MRI Software

Short answer: the “best” depends on what you own/manage

If you mean big apartment/multifamily property managers, the brands people actually run into most are Greystar, Asset Living, Willow Bridge, RPM Living, Cushman & Wakefield, Avenue5, Bozzuto, WinnCompanies, and ZRS. If you mean software, the most-used names are Yardi, AppFolio, RealPage/OneSite, MRI, Entrata, Buildium, and Rent Manager.

Best property management companies by use case

Best property management software people actually use

My practical recommendations

• If you own a large apartment portfolio: start with Greystar, Asset Living, Willow Bridge, RPM Living, Avenue5, Bozzuto, and Cushman & Wakefield.
• If you own 1–50 single-family rentals: interview local NARPM-style managers first, then compare them against Real Property Management, PURE HomeRiver, Evernest, Darwin Homes, or Renters Warehouse/Renosy if they serve your market.
• If you manage an HOA/condo board: compare FirstService Residential, Associa, and RealManage, but insist on meeting the actual community manager who would handle your account.
• If you need software, not a manager: choose AppFolio for a growing residential PM business, Yardi for larger/complex portfolios, Buildium for smaller/simple portfolios, Entrata for multifamily leasing/resident operations, and Rent Manager for flexible/mixed portfolios.

Important caveat: national brand ≠ good local experience. With property management, the local office, assigned manager, maintenance vendor network, response times, fee schedule, and accounting controls matter more than the logo. For any company, ask for three local references, average manager workload, maintenance markup, leasing fee, renewal fee, eviction process, owner-reporting samples, and termination terms before signing.

The "best" property management companies or software in the US depend heavily on your portfolio size (e.g., large multifamily apartments vs. single-family rentals or small portfolios), location, and needs like scale, reputation, or tech features. Large institutional players dominate multifamily rankings by units managed, while smaller or specialized firms (often using modern software) handle single-family rentals (SFR) and smaller residential properties. Software platforms are widely used by both property management firms and individual landlords.

Rankings come from sources like NMHC, Multi-Housing News, self-reported data (e.g., Peter Lohmann's SFR lists), G2/Capterra reviews, and market share analyses. Popularity reflects actual usage via unit counts, customer numbers, and adoption in reviews.

Top Property Management Companies (Firms)

These firms manage properties on behalf of owners. For large multifamily portfolios (thousands of units, often institutional):

• Greystar — Consistently ranks #1, managing over 1 million units across thousands of communities (far larger than competitors). Strong global presence and high occupancy rates.
• Asset Living — Typically #2, with 289,000–446,000+ units; notable recent growth through acquisitions.
• RPM Living — Frequently #3, with ~226,000–241,000 units and strong growth.
• Other notables: Willow Bridge Property Co., Cushman & Wakefield, FPI Management, Avenue5 Residential, and BH Management Services.

For reputation/ resident satisfaction (based on online reviews and ORA scores among larger managers): Hawthorne Residential Partners often leads, followed by firms like Bozzuto.

For SFR and smaller residential portfolios (more relevant for individual owners with a handful of homes):

• Leaders include HomeRiver Group, Evernest, Darwin Homes, Renters Warehouse (Renosy), On Q Property Management, and others like Northpoint or Atlas Real Estate. These often manage hundreds to low thousands of "doors" (units).

Many top SFR firms use software like AppFolio or Propertyware. Note that the largest multifamily firms focus on big institutional clients, while SFR specialists cater more to individual investors.

Top Software/Platforms (Brands/Products People Actually Use)

These are the tools property managers and landlords rely on for leasing, accounting, maintenance, tenant portals, etc. Usage is measured by units managed, customer counts, and review volume:

• Yardi (including Voyager, Breeze, etc.) — One of the most widely adopted, especially for larger or enterprise portfolios. High unit counts (~15 million) and strong presence across residential and commercial.
• AppFolio — Extremely popular for mid-market and growing portfolios (including many SFR firms). Modern interface, strong reviews (often 4.5+ on G2/Capterra), and frequent adoption in residential management.
• RealPage (including On-Site) — Significant market share, used across many large portfolios, though it has faced antitrust scrutiny.
• Entrata — Growing fast for multifamily operators; solid all-in-one platform with good ratings.
• Buildium (now under RealPage) — Favored by smaller to mid-size managers and associations; user-friendly with transparent pricing.
• Others gaining traction: DoorLoop (AI-focused, high ratings for smaller/mid-size), Rent Manager, ResMan, and MRI Software (high unit counts overall).

Highly rated options on review sites (G2/Capterra) often include AppFolio, DoorLoop, Entrata, Buildium, and Yardi Breeze for ease of use, features, and support.

Quick Recommendations by Use Case

• Large multifamily/institutional: Greystar, Asset Living, or RPM Living for management; Yardi or Entrata/RealPage for software.
• SFR or small–mid residential portfolios: Local/regional firms like Evernest or Darwin Homes; AppFolio or Buildium/DoorLoop for software.
• DIY landlords or very small portfolios: Buildium, DoorLoop, or AppFolio (many have per-unit or monthly pricing starting affordably).
• Always check local availability, get quotes/demos, review recent resident feedback, and consider factors like integration with accounting tools, mobile apps, and compliance (e.g., Fair Housing).

Rankings evolve yearly with growth and acquisitions, so verify current details for your market. For personalized advice, consult local real estate associations or review sites.