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Real estate is no longer a local game, and smart apartment building investors have properties all over the country. The tricky part is finding a way to consolidate the data so that you can manage and analyze your portfolio all in one place. Is it possible to streamline the important property management processes when your investments are operated by different property managers using different software in different states? Today’s guest says, ‘Yes, you can,’ as she reveals how to remotely self-manage your real estate portfolio.

Dana Dunford is a real estate management specialist, licensed agent, and technology guru out of San Francisco. After earning her MBA from Harvard Business School in 2015, Dana co-founded Hemlane, a technology-enabled property management solution designed to support real estate investors in the remote management of their rentals. As CEO of the company, Dana understands that the best investments may not be in your backyard, and she is on a mission to provide investors with a single platform that consolidates and manages properties using intelligent software, virtual maintenance coordinators and local support.

Dana’s impressive resume includes positions at Apple, where she was a part of the worldwide financial planning and analysis team, and tech startup Nest, which was acquired by Google for $3.2 billion in 2014. Today she shares her expertise with the Apartment Building Investing audience, discussing the role of a property manager and the pros and cons of self-management. She covers the metrics you should be tracking as an owner, the benefits of property management software, and the processes that should be centralized across your portfolio. If you have between two and fifty properties, this is a must-listen interview that uncovers the tools available to help you remotely manage your investments.

Dana Dunford – Key Takeaways

 [3:25] The costliest expense in the property management space

[4:39] How to avoid the expenses associated with turnover

[6:28] The pros and cons of self-management vs. hiring a property manager

[8:23] The role of a property manager

[10:17] Dana’s guidance around making property managers ‘offensive players’

[11:41] Dana’s advice about interacting with your property manager

[13:18] The benefits of property management software

[14:28] The metrics owners should be tracking

[16:17] The processes an owner should prioritize

[17:39] How to incentivize tenants to pay on time

[19:34] The processes Dana recommends centralizing across your portfolio

[21:15] How to consolidate your records

[24:45] The free tools Dana recommends for managing your portfolio

[25:59] The fundamentals of Hemlane software

Connect with Dana

Hemlane

Hemlane on Twitter

Hemlane on Facebook

Email: [email protected]

Phone 385-355-4361

Resources

QuickBooks

smart move

Upwork

Trello

Slack

Google Sheets

Review the Podcast on iTunes

Free eBook: The Secret to Raising Money to Buy Your First Apartment Building

2 Responses

  1. Compelling and informative podcast, in particular the bit about the best investments not in your backyard and leveraging technology to manage your portfolio. Thanks, Michael and Dana!!

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