Text messaging for property management

With instant delivery and the highest open rates of any channel, SMS is the all-in-one solution for saving property managers time and streamlining communications. Via text message, property management teams can send real-time updates, reminders, automated messages, and alerts directly to tenants, owners, and maintenance teams, all from one centralized platform.
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What is property management text messaging and why does it work?

Property management firms must juggle multiple properties, coordinate urgent maintenance issues, and advertise vacant properties while maintaining strong tenant and owner relationships. This constant multitasking can lead to hours of staff time spent on the phone, missed messages, and delayed responses. 

Property management SMS streamlines this communication and coordination with tenants, realtors, owners, and maintenance teams. 

Leverage SMS to share rapid updates on ongoing issues, like urgent maintenance needs, weather-related notifications, and emergency alerts. Take advantage of texting’s high open and response rates to share lease renewals, remind tenants of upcoming payments, and boost listings to prospective tenants.

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Top advantages of using texting in property management

Property managers are responsible for communicating time-sensitive information to multiple parties on a daily basis. SMS offers a direct and immediate way to keep all interested parties informed in real time. Here are some top benefits of using SMS.

Fast communication

SMS messages are delivered almost instantly, making them one of the fastest communication methods compared to email or phone calls. For property managers, having a reliable channel for urgent maintenance requests or lease renewals is essential to minimizing damage and protecting valuable investments. 

Since most text messages are read within three minutes, SMS ensures important issues are resolved quickly. 

Important messages are seen

Unlike emails that get buried in an overflowing inbox, SMS messages have a 98 percent open rate, the highest of any communication channel. Texting tenants and owners can prevent costly delays and urgent issues from escalating, while ensuring all important messages are seen. 

Increased tenant satisfaction

Effective communication with tenants is a fundamental aspect of property management. Texting has evolved into the primary form of communication for most Americans — and tenants are no exception. Over 79 percent of tenants say they want to be able to text their property management company. 

By providing a direct, convenient, and preferred communication channel, property managers can build stronger relationships with current and potential tenants, leading to higher lease renewal rates and positive reviews. 

Streamlined prospect communication 

Property management is a fast-paced industry, with listings moving on and off the market quickly. SMS’ automation capabilities give property management firms the ability to automate key processes like property tours, information collection, and lease applications. 

Rapid communication ensures properties get shown and filled quickly and ideal tenants don’t move on to other listings. Plus, sending tour confirmation texts and reminders reduces no shows and keeps prospects engaged. 

Reduce late payments

A simple text payment reminder can go a long way in ensuring on-time rent payments. Timely SMS nudges can help tenants stay organized, avoid late fees, and secure consistent cash flow for property managers. 

Centralized communication

With SMS, property managers can easily track conversations, schedule reminders, and respond to all inquiries from a single platform. Textline is specially designed for teams, offering collaboration tools and seamless documentation features to ensure everyone stays aligned and informed. 

Consolidating tenant and prospect communication into one platform, rather than juggling multiple channels such as phone, emails, or in-person visits, can improve overall efficiency and reduce miscommunications.

Why Textline works for property management

Textline’s advanced features facilitate dynamic communication for businesses that depend on reliable, secure messaging channels to coordinate with multiple parties. 

Two-way SMS 

Textline’s two-way SMS feature allows property management firms to engage in real-time back-and-forth conversations with prospective and current tenants, share and receive relevant information, and build connections. 

Two-way SMS allows for asynchronous issue resolution without the time commitment and scheduling required for a phone call. Plus, Textline’s user-friendly SMS inbox is packed with collaboration features that enable property management teams to quickly address tenant issues, keeping tenants happy and eliminating miscommunications. 

Group messaging 

Textline offers users true group messaging, enabling multiple contacts to send back-and-forth messages in a single text thread. This feature can be especially useful for property management firms that regularly need to update and coordinate with multiple parties at once, such as duplex tenants that have a shared maintenance issue or multiple tenants on the same lease. 

Announcements

Textline’s Announcements feature enables property managers to send mass texts to multiple tenants, landlords, or prospects with one click. Mass SMS messages ensure that everyone involved receives the same information at the same time and reduces manual effort. 

For property managers, mass texting can help maintain smooth operations across multiple properties and ensures important information is communicated efficiently. Plus, Textline’s advanced platform enables mass messages to be personalized, increasing tenant satisfaction.

Scheduled texts

Scheduled text messages save time, improve efficiency, and ensure important messages are sent at the right moment. Textline enables property managers to automate important messages such as lease renewal notifications, rent reminders, maintenance updates, and appointment confirmations in advance, reducing last-minute scrambling. 

By scheduling texts in advance, property managers can focus on higher-priority tasks while maintaining consistent and professional communication with tenants and prospects. 

Attachments

With Textline’s multi-media messaging features (MMS), property managers can send and receive attachments via text message. Via attachments, tenants and property managers can share photos of maintenance issues, send PDFs back and forth, and provide links to useful resources and webpages. 

Providing tenants with versatile and convenient ways to share information can help to ensure all parties stay connected and receive crucial information on the go. 

Automations

To focus on higher-priority tasks and tenant satisfaction, take advantage of Textline’s advanced workflow automations.

Property managers can automate operations such as message routing, follow-up messages, tour confirmations, appointment scheduling, and more. These automations streamline operations, reduce manual effort, and ensure timely communication without staff intervention.  

SMS dashboard 

Textline’s SMS inbox gives property managers a powerful, all-in-one hub to keep tenant and prospect conversations organized and efficient. From a user-friendly dashboard, teams can collaborate on conversations with Textline’s Whispers feature and leave internal notes on tenant conversations. 

Plus, with advanced tagging, users can keep a growing SMS inbox organized, eliminating missed messages or confusing conversation threads. Whether it’s answering questions, scheduling tours, or sending rent reminders, Textline’s dashboard makes communication effortless, keeping tenants happy and property management stress-free.

Metrics 

Wondering how efficient your property management team is at handling tenant or owner communications? Textline metrics make it easy to gain valuable insight into real-time data on statistics like message volume, response times, and team performance. A few key Textline metrics that property managers can track include: 

  • Number of active conversations 
  • Time to respond 
  • Longest wait time 
  • Time to first response
  • Number of active agents 

Property managers can track trends in communication and identify areas for improvement to optimize response strategies and ensure all tenant inquiries are addressed promptly.

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Property management SMS stats

79%

of tenants want to be able to text their management company. — MultiFamily Executive

90%

of text messages are opened within three minutes. — Worldwide

209%

higher response rates with texting than email. —  LinkedIn

Secure and compliant texting through and through

Textline prioritizes security and compliance, ensuring that property management firms can communicate with tenants and owners safely and reliably. As a leader in SMS compliance, Textline’s platform adheres strictly with compliance regulations established by the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) to ensure tenant and business data is stored securely. 

Additionally, all businesses looking to text subscribers must register their phone numbers. While the process may seem complicated, Textline makes it quick and hassle-free by guiding users step-by-step through the registration process. 

<h2 style="text-align: center">Top texting use cases for property management</h2>

Use texting platforms for property management to offer tenants, owners, and maintenance teams a seamless communication process. Here are 10 top use cases for property managers.

Rent payment reminders

With Textline, property managers can automate SMS reminders for rent payments, ensuring tenants never miss a due date. Messages can be scheduled days in advance to help encourage tenants to stay on track and avoid late payments, further helping management companies to maintain a steady cash flow. 

In cases of overdue payments, automated follow-up messages can be triggered to remind tenants and encourage action.

<span class="chat-bubble"><span class="chat-bubble__text">REMINDER: Katie, your rent payment of $1,200.00 is due on 04/01. Please make your payment on time to avoid late fees. Pay now: [bit.ly/payrentwerx]. </span>

Maintenance requests 

Resolve issues quickly and efficiently with SMS. Sending maintenance requests via phone is easy with Textline’s MMS features that enable tenants to share photos and send instant maintenance requests for urgent issues. 

Property managers can leverage SMS to assign work orders, automatically keep tenants updated on repair processes, and coordinate with fellow team members — all within the same text thread. 

<span class="chat-bubble"><span class="chat-bubble__text">Treaty Oak: Hi Emily, we received your maintenance request for the jammed window. A technician can stop by tomorrow around 10am if that works for you.</span>

Lease renewals or updates

It’s always easier to keep a good tenant in your property than trying to find a new one. Lease renewal texts are a great way to notify tenants of upcoming renewal deadlines, share options for the new term, and increase the chances of re-signings. 

Textline users can schedule drip messages to send to tenants as lease renewals approach, keeping tenants engaged and active throughout the renewal process. 

<span class="chat-bubble"><span class="chat-bubble__text">Hi Sam, Nexus East would love to have you stay with us for another year. Your lease is up for renewal on Aug. 8. Renew your lease before July 8 to avoid any last-minute issues or rate increases. Reply to this text with any questions! </span>

Emergency alerts

When it comes to property management, there’s an endless list of urgent situations you may need to notify tenants of over the course of their leasing period. 

SMS alerts ensure your urgent messages reach tenants fast. Share weather-related messages such as freeze warnings or storm preparedness alerts, or notify tenants of upcoming maintenance work like water shutoff times or expected power outages. 

<span class="chat-bubble"><span class="chat-bubble__text">Bellevue Rentals: Hi Brooke, due to a water leak, our maintenance team will shut off the water to all units from 10-11pm tonight to make repairs. We apologize for any inconvenience. We’ll send you a message as soon as your water is back on. Thank you! </span>

Proactive updates

Keep tenants in the loop with proactive communication to boost satisfaction rates and increase trust between tenants and property managers. SMS can be utilized to share non-urgent updates and keep residents informed on goings-on around their rental units. 

<span class="chat-bubble"><span class="chat-bubble__text">Hey Mallory, Southern Property Rentals here! We wanted to let you know that a pest control company will be spraying around the exterior of your property on 3/10. Please let us know if you have any issues. Thank you! </span>

Tour scheduling

Keep rental properties full with fast, flexible tour scheduling via SMS. Text scheduling makes it convenient for both property managers and prospective tenants to coordinate schedules and automatically book tours for available units.

Plus, leverage SMS scheduling to streamline home inspections and walk-throughs to ensure timely transitions and move-outs. 

<span class="chat-bubble"><span class="chat-bubble__text">Sunrise Properties: Hi Ben! Thanks for your interest in the property at 143 Ladolia Lane. Are you free for a tour at 12pm tomorrow or 1pm Saturday?</span>

Community engagement

For large apartment or housing complexes, property managers are responsible for promoting a sense of community well-being. With SMS, management companies can facilitate community events, like pool parties, picnics, and other recreational activities that promote good-will and strengthen community ties. 

Since the average American checks their phone 344 times per day, texts are an excellent way to keep your residents informed on new amenities and up-to-date on current community rules and regulations. 

<span class="chat-bubble"><span class="chat-bubble__text">Triangle Apartments residents, you’re all invited to our annual Fun in the Sun pool party!<br>Where: Main pool<br>When: June 1st, 2-5pm<br>We’ll have catering from Windy City Burgers, live music, and more. Hope to see you there 🌞</span>

Follow up with prospects

Avoid empty properties and unrented units by following up with prospects via SMS. After a prospect views an apartment or inquires about a rental unit, send follow-up texts to ensure your property stays top-of-mind. 

Rather than waiting for calls or emails, sharing available properties with lapsed prospects can recapture attention and proactively generate interest in your rental properties. 

<span class="chat-bubble"><span class="chat-bubble__text">Michelle, thank you for your interest in Parkside Apartments! We hope you enjoyed your tour and would love to help you secure your new home. You can fill out a rental application here: [bit.ly/parksideleasing]. </span>

Move-in or move out coordination

Help streamline your tenant’s move in process with SMS communications. Schedule a text to send to tenants on the move-in day providing details on how they can get their keys, property access times, and inspection instructions. 

Utilize texting for move-out coordination to share photos, instructions, and provide updates on deposit refunds. 

<span class="chat-bubble"><span class="chat-bubble__text">Jonathan, it’s finally move-in day! You may access your new unit anytime after 7am. The key will be in a lockbox attached to the front door. The code is 14567. Please find your move-in packet on the kitchen counter and complete the inspection form. Reply here if you have any questions! </span>

Update property owners

Property owners trust management companies to handle valuable real estate investments for them, making effective and efficient communication vital. SMS is quick, convenient, and secure, ensuring smooth operations and a better overall experience for both parties. 

With SMS, property managers can foster trust by promptly addressing concerns and executing efficient maintenance and repairs. For example, managers can share urgent maintenance requests with owners to gain approval for costly, time-sensitive repairs. Rather than waiting for approval via call or email and potentially exacerbating the damage, SMS’ instant deliverability makes it the ideal choice for urgent communications. 

<span class="chat-bubble"><span class="chat-bubble__text">Eric, your 2301 Magnolia Drive resident has submitted a maintenance request for a leaky sink faucet. We’ve scheduled a technician to assess. We will update you as soon as possible with repair options. Thank you. – Bradford Management </span>

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Why property management teams trust Textline

Textline has been a gamechanger when it comes to following up with prospects … Easy to use and effective.

— Danielle L., G2

What I appreciate most about textline is the team oriented aspect of it. We use Textline to communicate with residents, however, we are also able to communicate with other colleagues using the Whisper feature which I think is really neat.

— Jalene Q., G2

What we love most about Textline is its ability to centralize all customer communication in one place. It allows our team to manage conversations seamlessly across multiple channels while maintaining a personal, real-time connection with each customer. The automation features and templates also help us save time without compromising on the quality of service, making our operations smoother and more efficient.

— Jordan P., G2
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More SMS resources for property management firms

Integration for seamless communication

Add Textline to your existing platforms

Textline integrates seamlessly with popular relationship management tools, ensuring messages, tenant updates, and notifications sync seamlessly across all platforms. Plus, Textline’s webhooks and advanced API empower property management teams to automate workflows and customize automations, resulting in enhanced operational efficiency.

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Textline: Your go-to property management SMS tool

Effective property management relies on excellent communication, and Textline delivers the tools your team needs to make communications effortless. From automated rent reminders to instant updates on urgent maintenance requests, SMS ensures tenants, owners, and staff stay informed without delays. And with Textline’s integration-friendly platform, your property management firm can reduce administrative burdens and improve response times. 

Keep your tenants happy, owners informed, and vacancies low with Textline. <a href="https://www.textline.com/request-demo" class="link-white">Schedule a demo</a> to see it in action, or try it free today.

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