If you are a property owner who hates all the paperwork you need to do related to the properties you own, you need a real estate software that can make things easy Is Rentec Direct one such tool? Check out how Rentec Direct can make things easier for you in this detailed review.
When it comes to making a passive income through real estate, most people think it’s a piece of cake. Whether you’re investing in properties or managing them for someone else, real estate investments require a lot of work.
There are many tasks to complete and look over, including maintenance, taxation, leasing, repairs, tenant scrutiny, and whatnot. However, that doesn’t mean you should drop the idea of earning a passive income through real estate.
What if we told you that Rentec Direct is the ultimate software that lets you complete the tasks you’d have to hire a team for, right at your fingertips? Go through my Rentec Direct review to find out how.
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Rentec Direct Review
If you’re a property owner or manager who’d like some free time to yourself every day, the most apparent solution is to hire someone else to do some tasks for you.
However, that’s not the answer that suits everyone. Not everyone can afford additional employees and add their payments and benefits management to their to-do list.
Rentec Direct is high-quality software that lets you manage your properties without going through the hassle of recruiting an expert.
I know what you’re thinking, is the software worth paying for compared to a learned employee?
That’s why I’ve compiled my detailed review of Rentec Direct so you can see whether it is worth your money or not. My review will include:
- An introduction to Rentec Direct
- A detailed overview of the tasks it takes up for you.
- Various features and resources on their website
- The benefits and drawbacks of using Rentec Direct
So let’s dive in!
What is Rentec Direct?
Rentec Direct was founded back in 2007 by a fellow property owner himself. The owner was frustrated with all the tasks at hand, including record-keeping, managing receipts, and remembering the repairs and fixing each property needed and when.
He scrounged through the plethora of options available for property management online, but all of them left him unsatisfied.
Why? That’s because most of the existing software has tools and accessories for vast property management companies, which wasn’t cost-effective or productive for large-scale landlords at all.
That led him to create Rentec Direct. This software started with Rentec Pro, which has impressive features for landlords. After that, the growing demand from small-scale property owners made the owners create their Rentec PM plan for property managers.
How Rentec Direct Works?
Rentec Direct works by providing all the necessary accounting, tenant management, and maintenance record services to property owners.
Managers or owners who have more than 10-5000 properties under their supervision can join the software and make their lives easy right away.
Besides collecting rent and tracking maintenance requests, Rentec Direct lets property owners advertise their property on other online platforms and publish rental vacancies as well.
If you get leads on your property advertisement, the platform will conduct thorough tenant scrutiny for you that you never make a rushed decision. Similarly, the software offers prompt customer support and data security for smooth long-term operation.
Currently, the platform is used by more than 13000 clients managing their properties through their portal. If it sounds appealing to you, read along with my Rentec Direct review for further details.
How to Sign Up for Rentec Direct?
Signing up for Rentec Direct is pretty straightforward. Once you log into their user-intuitive site, you’ll find it easy to navigate your way around and become a member in no time.
On the main sign-up page, the platform will ask you your necessary details such as your name, contact, and whether you’re joining as a landlord, property manager, or tenant.
After you’re a member, you can log into your account using their website, which will redirect you to their primary application.
If you’re apprehensive about joining the software right away, they have a free trial option as well. By signing up for this option, you can use the software for two weeks and avail all the facilities as a paid member.
However, they ask for your credit card number in the free trial sign-up process, so if you forget to cancel your account after two weeks, you’ll get charged for it immediately.
You can use your user credentials on the site to log in to their apps and use the software on the go.
Rentec Direct has two different apps for tenants and property owners, which you can use according to the details you provide while signing up.
Pros of Rentec Direct
For those who’re in a hurry and want to get a clear perception of Rentec Direct at a glance, here’s a list of benefits you’ll get by joining the platform.
Available in Web and Mobile Version
You can use the software on your desktop when you’re free, or you can check details and updates about your properties wherever you are through their efficient mobile app.
Good Customer Service
User reviews show that the site provides prompt and resourceful responses to user queries sent through their contact page. If you need urgent help, you can reach out to professionals using their live chat option.
Amazing Organization Features
Your office will remain clutter-free while you use this software. It digitalizes all your documents and organizes them so that they’re a click away whenever you need them.
Tenant Scrutiny
While other property management software lets you advertise rental vacancies, Rentec Direct is one of the few that provides tenant screening as well.
This way, you can be concern-free about your tenants and earn a smooth rental income.
Online Payments and Requests
If you’re a tenant using Rentec Direct, you can pay your rent online and even forward maintenance requests to your landlords without any hassle.
Affordable
Rentec Direct is an excellent choice if you’re looking for property management software on a tight budget. Besides that, there are no hidden charges you’ll have to look out for.
Free Two-Week Trial
You can try out Rentec Direct for two weeks free before you decide whether you want to pay for it or not.
Cons of Rentec Direct
Despite the long list of benefits, there are some drawbacks of Rentec Direct you should know before making a final decision.
Only for Landlords With 10-5000 Properties
You cannot join Rentec Direct as a property manager or landlord if you own less than ten properties.
Customer Service Follows US Time Zones
If you’re joining Rentec Direct from countries other than the US, you won’t receive any prompt responses from their customer support.
Key Features
Now that you’ve been through the essential information about Rentec Direct, you’ve probably made up your mind whether you want to go for it or not.
If you’ve decided in favor of the platform, I’ve compiled a detailed overview of all the features available so you can get further insight before you part with your money.
In this section, you’ll find all the essential functions and features that set Rentec Direct apart from other property management platforms.
This will further help you pick out the features you need and choose whether you want to go with Rentec Pro or Rentec PM.
Accounting and Paperwork Organization
Whether you’re joining Rentec Direct as a landlord or a property manager, you’re probably fully submerged in paperwork. These include leasing documents, to-do lists, maintenance requests, repair bills, bank receipts, and whatnot.
With Rentec Direct, you can organize your accounting details. The platform has separate sections to digitalize your bookkeeping details, tax information, and accounting tasks.
This way, you don’t have to scrounge through a heap of paperwork while looking for a single document.
Furthermore, the app will provide updates and email notifications for time-sensitive documents, so you don’t miss any engagements and deadlines.
The best part is, Rentec Direct is way cheaper than hiring a professional accountant to do the job for you.
Moreover, suppose you’re joining as a tenant. In that case, the software helps you maintain a ledger to record any outgoing or incoming money so you can be concern-free about calculating your rent every month.
Maintenance Requests
If you’re a property owner who always has a bulk of maintenance requests, you’ll love this feature.
Rentec Direct lets you take your tenants into the loop. They can add their requests by themselves, and the software will organize them according to urgency.
This way, you can keep track of the incoming requests and order repairs, and delegate payments where needed. What’s more, your tenants can also add dates and timings so you can send someone for repairs whenever it’s convenient for them.
Similarly, this feature keeps you at ease because you won’t have any irritating tenants bothering you during odd hours.
Online Rent Collection
As a landlord, you don’t have to move around your property and collect rent door-to-door. With Rentec Direct, you can collect rent from your tenants online.
If your tenants pay through ACH transfer, the service is free for you. However, if they use debit or credit cards, the platform charges about a 3% fee on each payment.
Surprisingly, if you join as a tenant, there’s no service fee if you use their online rent payment service.
Overall, online rent payment and collection are convenient for busy people who don’t have time to pay their rent in the bank or directly to their landlords. Plus, the app provides rent reminders as well, so you can complete the transactions right away from your phone.
Tenant Screening
If you’re advertising vacancies for rent as a property owner, tenant screening services will be quite beneficial for you.
Any potential tenant will have to provide their email address and name, and the app will do a thorough background check using this information.
However, you’ll have to pay for the tenant screenings. It’s a good idea to charge a nominal amount as an application fee and use the money to pay for scrutiny.
The primary tenant scrutiny conducted by Rentec Direct includes a credit check to see if the applicant has any previous eviction notices. This is a productive investment as it ensures your property is in safe hands.
Rentec Direct Pricing
Rentec Direct has two basic pricing plans, Rentec Pro and Rentec PM. Mainly, the former is designed for landlords, while the latter is ideal for property managers.
With Rentec Pro, you’ll get the following features at $35 per month,
- Accounting and document organization services
- Online rent payments
- Tenant scrutiny services
- Access to the Rentec Direct mobile app
- Maintenance request organization and updates
- Rental insurance management
- Rental property inspection.
Besides that, there’s not much price difference between Rentec Pro and Rentec PM. At $40 per month, here are the additional features you’ll get by joining Rentec PM,
- Personal owner’s portal on their app
- Automatic management of CAM charges
- Management of trust account
- Assigning specific management roles for team members, in the case of property management companies
Resources
If you’re starting as a property owner, Rentec Direct has productive educational resources to help you sharpen your saw and grow your portfolio.
You can check out the Rentec Direct blog option on their website to access their resources. The blog is divided into two parts, news updates, and educational resources.
Additionally, the learning center includes webinars on essential topics like state real estate laws and basic software operations so you can manage your properties flawlessly.
Customer Service
Rentec Direct customer service was one of the things I loved about the platform. If you have a query, you can get a prompt answer by reaching out to their representatives through the contact page.
Similarly, you message their live chat representatives and receive productive responses whenever you need them.
However, you might face some issues such as delayed replies if you’re a member from outside the US.
Overall Rating
Coming towards the end of my Rentec Direct review, my overall rating for the platform is in the following areas.
- Ease of Use 4/5
- Value for Money 4/5
- Features 3/5
- Customer Service 4/5
Final Words
That concludes my Rentec Direct review. In a nutshell, the platform is an accessible and professional portal where property owners, property management companies, and tenants can efficiently manage their tasks.
Their website is catchy and user-friendly, and they provide access to their mobile app as well. This makes things easier for rental property owners who’re earning a passive income through real estate.
Rather than hiring a professional manager for multiple aspects, Rentec Direct lets you take up all the tasks yourself at an affordable price.
Ultimately, you’ll save lots of time and money to invest in different properties and diversify your real estate portfolio.