Update: This post has been updated with rankings and winners based on changes or upgrades to some of the products and services. We have also included new products that have come to our attention since the last update. Read on to see our winners for the best software for residential lease agreements for 2023:
Property management software is a useful tool for small and independent landlords to improve efficiency, ease, and profitability. We have previously written overviews of several top software products that offer solutions for various property management tasks from advertising and applications to tenant screening, lease signing and rent collection. We have also previously discussed the pros and cons of having your tenants sign their residential lease agreements remotely. Here we compare how each of them handle the lease creation, signing and storing process.
Also Read: Understanding Rental Lease Agreements: A Landlord’s Guide
Note: As of 4/20/23 Avail’s Unlimited Plus subscription pricing has been updated.
Landlord Gurus has partnered with Azibo to provide landlords with fully customizable, state-specific residential lease agreements across all 50 states.
We considered the following rental property management software products that make the lease creation and signing process accurate and easy. Read below for our complete criteria for what you should look for when choosing the right leasing software for you:
Winner : Landlord Gurus ChoiceWinner : Best Landlord Documents and FormsWinner : Best Hybrid Property Management PlatformWinner : Easy-to-Use Lease-Building WizardFinding the best products, software, and services for your rental properties can be daunting. That’s why we have personally selected the most essential tools for landlords wanting to make their property management processes run smoothly. We’ve searched, compared, and filled our toolkit with what we believe to be the best tool available for virtually every task a landlord is presented with. Pick Your Tools >>
Choosing lease agreement software depends on a variety of factors that are most important to you. We describe the 5 key features that you should consider when choosing the right lease signing tool for your properties. We also consider bonus features that you may find useful.
Winner: Landlord Gurus Choice
The property management software that provides the best state-specific, lawyer-approved leases in our comparison is Avail. Avail stands out from the competition because it offers city and state-specific lease templates that include the required disclosures and attachments necessary to comply with local ordinances. Avail also makes it easy to create new leases from tenants’ application and screening information. Signing leases electronically is a simple, secure process for both you and your tenants. While Avail’s document storage features are not as robust as the others, its Local Assist feature is unique. Not only does it help ensure your leases are compliant in your property’s location, but it also helps set the right rent price, late fees and guidance.
City and State-Specific Lease Agreements: Avail provides subscribers with a lawyer-approved, state-specific residential lease template. These include relevant all clauses, disclosures, and attachments necessary based on your local ordinances. There is also a wide range of addenda to choose from, so you can tailor your lease to fit your needs. Also, Local Assist will provide essential notes and documents where applicable, including rent price recommendations, late fees, and more.
Customizable Lease Templates: Subscribers to Avail’s Unlimited Plus plan have access to step-by-step lease customization. As a result, landlords can specify start and end dates, rent amount, and any other fees or deposits they require. Select from a list of common optional causes or create and include your own. In addition, you can edit the provided lease clauses themselves.
Document Creation and Data Integration: Avail uses the location of your rental property to provide a lease agreement that complies with local ordinances in your state. The online lease agreement includes federal and state-required disclosures and attachments for radon, bed bugs, and lead-based paint. They also provide all the relevant clauses based on the terms in the lease as well as your locality. And besides attaching required disclosure pamphlets, the lease includes all required disclosure language directly within the lease.
Electronic Signing: Once you have created your residential lease agreement to your liking, invite your tenant to sign the lease with just their name and email address. Avail will walk them through the lease signing process on their end. Moreover, you can communicate with your tenants through the Avail app should they have any questions. You can also track the signing progress which can be particularly useful if you are renting to multiple people such as roommates. Once your tenants sign, Avail will notify you to sign and complete the process. Avail follows the 2000 E-sign Act so you can rest assured your newly signed electronic lease is fully legal and enforceable.
Pricing: 50-state leases are available at the free level. If you’d like to customize your lease documents or application forms you’ll need to upgrade to the Unlimited Plus plan, which costs $7/unit per month. However, keep in mind that this subscription level also comes with free next-day electronic rent payments, which is a great feature to have.
Bonus Features: Avail uses LocalAssist to ensure your lease is compliant with relevant rules and regulations. Throughout the lease creation and signing process you and your new tenant correspond through their messaging system, keeping the documents and communication organized in one place. Landlords and applicants communicate through the platform and receive reminders when action is required.
We also like the products that ezLandlordForms and Hemlane offer. ezLandlordForms focuses mainly on providing rental property management documents, while Hemlane lets property owners go “hands-off” on as many property management duties as they want to. Depending on what you’re looking for, either of these would make a great choice.
Winner: Best Landlord Documents and Forms
