Brian Clark is the owner and president of ABC Property Management. He started the company in 2021 with virtually zero holdings. Since then, Brian has acquired 20 multifamily units, 120 single family homes and 60 commercial units. His vision is clear and uncompromising: he plans to expand in both residential and commercial markets, which means he needs the best property management software for mixed portfolios. ABC Property Management also requires a scalable platform that will grow alongside its expanding team and portfolio. He spoke to us about his journey in property management and positive experience with Yardi Breeze Premier.
Breeze Premier wasn’t your first property management software, correct?
When I first approached Yardi, I was using Buildium. I was growing so fast as a solo operation that the tools offered by Buildium were no longer cutting it. I’ve been in property management for about 10 years total and have experience with a lot of different software. I knew I needed Yardi, and Breeze Premier made the most sense for my company.
What prompted you to switch to Breeze Premier?
There were a lot of issues with Buildium. For instance, they do not support commercial well. When I talked to them about commercial functionality, they kind of looked at me like I had purple ears. A lot of property managers don’t specialize in commercial, but I have a passion for it and want to build a specialized team for that part of the business.
With Buildium, everything was trial and error. Their team would suggest calling them for assistance, and initially, their phone support was great. Gradually, it declined, resulting in long hold times. This affected my productivity, leading to even bigger issues. As I acquired commercial clients, I faced challenges incorporating their requirements into Buildium’s system. Managing accounts became problematic due to the lack of compatible software tools. Reconciliation, deposits and ledgers turned into a nightmare. It became evident that Buildium’s preference was to have one operating account. But this didn’t align with my clients’ needs. That was been the biggest reason I switched to Breeze Premier.
Transitioning away from Buildium was difficult, as they left me in disarray. Everything was out of order, and instead of climbing out of the hole, it felt like they dug an even bigger one. They failed to understand the commercial aspect of my work, further exacerbating the situation.
What set Breeze Premier apart when you were evaluating software solutions?
Breeze Premier’s support and training set it apart. So do its commercial aspects. CommercialCafe makes it so easy for tenants to onboard. I’ve never had anyone complain. They get in there quickly, sign up and off they go. Also, Yardi’s banking just works so well. They’re great at connecting with banks. The headaches went away when I joined with Yardi.
Will this give you a competitive advantage?
In property management, there are usually commercial property managers and residential property managers. I find myself in a unique position, acting as a hybrid between the two. With my degree in real estate finance, I possess knowledge that the average person might not have, particularly when it comes to commercial leases. For instance, when I mention CAMs, most people think I’m referring to a camera.
Breeze Premier provides me with a competitive edge. It enables me to dissect commercial leases and effectively communicate how they function. It’s thanks to Yardi’s tools, which form the foundation of my approach, that all of this is possible.
Has anyone in your office had experience prior with Yardi?
No one on my team had prior experience with Yardi. I just hired a property manager who’s been an intern for a year. He’s been able to learn Breeze Premier on his own. I also just hired a virtual assistant, and she doesn’t have any experience with Yardi either. But she’s been excellent with the software. We taught her a little bit at the start, and since then, she’s learned by watching videos and reading the Help Center content.
What’s the biggest change for you since implementing Breeze Premier?
Breeze Premier allows my business to grow. Given that my business is only two years old, I didn’t think it would grow this quick. You’ve got to have the tools to take on the work needed to grow, and Breeze Premier has been a big part of that.
Breeze Premier has a lot of add-on options. Why did you choose to add resident screening?
The resident screening option is the most detailed I’ve ever seen. I can review an applicant’s credit history and observe their efforts to improve their credit score over time. By analyzing the past six months or even the past year, I can track their progress. Let’s say there’s a tenant whose credit card payments have been consistently on time in the past year, but they had numerous missed payments in the previous four years. This kind of insight allows me to make informed decisions, provide contingency plans if necessary and communicate everything to the property owner. Breeze Premier facilitates trust and confidence in my processes, which is invaluable.
Is there anything else that you are looking forward to in the future?
My business has to keep growing and evolving, and it always has to happen quicker. Yardi keeps up with us and offers services that I can eventually add to make us even more efficient.
