Top 5 property management software for student housing

Managing student housing comes with unique challenges, such as handling multiple lease terms, managing parent guarantors, and dealing with high tenant turnover. You likely have to juggle multiple things at the same time, and it often gets overwhelming.

Fortunately, specialized property management software for student housing can streamline these tasks and even automate some of them. There are many options on the market, but here are the top 5 picks.

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What is property management software?

Property management software is a digital platform that streamlines your rental operations. These systems centralize things like lease agreements, rent collection, and maintenance requests in one location for easy access.

For student housing specifically, property management software can come with specialized features, such as roommate matching. Overall, the goal of these platforms is to make it easier to smoothly run your property or properties.

Why is using property management software important for student housing rentals?

Running student housing means dealing with many different tenant applications, handling hundreds of maintenance requests, and tracking finances.

If you're using spreadsheets and email, it can quickly become chaotic. Property management software helps you organize and even automate these tasks.

Top 5 property management software systems for student housing

1. Entrata® Student

Entrata® Student automatically matches compatible roommates based on preferences and handles the complex move-in process with digital checklists. You can oversee multiple properties from one dashboard, tracking new leads, maintenance requests, and other important information.

The system also manages your vendor relationships and purchasing. You can pay invoices and create purchase orders without jumping between different tools, which is a big advantage for student housing property management teams.

2. Innago

Innago has features that work well for both students and their parents. The system sends automated payment reminders and can include parents in the communication loop when they're handling rent payments. You can also screen multiple applicants at once (if you need to screen the parents).

There's a dedicated maintenance management system to keep requests organized, and you can easily collect rent payments digitally.

3. StarRez

StarRaz is one of the most established property management software solutions for student housing, with clients like Yale and Cornell University. The platform includes advanced roommate matching, various resident engagement tools, flexible gender housing options, maintenance management, and more, all in one place.

They work with boarding schools, colleges, and other institutions.

4. AppFolio

AppFolio can help you handle virtually every aspect of student housing operations. You'll find extensive features for marketing, staffing, maintenance, accounting, management, and communications.

The platform uses smart automations and advanced AI to help you work faster while building strong relationships with your tenants.

5. Mews

This platform helps you maximize revenue year-round by opening student rooms to short-term renters during off-seasons, which means you'll have steady income beyond the academic calendar.

You can easily switch between hourly, daily, and monthly booking views on the timeline, manage rate pricing, and upsell additional services like meeting rooms, co-working spaces, bike rentals, and parking spots.

How to choose the best property management software for your student housing rentals?

There are many solid property management software solutions for student housing on the market, and the best one for you depends on your specific property and goals. Think about these factors:

• Your property size: Some platforms work better for small operations, and others are built for large-scale student housing complexes
• Student-specific features: Look for roommate matching, parent communication tools, and academic year lease scheduling
• User experience: Both you and your tenants will use the system often, maybe even daily, so make sure it's intuitive and easy for young adults to use
• Integrations: If this is relevant, make sure that the software integrates with your accounting, marketing, or university systems

Many software options give you the option to request a demo, which can be helpful as you're making your decision.

If your student housing properties are located in different parts of the world, it's also important to streamline the process of sending money internationally.

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Sources

1. Entrata® - Entrara® Student
2. Innago - Pricing
3. StarRez - Home
4. AppFolio - Student Housing Property Management Software
5. Mews - Pricing