Property Management Software: Complete Guide for Real Estate Businesses

Why Property Management Software Is Critical Today

In today’s fast-moving real estate market, managing properties manually is no longer practical. Property managers, landlords, and real estate companies deal with rent collection, owner statements, maintenance tracking, accounting, and compliance every single day. This is where property management software becomes essential.

Modern real estate management software helps businesses automate operations, reduce errors, save time, and gain complete financial visibility. Whether you manage 10 units or 10,000 properties, using the right software for property management can directly impact profitability and growth.

In this guide, we will explain:

• What property management software is
• Why it matters for real estate businesses
• The top property manager software options
• A detailed look at AppFolio, Buildium, and DoorLoop
• How accounting automation with QuickBooks + QBIS Sync helps you scale

This blog is written for property managers searching for software real estate management solutions and looking for a system that also integrates seamlessly with accounting.

What Is Property Management Software?

Property management software is a digital platform designed to help property managers and real estate professionals manage daily operations from one centralized system.

A typical property manager software allows you to:

• Manage tenants and leases
• Collect rent online
• Track maintenance requests
• Generate owner statements
• Handle expenses and vendor payments
• Sync financial data with accounting software

Instead of spreadsheets, emails, and manual bookkeeping, software property management tools automate workflows and provide real-time insights.

Why Real Estate Businesses Need Property Management Software

Using professional real estate management software is no longer optional. Here’s why:

1. Automation Saves Time

Manual rent tracking and bookkeeping consume hours every week. Property management software automates these tasks, allowing teams to focus on growth.

2. Accurate Financial Reporting

Integrated reporting ensures income, expenses, and owner distributions are always correct.

3. Better Tenant Experience

Online portals for rent payments, maintenance requests, and communication improve tenant satisfaction.

4. Scalability

As your portfolio grows, manual systems break down. Software for property management scales with your business.

Key Features to Look for in Property Management Software

Before choosing a platform, ensure it includes:

• Tenant & lease management
• Online rent collection
• Maintenance tracking
• Owner & investor reporting
• Expense and vendor management
• Accounting or accounting integration
• Cloud-based access

The best property management software also integrates with accounting platforms like QuickBooks.

Top Property Management Software Options

Among many tools in the market, three platforms consistently stand out:

AppFolio

Buildium

DoorLoop

Each serves a slightly different type of real estate business. Let’s explore them in detail.

AppFolio: Advanced Property Management Software

What Is AppFolio?

AppFolio is a powerful property management software designed for mid-size to large property management companies. It is widely used for residential, commercial, and HOA properties.

Key Features of AppFolio

• Online rent payments
• Tenant and owner portals
• Maintenance tracking
• Leasing and marketing tools
• Built-in accounting system
• Automated owner statements

Who Should Use AppFolio?

AppFolio is ideal for:

• Growing property management companies
• Businesses managing hundreds or thousands of units
• Firms needing advanced reporting

AppFolio Limitations

• Built-in accounting may not match QuickBooks flexibility
• Custom financial reporting can be limited
• Syncing data manually creates errors

AppFolio QuickBooks with QBIS Sync

With QBIS Sync, AppFolio data can automatically sync with QuickBooks, including:

• Rent income
• Security deposits
• Owner distributions
• Expenses and vendor bills

This creates a complete software real estate management + accounting automation solution.

Buildium: Reliable Software for Property Management

What Is Buildium?

Buildium is a cloud-based property management software popular among small to mid-size real estate businesses.

Key Features of Buildium

• Tenant screening
• Online rent collection
• Maintenance management
• Owner reporting
• Budgeting tools
• HOA management

Who Should Use Buildium?

Buildium works best for:

• Small to mid-size property managers
• Rental property owners
• HOA and community managers

Buildium Limitations

• Accounting features are basic
• Manual reconciliation with QuickBooks
• Limited customization for reports

Buildium QuickBooks with QBIS Sync

QBIS Sync eliminates manual exports by automatically syncing Buildium data into QuickBooks:

• Rent and late fees
• Operating expenses
• Owner payments
• Bank reconciliation-ready entries

This improves accuracy and saves hours every month.

DoorLoop: Modern Property Manager Software

What Is DoorLoop?

DoorLoop is a fast-growing property manager software known for ease of use and affordability.

Key Features of DoorLoop

• Lease and tenant management
• Online payments
• Maintenance tracking
• Owner statements
• User-friendly dashboard

Who Should Use DoorLoop?

DoorLoop is ideal for:

• Independent landlords
• Small property management firms
• Businesses switching from spreadsheets

DoorLoop Limitations

• Limited accounting depth
• Growing portfolios require better financial automation

DoorLoop QuickBooks with QBIS Sync

QBIS Sync connects DoorLoop with QuickBooks to automate:

• Rent income posting
• Expense categorization
• Owner payouts
• Tax-ready financial reports

Why Accounting Integration Matters in Property Management

No property management software is complete without proper accounting.

Without automation:

• Data is entered twice
• Errors increase
• Reports become unreliable

With QBIS Sync, your software property management system and QuickBooks work as one unified platform.

How QBIS Sync Helps Property Management Businesses

QBIS Sync is built to automate QuickBooks integration for real estate and property managers.

What QBIS Sync Automates

• Rent, fees, and deposits
• Expenses and vendor bills
• Owner distributions
• Chart of accounts mapping
• Class and location tracking

Benefits for Property Managers

• Save time every month
• Eliminate accounting errors
• Get real-time financial visibility
• Scale without adding accounting staff

Choosing the Right Property Management Software

Large portfolios - AppFolio

Mid-size companies - Buildium

Small landlords - DoorLoop

No matter which real estate management software you choose, accounting automation is essential.

FAQs: Property Management Software

1. What is the best property management software?

The best property management software depends on your portfolio size. AppFolio works well for large portfolios, Buildium suits mid-size managers, and DoorLoop is ideal for small landlords. When integrated with QuickBooks using QBIS Sync, all three become powerful accounting-ready solutions.

2. Can property management software integrate with QuickBooks?

Yes. With QBIS Sync, platforms like AppFolio, Buildium, and DoorLoop can automatically sync rent, expenses, owner distributions, and financial data into QuickBooks.

3. Why is QuickBooks integration important for property managers?

QuickBooks integration eliminates double data entry, reduces accounting errors, and provides accurate, tax-ready financial reports for real estate businesses.

4. Is property management software suitable for small landlords?

Yes. DoorLoop and Buildium are excellent options for small landlords and growing property managers looking for affordable and scalable software for property management.

5. How does QBIS help real estate management businesses?

QBIS Sync automates accounting by connecting your real estate management software with QuickBooks, saving time and improving financial visibility.

If you are using AppFolio, Buildium, or DoorLoop and struggling with manual accounting, QBIS Sync can help.

Automate your QuickBooks accounting

Eliminate double data entry

Get accurate, real-time financial reports

Book a free consultation with QBIS today and see how property management accounting should really work.