RealPage Bookkeeping: Streamlining Property Management Finances
RealPage Bookkeeping
RealPage is a comprehensive property management platform designed to simplify financial management for landlords, property managers, and real estate investors. With RealPage’s robust bookkeeping features, users can manage rent collection, track expenses, handle vendor payments, and generate detailed financial reports. This blog will explore how RealPage streamlines property management bookkeeping and ensures financial compliance for property managers.
What is RealPage Bookkeeping?
RealPage is a cloud-based property management software with an array of tools for managing real estate portfolios. Its bookkeeping module offers advanced accounting features that allow property managers to automate rent collection, track expenses, reconcile bank accounts, and generate reports. RealPage is widely used by property managers who oversee multi-family housing, student housing, and commercial real estate, making it a versatile solution for diverse property portfolios.
Key Features of RealPage Bookkeeping
Automated Rent Collection
RealPage simplifies rent collection by offering tenants multiple ways to pay, including online payments. The platform tracks rent payments automatically, recording each transaction in the tenant’s ledger. This automation reduces manual bookkeeping tasks and provides property managers with real-time insight into their cash flow.
Expense Tracking and Vendor Payments
With RealPage, property managers can easily track operating expenses such as maintenance, repairs, and utilities. RealPage’s vendor management system allows you to track vendor bills, set up recurring payments, and pay vendors directly from the platform, ensuring timely and accurate payment processing.
Bank Reconciliation
RealPage’s bank reconciliation tools allow property managers to match transactions in RealPage with their bank statements. This feature ensures that financial records are accurate and up to date, helping property managers prevent discrepancies and stay on top of their finances.
Comprehensive Financial Reporting
RealPage offers powerful financial reporting tools that allow property managers to generate detailed reports on their portfolios. You can create balance sheets, profit and loss statements, cash flow reports, and other financial documents to get a clear view of your property’s performance.
Budgeting and Forecasting
RealPage helps property managers plan for future expenses with its budgeting and forecasting tools. These features enable users to create budgets for properties, compare actual expenses to projected costs, and adjust financial plans accordingly. This ensures you have the financial flexibility to manage unexpected expenses or maintenance costs.
Tax Reporting and Compliance
RealPage makes tax preparation easier by organizing all income and expense data in an accountant-ready format. The platform helps property managers stay compliant with tax regulations and provides the reports necessary for filing property-related taxes accurately and efficiently.
Why Use RealPage for Bookkeeping?
RealPage offers several benefits that make it an excellent choice for property managers:
- Automated Rent Collection: The platform automates rent payments, allowing tenants to pay online, and ensures that payments are recorded and tracked automatically.
- Expense Tracking: Property managers can categorize expenses related to each property, ensuring that they have a clear view of their operating costs.
- Vendor Payments: RealPage enables property managers to pay vendors directly through the platform, streamlining payment processing and tracking.
- Bank Reconciliation: RealPage’s reconciliation tools make it easy to ensure that your financial records match your bank statements.
- Financial Reporting: The platform’s customizable reports give property managers the data they need to make informed decisions about their properties.
- Tax Compliance: RealPage simplifies tax preparation by organizing financial data in an easy-to-understand format, ensuring compliance with tax regulations.
How to Use RealPage for Property Management Bookkeeping
Set Up Your Properties and Tenants
Begin by entering your properties and tenant information into RealPage. This allows you to automate rent collection, manage tenant payments, and track any associated expenses for each property.
Automate Rent Collection
RealPage offers tenants multiple payment options, including online payments through a secure portal. Once payments are made, RealPage automatically tracks and records the transactions, ensuring that rent collection is streamlined and accurate.
Track Vendor Payments and Operating Expenses
Use RealPage to track property-related expenses such as maintenance, repairs, and utilities. The platform also supports vendor management, allowing you to pay vendors directly and set up recurring payments for services like landscaping, cleaning, or property maintenance.
Reconcile Bank Accounts
Regularly reconcile your bank accounts by matching transactions in RealPage with your bank statements. This process ensures that all income and expenses are accurately recorded, reducing the risk of discrepancies in your financial data.
Generate Financial Reports
RealPage offers a variety of financial reports that help property managers monitor the financial performance of their properties. Generate reports like balance sheets, profit and loss statements, and cash flow reports to get a clear view of your properties’ financial health.
Prepare for Taxes
RealPage simplifies tax preparation by organizing your financial data and generating the necessary reports for tax filing. You can export your financial reports in formats suitable for your accountant, ensuring that tax season is stress-free.
RealPage vs. Other Property Management Software
While RealPage is an excellent tool for property management bookkeeping, how does it compare to other platforms?
Feature | RealPage | Buildium | AppFolio | Stessa |
---|---|---|---|---|
Automated Rent Collection | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Expense Tracking | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Vendor Payments | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Bank Reconciliation | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Financial Reporting | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Tax Reporting | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Price | Paid | Paid | Paid | Free |
Is RealPage Right for Your Property Management Business?
RealPage is ideal for property managers who need a scalable solution that offers comprehensive bookkeeping features. Its ability to automate rent collection, manage vendor payments, reconcile accounts, and generate detailed financial reports makes it a top choice for property management firms managing multi-family, student housing, or commercial real estate portfolios.
Final Thoughts on RealPage Bookkeeping
RealPage is a powerful property management platform that excels in bookkeeping and financial management. With features like automated rent collection, vendor payments, bank reconciliation, and financial reporting, RealPage makes it easy for property managers to stay organized and compliant. Whether you manage a small portfolio or a large real estate business, RealPage provides the tools you need to streamline your property management finances.
Maxim Liberty has been providing outsourced bookkeeping services to businesses and accounting firms in the USA and Canada since 2005.