month with a nominal setup fee. This is a complex system that is user friendly, intuitive and easily navigated. Implementation assistance from OneSite personnel ensures that your company and properties are set up properly. If you’re looking to use a new system immediately, OneSite is probably not for you. But if you’re willing to put in some time to get things right, this program is an excellent choice for mid- to large-size property management companies.

2005 OVERALL RATING: 5

This review will hopefully answer some of your questions or at least point you in the right direction. We chose six areas to focus on for this review: Ease of Use, Features, Integration, Reporting, History & Support, and Relative Value.

Ease of Use is important, particularly for new users. How quickly can the system be set up? Is it easy to install? System Features gives readers information about the modules included with the system, whether there is an integrated accounting function, and whether or not there is an applicant module or a work order/maintenance module. Integration is also an important issue, particularly for large management companies running multiple software products. Reporting covers report processing ease, a summary of available report types, and whether customization or third-party reporting is an option. History & Support is another area to consider when making a software purchase. How long has the company been in business? What kind of customer support options are available? Is support included in the price of the software? Relative Value assesses whether the features that are included in the product are worth the cost?