Dodson Property Management to Double Portfolio in 2011 with AppFolio

A Bit of Backstory

We had the opportunity to interview Duke Dodson (CEO of Dodson Property Management in Virginia) and hear how AppFolio will help them grow by 100% in 2011. What follows is Duke's experience with AppFolio in his own words.

AppFolio is Powering Our Growth

Dodson Property Management covers the greater Richmond area in Virginia. Our goal this year was to add 100 units to our portfolio of apartments and houses, and we hit it. Next year we're planning for 100% growth and along with our investment in business development, AppFolio is really powering this growth.

Before making the switch to AppFolio, we were using Rent Manager online. Honestly, we were only using the bare minimum of features in the software and we were still doing some of our tasks manually. I knew I had to dig into Rent Manager more but I wanted to make sure there wasn't something better out there first. So I went to a conference in Atlanta and that's where I saw AppFolio being used on the iPad. I talked to 5 or 6 business owners who were just in love with AppFolio, so I investigated AppFolio and fell in love with it myself.

We love it for the same reasons we love Google or Apple products; it is user friendly and intuitive. If I don't know how to do something, I think to myself, how would I want to do it? You don't need an instruction manual with AppFolio because it is easy to use.

The Learning Curve Is Quick

I was worried that we would switch to AppFolio and our clients wouldn't be ready! Then I did the training module and put in some properties and realized how easy it really is. By our second month we were using all of the key features and paying our owners online using ACH.

The Product Just Keeps Getting Better

AppFolio isn't a static product – it is always getting better and there are constant enhancements. I love the new online application feature and we are looking forward to using it.

We Save A Lot of Time

Currently, we have an AppFolio powered website and are using the marketing tools to post vacancies online to our website, Craigslist, and other sites on the Internet. It is saving us at least 40-60 hours a month to use the integrated marketing tools for posting vacancies, which is huge. We are saving 16-24 hours a month on the regular tasks such as entering checks, paying owners, and creating owner statements. This time can be devoted to growing our business.

Running a Mobile Property Management Company

We leased iPads for our team to use while they are in the field. Now instead of referencing a cumbersome spreadsheet, we use AppFolio on the iPad. If the tenant doesn't like the property they are being shown, they can view another house and marketing page right on the spot. This works out great. It helps our managers save time and lease our properties quicker.

We are also more efficient because we can create work orders from the field. Doing the maintenance work order on site using the iPad is so much easier. We service our residents and keep them happy and this allows our business to make room for growth.

Our business development manager takes the iPad with him when he visits prospective owners to showcase our technology. Using the iPad he demonstrates how we use AppFolio and the benefits that we will pass on to them. Property owners love the whole combination of AppFolio and the iPad together.

We Are Growing Our Business So Much Faster

Before using AppFolio I feared growth because I didn't know how we could handle it. But now I know we can service these people because of our infrastructure and team.

If you don't get on the "technology train" with AppFolio, you're going to be left behind. You will be struggling with only a few units while your competitor has hundreds. Using a product like AppFolio allows you to focus on growing your business instead of getting bogged down in the details. Without a business solution like AppFolio, you'll never really enjoy or grow the business. My advice is to get on-board or you will be left behind.