Owner portals extend property managers’ ability to serve customers beyond business hours. According to an ApartmentRatings and StatisFacts report, the importance of property management portals reached an all-time high in 2019. The report shows that owners highly value portals because they centralize maintenance, payments, and community in one location.

Portals give owners instant access to information about their properties. This level of accessibility gives owners clear direct insight without having to contact their property manager. In 2019, 57% of customers said they’d prefer to contact companies digitally rather than in person or over the phone, portals give owners streamlined communication that fits more comfortably into their lives.

Here are the portal functions that owners want most.

Online Payments

As of 2019, online payments are the number one reason portals are used. Owners can make payments securely and immediately using online payments instead of cheques, and for greater ease and reliability, owners can enable recurring payments to ensure that their bills are always paid on time. Offering online payments also gives owners or residents the ability to pay with a credit or debit card, giving users more freedom in choosing how they want to pay, and since 2017, online payments have been the fastest growing method of payment.

Maintenance

Portals streamline maintenance related communication to and from owners, centralizing where owners can report an issue, and where to check the status of reported issues. A portal gives owners access to maintenance related communication in one central location, minimizing the calls and emails property managers receive by having updates available for owners in the portal. With a portal, owners can submit maintenance requests even after office hours, notifying property managers immediately of potentially high priority maintenance requests. Portals connect property managers to a faster and more comprehensive view of a property’s needs resulting in more efficient communication and completion of maintenance.

Community

By using a portal, owners can gain community insight as easily and as efficiently as they make payments or check maintenance statuses. Owners can use their portal submit community requests without having to call or email their property managers. Using a portal, owners can also quickly view availability and reserve onsite amenities, as well alert property managers to visitors and request extra parking. Calendars and event listings make it easy for an owner to see everything that is happening within their community directly from their mobile device. Portals eliminate the need to locate or maintain physical community boards by making all that information and more available on a phone or computer.

Portals give owners insight and additional conveniences within the communities they live in, at any time of day. It streamlines communication by reducing the amount of calls and emails owners have to send to their property manager by centralizing all the communication in one location.