Customer Story
How Key Property Management
went from 0 to over 1,600 units
went from 0 to over 1,600 units
Key Property Management
Established: 2001\ Location: Las Vegas, Nevada\ Portfolio: Single Family, Multifamily, Community Associations, CommercialBorn and raised in Las Vegas, Brian Hartsell dreamt of becoming a hotel and casino executive. But then he saw opportunity in the growing number of investment properties in his hometown. He started Key Property Management, switched to AppFolio, and has successfully scaled his business — on his own terms. Here’s his story.
Units managed
1,600+
Hours saved per week with Automated AP
20-30
Year-over-year unit growth
14%
“The systems that are in place within AppFolio give us the ability to continue to grow our portfolio of homes that we manage. As a property management business owner, AppFolio is the only software that I would ever recommend.”
Brian Hartsell
Founder and Principal Broker, Key Property Management
Cloud-based or bust
In 2001, Brian got Key Property Management up and running with a platform that worked well for its time. But as technology advanced, the software he was on did not. By 2012, Brian knew a change was in order.
“This was the time when most everything was software-based. You had to install the program and run it off a local server. And then AppFolio came in and it was online-based and you could tell that everything was put together really well. AppFolio was a relatively new company at that time so we also looked at a couple different other options as well. They weren’t user-friendly at all. We felt that AppFolio was the one that we could grow with.”
“This was the time when most everything was software-based. You had to install the program and run it off a local server. And then AppFolio came in and it was online-based and you could tell that everything was put together really well. AppFolio was a relatively new company at that time so we also looked at a couple different other options as well. They weren’t user-friendly at all. We felt that AppFolio was the one that we could grow with.”
And grow they did
From unit count to property type to headcount, Brian has been able to scale his business in a sustainable way with the right technology partner.
“We’ve added roughly 200 units per year over the last couple of years, and AppFolio has given us the ability to take on other types of properties that we wouldn’t have been able to before. We’ve also been able to grow our team, but in a more efficient way. We haven’t had to hire as many people as we would have in the past. AppFolio lets you do more with less. It’s very user-friendly and intuitive.”
“We’ve added roughly 200 units per year over the last couple of years, and AppFolio has given us the ability to take on other types of properties that we wouldn’t have been able to before. We’ve also been able to grow our team, but in a more efficient way. We haven’t had to hire as many people as we would have in the past. AppFolio lets you do more with less. It’s very user-friendly and intuitive.”
Bye-bye manual data entry
One of the most time-consuming aspects of property management is processing invoices, especially at scale. Several years ago, Brian tested a new feature called Automated AP. Since then, it’s become a staple in his accounting workflows.
“With Automated AP, we receive an invoice electronically and on it’s own, the system scans it and captures all the data and then populates and submits a payable for us to review. This feature alone has probably saved us roughly 20 to 30 hours per week.”
Beyond saving time, Automated AP slashes Brian’s payroll costs, and also leads to better customer service.
“Automated AP eliminates human error. I don’t have owners calling me anymore asking ‘why am I being charged $700 when the bill says $500’, because it was manually input incorrectly. It's also freed us from having an on-staff bookkeeper or accountant. We have a CPA who does a monthly reconciliation, but for the most part, I or my executive staff can do a lot of the accounting.”
“With Automated AP, we receive an invoice electronically and on it’s own, the system scans it and captures all the data and then populates and submits a payable for us to review. This feature alone has probably saved us roughly 20 to 30 hours per week.”
Beyond saving time, Automated AP slashes Brian’s payroll costs, and also leads to better customer service.
“Automated AP eliminates human error. I don’t have owners calling me anymore asking ‘why am I being charged $700 when the bill says $500’, because it was manually input incorrectly. It's also freed us from having an on-staff bookkeeper or accountant. We have a CPA who does a monthly reconciliation, but for the most part, I or my executive staff can do a lot of the accounting.”
The mobile advantage
Being able to access any workflow from anywhere has empowered Brian and his team to work more efficiently, productively, and flexibly.
“I personally use the AppFolio app probably seven, eight times a day when I'm working remotely. I can work through an email from a property owner and then switch right into AppFolio on the mobile app and make any particular change immediately, as opposed to waiting until the next day or forgetting about it — nothing gets lost or forgotten with instant access.”
“I personally use the AppFolio app probably seven, eight times a day when I'm working remotely. I can work through an email from a property owner and then switch right into AppFolio on the mobile app and make any particular change immediately, as opposed to waiting until the next day or forgetting about it — nothing gets lost or forgotten with instant access.”
On-demand and flexible support
The combination of a dedicated support team and easily accessible help resources help Key Property Management get the most out of their investment.
“We have a dedicated AppFolio representative. He's great. Anytime my team needs anything, they submit a ticket and get a response very quickly. There’s also the help articles and on-demand webinars on the learning portal. It's a powerful training tool that really helps cut down on training time.”
“We have a dedicated AppFolio representative. He's great. Anytime my team needs anything, they submit a ticket and get a response very quickly. There’s also the help articles and on-demand webinars on the learning portal. It's a powerful training tool that really helps cut down on training time.”
Building even bigger
More efficient technology has allowed Brian to grow his business beyond what he imagined, and gives him the confidence to dream even bigger.
“We’ve surpassed where I thought we would be by now in terms of units under management. We're still growing and taking on new business on a daily basis in the Las Vegas Valley. My goal is to expand into Washoe County and Arizona. I know that we can with a partner like AppFolio.”
“We’ve surpassed where I thought we would be by now in terms of units under management. We're still growing and taking on new business on a daily basis in the Las Vegas Valley. My goal is to expand into Washoe County and Arizona. I know that we can with a partner like AppFolio.”
A partner for growth
Brian was looking for more than just a software provider when he began his search. He needed a partner that would anticipate his needs in his growth journey.
“AppFolio has all the tools that you need, including those that you may not need now, but will in the future as you scale your business.”
Brian Hartsell
Founder and Principal Broker
Key Property Management
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