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Building Great Processes (That People Actually Like Using)

Brand new on the blog, I wrote up a list of what I think makes for a great, usable process.

I tried to create a document that I wish I had, when we first started systematizing our company. All the little bits and pieces of wisdom and experience on how to create a process that stands the test of time, is easy to use, and gets more robust over time.

Here's a little taste, click through to read the whole thing:

Applications Are Closed for PM Business in a Box

The response has been incredible - we received over 175 applications for Property Management Business in a Box.

Applications are now closed as we sift through the current group of outstanding applicants, and narrow down the list to launch our first cohort/class with. If you didn't get a chance to apply but wanted to, stay tuned. I will send an email notification when we re-open applications for our next cohort (class).

Birdwatch & Birdwatch Pro

Can you hire a property manager for your own house that you live in? I explored this topic in a blog post earlier this year.

Short answer: Yes, but only in a few cities. The business model has been around for a while but nobody has taken it to scale.

Enter Lisa Wise. If you're don't already know Lisa, she's founder & CEO of the Flock DC family of property management companies. When the industry zigs, Lisa zags. Don't miss her interview on Owner Occupied - it was the most raw and real episode of the season.

In January of this year, she co-founded BirdWatch - "The homeowner's landlord." Live in DC and Philly, it's growing quickly. For $75/mo, you have your own home concierge who will create a home action plan and coordinate repairs, maintenance & home emergencies. More pricing details.

Where this gets really interesting is the newly-launched BirdWatch Pro (click through to check it out).

BirdWatch Pro is basically an entire outsourced maintenance department for landlords. They handle occupied maintenance, emergencies, AND turnovers for you. This is a dream come true for the self-managing landlord who is comfortable collecting rent and leasing, but doesn't want the headache of maintenance and turns.

Here's what pricing looks like:

This is something novel in the industry, at least to my knowledge. While the rest of the industry, particularly "PropTech", is frantically fighting over rental listings, tenant applications, and rent collection - Lisa & co. is quietly flanking them by solving what is possibly THE most difficult problem with managing properties at scale. I'm fascinated.

That Weird Chase Announcement

I do not think this is a good idea on the part of Chase. The landscape of property management software is extraordinarily crowded already with folks who have been working this problem for over a decade, including publicly traded companies like AppFolio. It doesn't seem to me like Chase has spent any time at all trying to understand the problem, the customers, or the current competitive landscape.

Are they really sure they want to start helping landlords set rent levels, after what happened to RealPage?

Tenant screening is also a famously low-risk activity.

Really not sure what to make of this, do any of my readers have insight?

Closing Thought

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