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5 AppFolio Checklists for Core Property Management Workflows

Firstly, I should clarify that these are not checklists created by Appfolio, as the title may suggest. They are, rather, checklists created by the team here at Process Street (with some help from customers) that are designed to be used by property management firms who use Appfolio.

Appfolio is one of the most popular property management software tools currently on offer, enabling more efficient management of all kinds of properties including apartments, residences, and commercial real estate.

It is an all-in-one solution that includes features such as online owner and renter portals, online applications and leases, online payments, built-in screening, maintenance requests, mobile inspections, bulk text messaging, accounting, reporting, and a mobile app.

The software’s rich feature set, intuitive UI, and automation capabilities have received excellent feedback from its users, making it a popular choice amongst property management firms of all sizes, particularly those that are growing at a fast rate and are looking for a tool that will enable them to scale while minimizing growing pains.

To help you get the most out of Process Street while using Appfolio, we’ve created a set of 5 templates to bring the two applications closer together as, currently, Appfolio does not integrate with Zapier.

We chose to create the following checklists because they are core workflows in the field of property management, and are common uses cases amongst a number of our customers that use Appfolio on a daily basis.

If you want to dive in and go straight to the checklists, there are quick links right below. Otherwise, scroll down for a brief intro to each one.

AppFolio Checklists: Quicklinks

AppFolio Checklist: Upcoming Lease Expiration Checklist

You never want to leave a lease renewal to the last minute. It’s not fun for anyone involved and may well result in frustration for the property owner or tenant.

It’s important to stay ahead of the game and maintain a consistent flow of communication with both the owner and the tenant to ensure they are comfortable with moving forward, whether that be renewing the lease or vacating the property.

This comprehensive checklist with built-in conditional logic will enable you to manage the process, regardless of what decision is made, as efficiently as possible, while keeping Appfolio updated with all relevant information and documentation.

From determining both the owner and tenant’s intentions to conducting a property inspection and (based on conditional logic) creating a new lease or taking the necessary steps to vacate the property, use this checklist to make sure every lease that is expiring within the next 90 days is handled appropriately.

Click here to get the upcoming lease expiration checklist

AppFolio Checklist: Lease Renewal Checklist

Similar to the checklist listed above, but a bit more narrow in terms of scope, this template is focused on renewing a lease in the most stress-free, effective way possible.

First thing is to determine whether or not the rent price should change, followed by conducting a property inspection, creating the new lease, and completing all other documentation that comes with renewing a lease.

Of course, the checklist ensures that all relevant information is added to the appropriate pages in Appfolio.

Click here to get the lease renewal checklist

AppFolio Checklist: Late Rent Payment Process

We are only human, after all, and forgetting to pay rent on time is a typical reminder of that.

Late rent payments are very common, and are often resolved by sending the tenant a quick reminder via email or text.

However, sometimes, it can become a larger issue that requires significant action to be taken in order that the tenant remains in compliance with the lease they signed and avoids the ugly process of eviction.

Evicting a tenant is always the last resort. The process of eviction is costly and stressful for all parties involved, making it a lose-lose situation.

Nevertheless, it is sometimes the only option, in which case it is absolutely essential that the process is handled with extreme care.

This simple checklist will guide you through the process of collecting late rent, and, in the case that the late payment is not received following reminders and formal notices, will turn to the process of eviction.

Click here to get the late rent payment checklist

AppFolio Checklist: Tenant Move-In Process

Great work, you’ve found a suitable tenant and it’s time to help them get them settled into their new home.

It may seem like the rest is a breeze, but still, there is much to be done!

From finalizing the lease to sending a welcome letter, determining maintenance needs, collecting rent and finally handing over the keys, this checklist will walk you through the entire move-in process.

There is a fair amount of conditional logic built in. So, for example, if the property needs to be cleaned and re-painted, you can select those needs and the relevant tasks will be automatically added to the checklist.

Click here to get the tenant move-in checklist

AppFolio Checklist: Tenant Move-Out Process

A tenant is about to move-out of a property. Whether it be their decision or the property owner’s, you’d like the process to go as smoothly as possible so the property can get back on the market and begin attracting new prospective tenants as soon as possible.

This checklist is designed to take you from confirming a move-out date to conducting a thorough inspection of the property, ensure all data is updated in Appfolio, and concluding with the return of the tenant’s security deposit in good time.

A quick, stress-free move-out process is essential to efficiently running your property management firm as it enables you to onboard new tenants without delay, and avoid potential legal battles with former tenants.

Click here to get the tenant move-out checklist

A few other helpful resources

Property management companies across the US are using our checklists to create a home for their process documentation, assign team members to specific tasks, and track all progress from a one-screen dashboard.

To get a better idea of how property management firms are using our software in real life, check out how Dodson Property Management manages 3500 homes using Process Street.

Also, read about how Alarca Realty, a growing property management firm based in Charlotte, North Carolina, transformed the way they manage their property management workflows by replacing spreadsheets with Process Street.

There is also much to be said about the importance of automation in today’s world of workflow management.

Forrester predicts that automation can cut operating costs by up to 90%! If you’d like to read more about why this is so important and how you can further automate your business processes, download our ebook, The Ultimate Guide to Business Process Automation.

The guide will walk you through:

  • What automation is
  • Why you should be using it in your business
  • Methods to let you get started

and much more…

Want more property management checklists?

We also have a bunch of other property management checklists for workflows such as tenant screening, property listing, and building maintenance that you may want to integrate into your checklist library.

Check out the full list below:

If you use a software tool other than Appfolio and are wondering if we are planning on building any more templates for different tools, you’re in luck! We’re in the process of doing so and will have templates customized for other tools like Propertyware and Buildium in the coming months.

Lastly, there’s this Process Street webinar where we explain the tips and tricks of using Process Street to manage your property workflows:

I hope you find at least some of these checklists useful for streamlining your property management workflows! Which ones are your personal favorites? Are there any core processes we’ve missed that you think should be included? Let me know in the comments below. 

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Alex Gallia

Alex is a content writer at Process Street who enjoys traveling, reading, meditating, and is almost always listening to jazz or techno. You can find him on LinkedIn here

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