So when do you switch to property management software? While there is no definite answer to that question, the time might come sooner than you think. When you get to know them, you’ll realize that software applications like Building Stack have all kinds of unexpected benefits that match your budget (we even have free solutions!).

Accelerate your portfolio’s growth

Too many owners wait until they lose control of their property portfolio before investing in software. They consider it an unnecessary expense that slows down profitability.

What they don’t realize is that a good software solution quickly becomes an essential tool that helps you develop your portfolio. By keeping all your data in one place, you work more efficiently. The time and resources you save allow you to acquire new buildings faster without expanding your team.

Accept online rent payments

Why waste time depositing cheques at the bank when there is a much easier way to collect rent? With an online payment solution, your tenants can send you the rent from the comfort of their own home, and the funds go directly into your account.

Even better, Building Stack is the first company in Canada to offer a free online payment solution designed for building owners of all shapes and sizes.

Our portal offers many benefits:

• Fast and secure payments
• No-fee bank transfers
• Payments by credit or debit card
• Automatic monthly payments
• Payment processing by the landlord
• Detailed reports
• SSL data encryption
• And much more!

Click here to learn more.

Track your finances

Collecting rent is only half the battle; you need to make sure all the numbers line up every month. Did you receive all your payments for this month? With Building Stack, you can find the answer to that question at a glance, without your calculator.

Transactions made through our platform are automatically logged in reports, so you instantly know which lease has an outstanding balance. You can even set reminders to avoid late payments.

Additionally, you can track expenses related to your buildings such as renovations or professional services. Log expenses’ dates, amounts and categories, and add their payment status to stay on top of your company’s financials. 

Make sure your tenants are happy

Renters’ expectations have evolved. With mobile devices and e-commerce being commonplace, consumers are now looking for one-click solutions available anytime, anywhere. Rental services are no exception, and landlords must adapt to this reality.

Luckily, Building Stack tenants have access to our tenant portal, where they can view important building information and lease documents, report issues, send messages to their landlord and, of course, pay their rent.

As a property manager, you can sort, filter and prioritize requests, and automatically send them to the right person. As a result, communications between you and your residents are completely transparent, and messages no longer get lost in your personal inbox.

Keep a virtual paper trail

Another great benefit of online communications is that nothing ever gets erased. So in case of a dispute, just browse your system to find all conversations with the relevant tenant, including read receipts, sorted by date.

The same goes for rent payment dates and amounts, tenancy history and anything else you store in Building Stack. Everything is saved indefinitely, without taking any space in your filing cabinet!

Easily find new tenants

A vacant unit is not an enviable situation. When a tenant leaves, your priority is to find a new one as soon as possible.

Without software, this means writing listings, publishing them one by one, going through a bunch of disorganized e-mails… And don’t forget to take down the listing once a new lease is signed!

But with the right software tools, this process can be as simple as a few clicks, which will save you precious hours around moving season. Building Stack generates listings from the information you already input in the system and automatically publishes them on your favourite websites.

Not only do we help you find tenants, we also help you find the right tenants. From our platform, you can send credit checks by e-mail to potential renters, and receive a detailed report that includes renting history, criminal background and employment status.

And when you have finally found the perfect candidate, the listing is automatically removed, or replaced by one for your next vacant unit.

View your data anywhere

Property owners know that work doesn’t happen only in the office. Whether you need to make a quick call between two apartment visits or quickly check some information before meeting a tenant, even the biggest briefcase can’t contain everything you could store in the cloud.

Installing the Building Stack app on your iOS and Android devices allows you to access all your account data wherever you are, and update it in real time for all the users in your account. No need to wait until you are back in the office.

If you are looking for an efficient way to manage your rental properties. Building Stack has got you covered. We have plans for all kinds of portfolios, including free solutions with no monthly charges.

Get a free demo of our products to find the right Building Stack solution for your business!

The post Why should you use software to manage your properties? appeared first on Building Stack.

Every landlord needs to send their tenant a written notice every now and then. However, there are deadlines and processes to follow, and each province has its own set of rules.

Since we know how hard it can be to find the proper form that applies to your particular situation, we put together this little guide to help you make sure your tenant notices respect the law, no matter where you are in Canada.

Before you fill out a notice

Take note of the following general advice that will be useful for any tenancy-related claim or dispute:

• If you are a Building Stack user, you can fill out and send select notices directly on the platform. Your tenants can even grant you access to their unit in their absence when they create a ticket. 
• The address of the property, and not your address, determines which laws apply to your rental and which form you should fill out. For example, if you live in Nova Scotia, but own a rental building in Ontario, you have to follow the laws and regulations of Ontario.
• In some provinces the official government form is the only acceptable way to deliver a notice to your tenants. Consult your provincial government’s website before writing your own notice from scratch.
• Always keep a copy of any document you are handing your tenants.
• Make sure to keep any receipt, e-mail and other documentation relevant to your claim, especially for rent increases and evictions. In case of a dispute, you will be asked to provide evidence to support your case.

Alberta

The government of Alberta does not provide landlords any specific forms and notice templates. However, you will find detailed information about tenancy agreements, rent increases, evictions, subleasing and more on this page.

British Columbia

Quick reference:
RTB-1 — Residential Tenancy Agreement
RTB-7 — Notice of Rent Increase 
RTB-30 — 10 Day Notice to End Tenancy For Unpaid Rent or Utilities

Click here to view a list of all the forms provided by the Residential Tenancy Branch of British Columbia. All forms are in convenient PDF format that can be printed or filled digitally.

Please note that form RTB-7 (Notice of Rent Increase) is also available within Building Stack.

Manitoba

Quick reference:
Form 1 — Standard Residential Tenancy Agreement
Form 1A — Notice of rent increase
Form 8 — Notice of Termination by Landlord for Non-Payment of Rent

All the forms you will need as a landlord in Manitoba, including tenancy agreements, rent increase notices and eviction notices, are available here. Most of them are printable documents, but you will also find some of them in digital format.

New Brunswick

Quick reference:
Form 6 — Residential Lease
Notice of Termination to Tenant

All the forms provided to you by Service New Brunswick are available here, under “Forms for landlords”.

Newfoundland and Labrador

Quick reference:
Standard Rental Agreement
Landlord’s Notice to Increase Rent
Landlord’s Notice to Terminate Early — Cause

The tenancy-related forms provided by Service NL are available here. They include a standard rental agreement, rent increase notices, a notice to enter premises and more.

Nova Scotia

Quick reference:
Form P — Standard Form of Lease
Form D — Landlord’s Notice to Quit: Failure to Pay Rent

Scroll down to the “Landlords” section of this page to find all tenancy-related forms as well as useful guides to help you fill them properly.

Northwest Territories

Quick reference:
Tenancy Agreement

The Justice Department of the Northwest Territories has put together a useful guide about rental agreements that contains interesting information for both landlords and tenants. The guide also includes several templates such as a Tenancy Agreement, an Inspection Form and an Application to a Rental Officer.

Nunavut

Quick reference:
Termination Notice

Visit the website of the Nunavut Residential Tenancies Office to know more about your rights and responsibilities as a landlord. Select forms are also available on the site.

Ontario

Quick reference:
Residential Tenancy Agreement
N1 — Notice of Rent Increase
N4 — Notice to End a Tenancy for Non-Payment of Rent

Click here to view a list of landlord forms and their corresponding instructions. The Ontario Landlord and Tenant Board has also prepared a help page with answers to the most frequent tenancy-related questions.

Please note that forms N1 (Notice of Rent Increase), N2 (Notice of Rent Increase for Unit Partially Exempt) and N4 (Notice to End a Tenancy Early for Non-payment of Rent) can be filled out directly on the Building Stack platform.

Prince Edward Island

Quick reference:
Form 1 — Standard Form of Rental Agreement
Form 10 — Notice of Increase in Rent of Residential Premises
Form 4 — Notice of Termination by Lessor of Rental Agreement

The Office of the Director of Residential Rental Property of Prince Edward Island provides several forms for landlords and tenants on its website. Click here to download them in PDF format.

Quebec

Quick reference:
Lease of a Dwelling
Notice of rent increase and modification of another condition of the lease

The Quebec lease form is available for purchase in most bookstores and office supplies stores, as well as on the Publications Québec website.

Please note that filling out a lease in a language other than French is not permissible in Quebec without the tenant’s express consent. In other words, if your tenant asks for a lease (and a copy of your building rules) in French, you are legally obligated to provide them with those documents.

The Régie du logement also provides various notice templates on its website. To view them, click here and expand the section titled “Models of Notices for Lessors”.

If you are a Building Stack user, you can fill out a Notice of rent increase and modification of another condition of the lease directly on the platform.

Saskatchewan

Quick reference:
Monthly Tenancy Lease
Fixed-Term Lease
Form 5 — Notice of Rent Increases
Form 7 — Immediate Notice to Vacate

Click here to see the list of forms provided by the Saskatchewan Office of Residential Tenancies.

If you are not sure which form to use, this page offers a wealth of information about numerous leasing issues.

Yukon

Quick reference:
Tenancy Agreement Template
14-day notice to end tenancy with cause

If you are leasing properties in Yukon, click here to download tenancy agreements, notices to end tenancy and more. On the same page, you will also find the Residential Landlord And Tenant Handbook, a comprehensive guide that details the rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants.

We hope you find this guide useful, and we encourage you to save it in your browser bookmarks for future reference.

Would you like to simplify the way you communicate with your tenants and send them important notices? Try Building Stack’s property management software today!

Disclaimer: The documentation above is provided for information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The information and links are accurate at the time of publishing and may not apply to some particular situations. Please consult your province’s residential tenancy governing body for more information.

The post Where to find the lease-related forms you need as a landlord appeared first on Building Stack.

Nowadays, being environmentally conscious means so much more than just separating your trash from your recycling. For this year’s Earth Day, Building Stack wants to encourage everyone to help the planet with a few tips for building owners to reduce their carbon footprint.

Use less energy

These are many different ways to reduce your energy consumption in your buildings. Switching to LED light bulbs is a small step in the right direction: they are easy to install and last for years. But if you want to go bigger, look for appliances with the Energy Star logo for your units, laundry room and common areas.

If your heating bill goes through the roof, you might want to have your building’s insulation checked in order to reduce heat loss. Installing smart, programmable thermostats can also keep your home to an optimal temperature while reducing the amount of energy required to heat and cool your home (not to mention all the money you’ll save). And don’t forget to mention them in your vacancy listings: lower energy costs are sure to attract potential renters.

Start a community garden

Locally grown food has many environmental benefits, from reducing transportation-related emissions to providing fresher, tastier produce. And you can’t get more local than your own home! Install a communal garden in your yard or on your roof, where your tenants can grow tasty veggies all summer.

If you don’t have outdoor space, install a hydroponic herb garden in your lobby that the whole building will enjoy year-round. With so many options available online, you are sure to find one that fits your space and your budget!

Save the bees

In an effort to preserve our tiny flying heroes, urban beehives are gaining popularity all over the country. However, in some places — especially around big cities — they have been known to pose a threat to the native wild bee population. Do some research about the best option in your area. You could also plant some bee-friendly flowers around your building, such as peonies, lavender, chives and mint.

Go paperless

Take all your business in the cloud! With the ubiquity of technology and pocket-sized devices, there is no reason anymore to waste paper by printing an e-mail or a memo.

Use a software like Building Stack to manage your leases and work orders, and encourage your tenants to pay their rent online. Not only will you save a few trees, you’ll improve your efficiency by keeping all your data in one easily accessible place.

Travel sustainably

Install bike racks in the basement to encourage tenants to use their bikes more often. Add charging stations in your parking lot for electric car users. It might motivate others to buy green for their next car.

Some cities offer corporate discounts on public transportation passes, so sign up your business; it will make it easier for your employees to take the bus, the train, or even the subway.

No matter how big or small, every step you take will contribute to helping our planet. The next time you are planning some major renovations, think about future generations and look into the LEED certification process; you might discover more ways to improve your building’s sustainability.

Building Stack offers innovative solutions that will help your company take the green turn. Book a demo to learn more!

The post Earth: Our Only Home appeared first on Building Stack.

Here are a few spring cleaning tips to help you get your building’s exterior and interior ready for sunny days without busting the budget.

Clear your desk

Before tackling your buildings, start small, by decluttering your own workspace. Once your taxes are done, it’s the perfect time to go through your big filing cabinet. You definitely do not want to throw away any important documents, but rid yourself of all those meaningless receipts and old, expired contracts. Remember to shred anything that contains sensitive information. 

If you end up with a lot of shredded paper, there are tons of ways to recycle and reuse it. You could donate the shreds to your local animal shelter, where the paper is used as bedding for the rescues. They can also be turned into mulch for the flowers and vegetables in your community gardens. You can even use them as packaging filling, instead of buying bubble wrap or styrofoam peanuts.

Get your tenants to help out

By getting your tenants involved, you can spruce up the building and its units much faster. Suggest a list of tasks your tenants can do in their apartment, such as checking appliances, verifying air conditioning units, and cleaning the windows. Let them know what you will be tidying up the common areas, and encourage them to reach out to management with any concern or issue regarding their unit.

Encouraging your tenants to clean up their units in time for spring serves a double purpose : with moving season approaching, it is a great way to make sure your units are nice and tidy in the busiest time for visits (even the virtual ones!).

Assess damages and repairs

Once tenants have informed you of the repairs and damages to be checked, take them on one at a time. Deal with the ones that have the highest priority, such as leaky pipes or damaged ceilings, then move on to minor issues like chipped paint or flooring repairs.

At this stage, your property management software is your best friend. In Building Stack, you can automatically assign maintenance requests to the right staff member, and tenants can grant you access to their units to facilitate the repairs.

Do a deep cleaning of your building

When you are starting to get the cleaning spirit, it is officially time to get your hands dirty! Our advice is to work from the inside out. Start by putting away your seasonal items, such as the winter carpets and shovels. Oh, and do your future self a favour: have the carpets cleaned before storing them, so they are ready to use at the first sight of snow next winter.

The smallest tasks are also the ones we forget the most. Replace burnt light bulbs, verify the expiration date on fire extinguishers, and check the batteries in your fire alarms. Afterwards, working on your building’s exterior appearance is a nice finishing touch that will attract future tenants or buyers. A simple pressure wash to remove grime will make a huge difference, and planting some flowers is sure to brighten your tenants’ day.

The last task of your spring cleaning is also the most rewarding one: take your barbecue out of storage and get ready to enjoy the warm season!

If your properties’ spring cleaning is giving you a headache, you might need a better way to manage your work orders and maintenance staff. Find out what Building Stack can do for you by booking a demo today!

The post Spring Cleaning Tips For Your Properties appeared first on Building Stack.

We have compiled some recommendations to ensure that your tenants and team are aware of any updates in your buildings.

For your tenants

• Put emergency policies in place. Update your building rules and emergency contacts, ensuring that your tenants can easily access the information from their tenant portal.
• Be transparent. Keep your tenants up-to-date about the evolving situation and let them know of any new measures you are putting in place. We suggest using Building Stack Tickets to quickly and effectively communicate any updates with your tenant base.
• Keep tenants up to date on the status of your facilities. Shared areas such as the gym, the pool, and the common rooms should have limited operating hours and capacity if not closed altogether.

For your team

• Centralize communication with your team. Despite the distance, you need to be available for your team. Over-communicate and ensure that everyone stays in the loop.
• Ensure that all your employees are equipped to work remotely. Verify that everyone has access to all of the tools that they need from home. Remember that Building Stack is available from any computer or mobile device. If you have any issues, contact support or visit our Help Center.

Rent payments

Building Stack’s online payment solution is included in all of our plans at no additional cost. If you currently do not have this feature enabled, we strongly encourage you to reconsider – our support team is available to walk you through the simple steps. Just write us at [email protected].

The current situation is evolving rapidly, and we are doing everything we can to keep your mind at ease during these stressful times.

The post COVID-19 – Important Update From Building Stack appeared first on Building Stack.

In honor of Women’s Day, happening on March 8th, we are taking the time to talk about some of the women who are not afraid to take on new challenges every day in the Building Stack office. Each in their own way, they help us providing our clients with better products and services. It is now their time to shine!

Kassandra Joseph, Client Success Associate

Kassandra prides herself in the happiness and success of all clients. Her main role is to help users learn about the platform and show them what it can do. As a student in Finance with a minor in Real Estate, she enjoys working in the property management software industry, as she feels it is fitting to her background and interests. In the customer support department, she finds that men and women are evenly represented. However, she realizes men are more on the technical side, whereas women are more on the social one.

Kassandra believes that celebrating Women’s Day is still important today. In developed countries, women are viewed as equal to men, but, in less developed countries, the strive for equality is still apparent. She would like to see more women in positions of power in our society. She thinks that in certain fields, women often hit a glass ceiling, and have a hard time penetrating this barrier. Someone who always inspired her and instilled success in her career is her mother. From a young age, she taught her that working hard and focusing on efforts rather than the outcome always pays off. 

Her message to women everywhere: Never let anyone, man or woman, tell you that you cannot do something. Prove them wrong, but do it for you.

Jessica Sullivan, Onboarding Specialist

Jessica’s day at Building Stack is never dull. From onboarding new customers to curating relationships with existing ones, she makes sure her customers are equipped to get the most out of our software. She has always enjoyed working with people, and believes her emotional intelligence is a strong asset when it comes to training employees, or helping customers navigate the software.

However, voicing her thoughts was not easy at first. Early in her career, a colleague advised her to speak up more. Giving her opinion about training and onboarding to senior employees, in a room mostly filled with men, made her uncomfortable. Despite the validity of her concerns, she felt that what she had to share was not important. After receiving the advice, she became more confident in sharing her point of view. Soon enough, the employees who once made her nervous started directing their questions to her personally, because she was now seen as an expert on the matter.

In light of Women’s Day and #EachForEqual, Jessica wants to remind men and women everywhere to support and encourage each other!

Rachel Yip, Software Project Coordinator

When Rachel was growing up, she heard the inspiring stories of Mary Jackson, Marie Curie and other great women in STEM industries, which encouraged her to pursue a career in Computer Science. In university, the lack of women in her classes was apparent. “At a young age, men are taught to fail, whereas women are taught perfection – however, science is just that, constant failure until a breakthrough” she says. At Building Stack, Rachel ensures that the product team runs fluidly and cohesively. She enjoys working with people, and has acquired the technical knowledge to help design the software and support a team. She loves this combination of critical thinking, problem solving and team coordination.

In the light of gender equality in her current workplace, she always felt treated as an equal and respected, especially in a management position. “I’ve never felt that there’s a strong misogynist vibe here; I’ve never really questioned how I dress, and I’m able to have an input. I feel like it’s a level playing field”. However, she knows that is not the case everywhere: “It’s really sad [since] women bring a really strong perspective to technology”, she says, “they are incredibly intelligent and have beautiful minds.”  She strongly believes that companies would actually benefit from letting more women share their unique perspective and ideas. 

Rachel hopes that one day, there may not be a need for gender exclusive holidays. Until then, she encourages women to be exposed to STEM, because even though it can be hard and discouraging the knowledge acquired is rewarding.

Jessica de Wilde, Head of People and Culture

Jessica’s passion for people is apparent in her dedication to make all employees feel at home. Early in her career, she was complimented on her emotional intelligence, which helped her succeed in the HR field. Since the workplace is where people spend most of their time, she pays attention to small things that make the team feel at ease. From finding the right talent for our team to ensuring they have the right tools to perform their job and celebrating work anniversaries, she has us covered. 

Living in a highly social world is not always easy. Even today in our society, women are still being scrutinized, and Jessica feels that raising awareness on the topic is necessary. Women have to prove themselves more than their male counterparts. For this reason, she believes that celebrating Women’s Day is still important in order to eliminate these biases. As a society, we should not call women too emotional when they are simply passionate about their work, or men workaholics when they show dedication. We should look at people as individuals instead of as groups.

Jessica wants to encourage women to stop competing against other women in their workplace, and support them instead.

Thanks to all of you, and to all the extraordinary women who work at Building Stack!

The post The Women of Building Stack appeared first on Building Stack.

Unfortunately, the housing shortage makes tenants like you the ideal target for apartment listing fraud. Scammers use a wide range of techniques to lure apartment hunters into sending them payments for units that sometimes don’t even exist.

In order to protect yourself against rental fraud, you need to recognize the signs. Read our tips below to stop scammers in their tracks before they get you.

In the listing

Fraudulent apartment listings look like any other ad at first glance, but if you examine them closely, you may notice a few anomalies. This doesn’t mean that you should do a thorough check of every single ad you see, but be careful before you send a message through an ad.

Images

First, look at the pictures. Do the rooms look like they fit together? Are you having a hard time figuring out the layout of the place? Scammers can create fake listings with random images they found online. Mismatched windows, door frames and floorings can be a sign that the pictures actually come from different units. You can also do a reverse image search to find the source of those pictures. The more results you get, the more likely it is that the image was stolen off the Internet.

These photos have a similar appearance at first sight, but if you look closely, you will notice that the window frames are different and that the floor colours do not match. (Image source: Pinterest)

As for listings that do not have any images, proceed with caution. While it is possible that the landlord was simply in a hurry, it could be a sign that they are trying to hide something.

Location

Next, if you have the address, find the unit’s location on a map such as Google Street view. Once again, check if the building’s appearance fits with the images and the description in the listing. Compare the view from the windows to the surroundings on the map, and make sure the floor number is accurate.

Verify that the picture from the listing (top) shows the house found on a map at the given address. (Image sources: Kijiji, Google Maps)

While you’re looking up the address, see if you can find other listings for the same apartment. Another common technique among fraudsters is to copy the content of an existing ad, and offer a lower price. Then, they ask interested renters for a deposit, schedule a visit and never show up, leaving confused visitors at the doorstep of the current occupant.

Property management companies

The name and logo of a property management company is usually a sign that a listing is legitimate. These ads present more complete information about the unit and building amenities. Those created by Building Stack’s automated listing solution will contain the mention “Powered by Building Stack”.

Look for this logo in listings published by Building Stack users.

However, scammers might try to impersonate organizations to gain your trust. Don’t hesitate to visit the website of the company and verify that the unit is really available. Perform an online research instead of following the link in the ad; fake listings may contain links to fraudulent, malicious websites.

First contact

When you find an interesting unit, you have to hurry up and schedule a visit before someone else does. Be that as it may, remember that online transactions with strangers come with risks. Watch out for the following suspicious behaviours in your online interactions with the landlord:

• Generic, impersonal messages that don’t contain any specific information such as your name or the apartment’s address
• Long, convoluted stories explaining why the landlord is unavailable or out of town
• Solicitation of your current address or other personal information
• Pushy requests for a payment or deposit

Can you spot all the red flags in this message?

The most important thing to remember: never send out money for an apartment that you have not seen. Most of all, do not send a payment to a stranger through a money transfer service, because it is particularly difficult to trace back the money once it has been sent. 

Scammers often say that demand is high and that you need to pay a deposit to confirm your visit appointment. Stand your ground. Get that visit before you send any money. If you live far away, have someone you know visit the unit for you, or ask for a virtual tour via live video call.

You should also be suspicious if a landlord is a little too eager. If they promise to rent the unit to you without any background check or reference, something fishy might be going on. Why aren’t they vetting the person who will pay them rent for the next year? After all, you are a stranger to them as well, and they should be as cautious as you are.

Before you sign

If a listing made it this far without raising any red flag, you have done everything you can to mitigate the risks. Congratulations! You have now reached the final, crucial step of lease signature.

There are two things you should do before signing. First, make sure there actually is a lease to sign. Ask for a written agreement, and read it carefully. Confirm that it includes everything you and your future landlord agreed on. In case of a dispute, the lease will be used as a basis to settle the disagreement.

Then, check the law in your province, especially for anything related to payments. Security deposits are subject to limitations, and landlords are not always allowed to ask for advance rent payments. Knowing your rights as a tenant is the best way to avoid fraud.

If you spot a suspicious listing, or if you think you have been a victim of fraud, do not hesitate to report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

The post Fraudulent Listings: How to Spot the Red Flags appeared first on Building Stack.

Back then, Jonathan was learning the ropes of property management, both inside and outside of his family’s business, managing around 2,000 units in the Montreal area. Growing up surrounded by real estate professionals and investors gave him the opportunity to learn from some of the biggest names in the industry. 

Looking for something better

As he was gaining more experience of the property management business, Jonathan was telling his friend Pablo about his frustrations with the industry, mainly how existing tools and software were not helping managers and tenants enough.

Pablo, a trained electrical engineer, was working as a consultant at the time, mostly for companies that developed electronics, industrial equipment and medical equipment. Needless to say, his friend’s comments about the untapped potential of proper technology in the real estate sector did not fall on deaf ears.

The pair started brainstorming. What if they could combine their strengths and find a way to bring the real estate industry into the modern era?

From hardware to software

Their first idea was to engineer a home automation solution designed for rental apartment units. They thought it would be a great way for landlords to improve their offering while increasing tenant satisfaction. However, after tinkering inside Jonathan’s apartment at the time to create a prototype, they realized that this project required too many resources and man-hours to be profitable.

Next, they started thinking about software solutions. Jonathan knew that property managers were looking for a better way to communicate with their tenants, and Pablo knew how to make it happen. This is when they started laying the groundwork for Building Stack.

Initially focusing on the Communication and Online payment modules, Jonathan and Pablo put themselves in the tenant’s shoes, looking for ways to improve the renting experience for all parties involved. They kept thinking up new features and creative processes that would simplify the daily tasks of property managers, until they had created the software we all know and love today. 

Building Stack’s co-founders, Jonathan Margel (left) and Pablo Menghini (right).

Building a business

The co-founders agree that their complementary personalities played a huge role in making Building Stack. “I know the ins and outs of property management, what it lacks, what it needs. And Pablo is amazing at creating solutions,” explains Jonathan. “Over the years, one of us has always managed to help the other one figure out the best decision.”

But the road to success was not always smooth. Without a doubt, putting a team together has been the pair’s biggest challenge. “When you run a business, you have to attract talent and develop it, build a company culture, and lead a team that is evolving every day. It is very humbling,” says Pablo.

10 years later, Building Stack is still expanding, revolutionizing the proptech industry and offering their solutions to property managers all across Canada. The co-founders believe they stayed true to their vision, but have learned to adapt the product to its ever-changing environment. “Now, property managers have to be experts at marketing, finance, communications and social media,” says Pablo. “Helping them with all those things, is what it means to be customer-centric in 2019.”

From their Westmount office, the Building Stack team is hard at work, developing innovative features that will open new markets for them. The company has been enjoying expanding its reach from coast to coast over the past year, and planning expansion into the US market in 2020. “We want to keep growing, perfecting our platform and continue to establish partnerships and integrations with leading software companies,” Jonathan says. “Our goal will always be to offer the most complete solution to our users, at every step of the tenant cycle.”

The post Building Stack’s Origin Story appeared first on Building Stack.

The post A Review of 2019 by Building Stack appeared first on Building Stack.

In Canada, 20% of homeless people are aged between 13 and 24. That’s almost 40,000 young people across the country who are struggling to find a safe place to live. Organizations like Centraide, Dans La Rue and Youth Without Shelter work tirelessly to provide services to those in need, but their efforts rely greatly on the community’s support and donations.

Thanks to the property managers and tenants who used Building Stack’s online payment portal, as well as a generous contribution from Paysafe, our payment partner, we have raised a total of $6,400 over the course of the campaign. All the proceeds were donated to Centraide, Dans La Rue and Youth Without Shelter.

During the Rent It Forward campaign, tenants were invited to try Building Stack’s online payment solution while contributing to a good cause.

“This was our very first charity campaign, and we are delighted with the results,” says Jonathan Margel, co-founder and CEO of Building Stack. “Some partners and property managers also agreed to contribute to our efforts. Youth homelessness is a serious issue, especially here in Canada, where winters are unforgiving. Our charity partners are doing exceptional work and we are proud to support them.”

Margel hopes that Building Stack’s initiative helped raise awareness about the issue of youth homelessness among real estate professionals in Canada. “The Rent It Forward campaign might be over, but there are still young people in the streets who need our help,” he says. “It’s never too late to contribute to the cause!”

Learn more about Centraide, Dans La Rue and Youth Without Shelter, and join Building Stack in the fight against youth homelessness!

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