Online agent

[alplant]

We have a new REA who took over the old one's business when they closed down. They are part of this Online Agent thingee. Has anybody on here had experience with it?

It gives you up to the minute (almost) information on where your properties stand at any given time, lists when inspections and leases are due and shows any arrears in dollars and days. We noticed arrears on the website and rang our PM immediately to check things out and found that she wasn't aware of the website, though she was aware of the arrears and was doing all the right things, issuing the relative notices etc.

Anyway, obviously it isn't her who updates it, as she wasn't even aware of it. I was wondering how accurate it is and how it works if it isn't the PM updating it.

 

[ErikTyler]

Online Agent is a part of the Console package (which is one of the main property management software systems)

Online Agent basically takes a snapshot of the current state of the rent roll, and uploads it to the web. This needs to be manually uploaded by the property manager.

If this is done daily, it's very accurate - if not, then there's obviously going to be a difference in the real time vs. online agent info.

Online Agent also allows tenants to book maintenance, which is then submitted to the agent.

It's a very good tool, if used correctly by the agency.

For example, it's cut my agencies response time to maintenance by almost 50%.


Erik Tyler - Managing Director, LIVEin Real Estate - www.livein.net.au

 

[alplant]

Thanks for that information Erik. Obviously someone other than the PM was updating it for our REA, I thought it was a great idea, but now they appear to have shut it down. I can still log in but I get a message saying no accounts found. I wonder if that is because they were inundated with queries about rental arrears? In the normal course of events we wouldn't know about arrears until we get our end of month statement but this website gives you day to day information and the very first day a tenant is in arrears it tells you so. That part of it appears to be automatic because I noticed it hadn't been updated by the REA over the weekend but the days in arrears still ticked over. I guess that could upset the tenant if they have paid and the PM hasn't got around to updating the data.

I haven't bothered to ring to find out why it is happening. I figure we never had it before so won't miss it now if they decide they were giving us too much information.

 

[Burbs]

Online Agent is a part of the Console package (which is one of the main property management software systems)

Hi Erik. Good to hear from a fellow Console user. I agree with your comments re Online Agent, it is a great tool. Our owners really appreciate the instant access to information. We are currently trialling Gateway Live (Beta) - the upgrade from Gateway 2007. The barcode scanning feature is excellent. Regards, Burbs

 

[alplant]

I just thought I would update this because we tend not to bother posting with the good stuff. Maybe we should do it more.

That website is up and running again it was just a computer glitch. I ended up ringing the REA and it turned out they didn't realise it was happening because it all looked ok at their end, but they got to the bottom of it quickly and fixed it. Can't ask for better than that. Just goes to show, my assumption that they had shut it down was incorrect, and one shouldn't assume because ... well you get the picture.