I think I’m about to pull the trig on switching from Appfolio to Entrata.

Folks - I think I’m about to pull the trig on switching from Appfolio to Entrata. Current Entrata users, how’s your experience been so far? Is there anything I should know beforehand?

SIS!! do it and do NOT look back. Your life will be changed, your wig will be snatched! And your site teams will love you!! Also Entrata Users Support Group is a GREAT resource filled with Entrata Yodas and Luke Skywalkers

Let me know if you need any help! Our team has done several of these now and am happy to share some insight!

It will open your world to so many 3rd party integrated partners that you will now be able to work with.

Don’t walk…run right over to Entrata

Resman trumps all!!!

Love love love entrata! Very user friendly

Wonderful decision! I would love to chat about the conversation process if you have any questions.

Look at Yardi/RENTCafe if you want a marketing platform that is more functional for today’s world. Entrata lags behind.

What marketing functionalities does Yardi/RC have that Entrata doesn’t? We are coming from Appfolio so Entrata’s marketing made it seem like a goldmine lol

The ability to add videos all the way down to the floor plan level is a big one. I had to bug Entrata for 6 months in 2020 to get a work around to be able to add video at the floor plan level and they still don't have this as an "out of the box feature". Because of this, at times when they do updates the videos get removed and I have to go put them back in again. They are supposedly working on this, but we're not there yet. The map functionality has never worked correctly. They blame the Google Map API, but, as I never had the issues I'm having with our maps when using RENTCafe, it's "how they're using the Google Map API", not the API itself. The back end is not intuitive. You have to go to way too many different places within the platform to make website changes and there's more. From what I've seen in the 2 years I've been working within Entrata's marketing platform, they launch something and then don't keep it up to date. They tend to go after the "shiny new thing" (which right now is smart home automation) and don't continue to work on their core products to keep them as up to date as possible.

If you have a compliance property….I’m not a fan. It’s Beta and I’ve had nothing but problems for 2 years. Conventional
Site…Entrata is good.

I've been on Entrata almost 2 years. I was on onesite before for a very long time. There are alot of benefits. But some of the extra steps you have to take for simple things, like adding a roommate or renewing a lease is a bit ridiculous! And if an apartment is on notice? it's impossible to find the resident by apt number, you better know their name! I can go on with the day to day irritating things that it does. But the leasing/prospects emailing, text messaging etc is really great.

Are you using Entrata student or conventional? I’ve never had an issue with searching for a resident by unit number even if they were on notice. So it works if they aren’t on notice??

Conventional. I can never search for an apt on notice. I can only find them by name. I hate that leased apts dont show up on a report. I hate that it wont let you put in a leased apt as as a show unit. I hate all the steps for lease renewal offers, and if you dont do them, it doesnt charge the market plus month to month fees. Not everyone wants to use emails, but they have to have one. (I have alot of seniors, they do not trust the internet!) I hate all the useless on line traffic that must be replied to or you are on the neglected leads report. I hate that some random person can go online and pick a unit to lease, even though I have someone in my office filling out an application and they swoop in and take it! Or even worse, take a unit that cant be made ready in the time frame they want. And then I'm scrambling trying to find another apt for them. I guess I am just too old school for all this new technology.

it sounds like your issues are with how your corporate office set up Entrata. There are ways around all of your issues if it’s set up correctly or you are given the right permissions. I can search apartments on NTV by their number and find them and they show up on the availability report. All of the leads can be set up with auto replies, with Entrata made or custom. Make ready dates can be changed (even the default one). It sounds like you need to chat with whoever set up your system.

Before you make any decisions, check out what MRI has been up to!! There is an extensive partner network that integrates beautifully as well!! Open and connected like nobody else in the industry.

For context, we are market rate and student housing. We have a few acquisitions underway to ramp up student housing. Appfolio has caused us to run our existing student housing like conventional because of how limited it is.

AND you are student housing?!? Say less! There is a reason almost every major student housing management company has now switched to using Entrata! It is hands down the BEST option for student housing for the exact reason you just described. Before hand we all had to learn to adapt student housing to conventional platforms then Entrata said hold my beer and answered our prayers and gave us a student housing platform, built FOR student housing. PRAISE BE!!!! BLESSED BE THE FRUIT!!!

I used Yardi and MRI in student housing for almost 10 years... no problem.. appfolio and Entrada are horrible - 20 yrs in this industry

Going from Appfolio to Entrata was a game changer for me. And this was about 6 years ago. I can only imagine how much they’ve evolved since then. I’ve always said Entrata is the next generation software. You can’t go wrong.

Entrada is the worst!! Holy moly you will hate it

I've never used Appfolio, but I have used Entrata for several years and several products. I am a big proponent of theirs. My biggest piece of advice is to use every minute and every opportunity of their migration to ensure you're satisfied.

We have only one property using Core and it was a new property, so much easier than migrating an existing site.

Of u ever want to hire anyone without experience, entrata is user friendly. All u need is there, from package concierge, accounting, crm, lease generation, to email. I started with this software and have experienced other owner preferred, yet still entrata is better.

I’m biased towards AppFolio because it blows Yardi and AMC’s software AIM outta the water. I know nothing about Entrata and I know AppFolio isn’t perfect but I’ve been loving it for the past year that I’ve been working with my new company! What issues have you been having with AppFolio?