Software To Keep Track Of REI Info?
What software (if any) do people use to keep track of prospects and buyers?
I am starting to get into a little bit of information overload and wanted to see what others were using to keep their records straight.
I thought about using a program like ACT! but that seems a bit much and not customized for REI.
So, what is the best method of keeping track of all our REI info? Pen and paper? Sticky notes? Stacks of yellow pads? 
Thanks!
I use Management plus for windows by a company called American Computer Software.
I tried out tenant pro, rent right, REAPS, Carelton Sheet's software, cornerstone, promas, and a couple of others. [ Edited by hibby76 on Date 11/28/2003 ]
I use the REAPS software from dolf deroos and find it very helpful..but is isnt cheap...around 500 bucks.
Shark bait...look up in search engine.
Microsoft Access
Wow, I must be either cheap or cheezy, but I use this software that's fairly common. It's called Microsoft Excel. hahaha. I use a spread sheet with workbook pages for investors, active properties, inactive properties, etc ...
Works fine for organizational purposes and only takes a few mintues to set up.
I agree with Jackman, I use a similar excell program called Quattro Pro. Once you learn excell, it can be your most valuable program.
Thanks for the replies! I guess I will start with excel and see how that works. I have used it for projects at work and am pretty familiar with it. Seems like I should have thought of using that before....
Anyhow, Thanks Again.
Dear Jackman,
I have Excel, but am not really comfortable using the program. Might you be able to post your Excel spreadheet (perhaps in the Files area)as a template so I could take a look at it?
Or maybe you could e-mail it to me?
Thanks.
Bob
Most of the software applications that were suggested (such as Management Plus, Rent Right, Tenant Pro, etc.) are property management software applications.
Since you only want something to track contacts, consider ACT if you are willing to buy something. I think I saw it at Sam's Club for around $50.
Microsoft Excel or Access are adequate for your requirement but demand that you have some computer skills to organize and manage your database.
If you use an email client such as Outlook, you can use the built in "Contacts" function to capture basic contact information and make notes. Sorting and organizing this information may present a bit of a challenge.
I agree with DaveT
If you're buying a house with one tenant, and you're short on funds, then Excel is a great way to go.
Excel is perhaps the most robust program in the MS Office suite and the most underuesed (compared to it's capabilities). Most people don't know what it can do, and if they do they don't know how to make it do it.
Many of the property management software packages listed do much more than just keep track of rents. They may:
Integrate with other accounting software
allow online payments
allow credit card payments
include pictures
manage inventory
manage leases
manage late fees
manage rent increases
manage global changes
etc.
I would ask yourself what your needs are, what your wants are, and where you are going. If you're going to have fewer than 15 rental units, excel is a great solution.
If you are still at wits end about all this, send me a PM with your email and I can build either an Excel sheet or an Access database with your specifics. We are all looking for most of the same information, so I can base it off of ones I have done prior.
Best,
Ryno
The one detected anomaly of using excel for this particular purpose is this program's inability to track your mailing campaigns. As far as I know you can use it t print stickers but that's about the most you can get out of it. My routine (would) usually include daily collection of new NOD's, entry in "a program", printing of owner's info on envelopes, postcards or/end letters, (depends on what should be mailed today) and then you continue to add information in your spread sheet or contact management program as you collect them down the line. Knowing how specific the requirements can be, I was even thinking of hiring freelance programmer to really write the program that would help us shorten the time necessary for this preparatory work. Then I thought of maybe using a customizable account program such as File Maker Pro, which is good for mac and for PC plus it can publish on internet so lets say if you bought a house and you took a picture to document the house, you'd be able to store it in the FileMaker Pro an also publish directly form that program to your web site. Some adjustment of the fields that should be populated would need to be done, but I guess it would work fine. Anyone know what I am talking about?
And for investor like wingnut, I would rely think that he does a lot's of repetitive work that is perfectly suitable for $1,500 a month secretary... unless wingnut's wife is so jealous that such arrangement might be so out of the question.
I have used a modified Excel. Designed to display as needed almost all the functions in Real Estate.
When I turned all my goodies over to my well educated clever greedy children. Each of them appeared to be incapable of handling this simple program. They have now spent several hundreds of dollars and guess what. Their property person just called me. They are back to Excel. I can remember their pitying looks as I showed them how Excel slightly modified could handle almost any form of management problem.
Of course in active massage of Retran data, I leave it where it is on its Web site and allow them to play library. I only massage the data and abstract as I become focused on a specific property.
When I go outside that Web site and start adding data from Title Company on line updates etc. I now create a run file and stuff everything in that file including the pictures of property etc. I also write a covering analysis, second display. Seems to work. I am seriously thinking of writing a modification to Excel so that it can become a stand alone entity for every little tasks covered here on TCI. but right now the Containers are taking all my daylight hours.
Interesting problem something to explore. Lucius