When exploring Hemlane reviews across the internet, it’s clear that this property management software offers a high level of customer service and many useful features. But will it fit your needs as a busy property manager?
In this guide, we’ll dive deep into the features Hemlane offers, how these tools can help landlords and tenants experience the smoothest possible renting situation, and how it stacks up when put to the test.
Read on for a detailed Hemlane review.
Key Insights
- Hemlane is a property management platform that offers landlords tenant, lease, and maintenance tracking as well as online rent collection.
- While Hemlane offers a free plan, most of Hemlane’s more impressive features are locked behind a steep model that could be expensive for landlords with many properties.
- Hemlane reviews praise some aspects of the platform; however, many note that some of the paid features aren’t as robust as they’d like and don’t meet their needs.
Understanding Hemlane
Hemlane was founded by Dana Dunford and Frank Liu; they sought to build a property management solution to help both tenants and landlords in their rental journeys. Their goal was to demystify as much of the rental experience as they could, building a full suite of software to assist every step of the way.
The platform offers many features that landlords have come to expect from a property management platform, including tenant screening, tenant and lease tracking, financial management and reporting, maintenance tracking, and online rent collection.
However, unlike many other offerings in the space, Hemlane can connect property owners with local real estate agents to schedule showings, assist in tenant placements, and serve as on-the-ground support for inspections and other maintenance needs.
User Interface and Experience
Hemlane’s user interface is fairly simple and less attractive than other property management platforms currently in the marketplace. Once logged in, the dashboard provides an overview of the number of applicants (both approved and in progress), as well as a general financial overview. It does not appear that these widgets are interchangeable or customizable.
The left navigation menu allows quick access to the included features, like a financial section, tenant list, and maintenance. There is also a “Tasks” tab that provides helpful reminders for the next steps at each stage of the tenant journey. However, it does not appear that customized tasks can be added by the landlord for future reference.
Key Hemlane Features
When evaluating property management software, it’s important to fully review the feature set and the cost to access those features. In this section, we’ll review some of the most sought-after tools that landlords look for to see if Hemlane offers feature parity.
Feature 1: Tenant and Lease Tracking
Tenant tracking on the platform is available at all tier levels, and it provides the information you’d expect, such as rent and lease status, security deposit information, and details on late fees and total amounts.
However, the more comprehensive lease tracking feature, which allows landlords to view all leases in one place, is relegated to the more expensive tiers. Additionally, access to state-specific lease templates is only accessible to users paying for the two most expensive tiers.
Feature 2: Financial Management and Reporting
The financial management and reporting system within Hemlane at all price tiers is relatively straightforward. Landlords can view the status of rent payments, collect rent from tenants (unavaible in the free tier), and connect a bank account to transfer funds.
However, compared to many other property management solutions, Hemlane doesn’t have a full suite of financial tools and reporting that helps landlords keep track of and comprehensively manage their investments.
Feature 3: Maintenance and Repair Management
Hemlane features a maintenance and repair management system available to subscribers of the Basic tier and above.
The Basic tier allows you and your tenants to report maintenance issues or repair requests, assign the requests to vendors (or an on-site handyman), and track these requests. Upgrading to the Essential tier adds a “Repair Coordination” feature that includes scheduling with tenants, 24/7 emergency support, and the ability to create work orders.
In the Complete tier, landlords gain access to a full list of service providers in local areas and a local listing agent who can be on-site if you’re managing a property remotely.
Pricing
Hemlane offers multiple pricing packages, including a free option and a 14-day trial for their three paid tiers.
The free option syndicates open listings to four listing sites (Zillow, Trulia, Hotpads, and Zumper), provides application and tenant screening (with the cost of the screening report paid by the applicant), and basic rental property accounting.
Hemlane’s paid tiers have a somewhat complicated and expensive fee structure.
- Basic: $30/month for one unit ($2 per unit + $28 base fee)
- The Basic plan adds lease tracking and management, online rent payment, and maintenance and repair tracking on top of the features included in the Free plan.
- Essential: $48/month for one unit ($20 per unit + $28 base fee)
- The Essential plan includes everything from the Basic plan but adds state-specific leases and repair coordination as an add-on feature to the maintenance tracking feature
- Complete: $96/month for one unit ($68 per unit + $28 base fee)
- The Complete plan offers everything included in the Basic and Essential tiers, including an additional level of repair coordination, which unlocks invoicing and direct vendor payment through the platform, access to a network of service professionals, a local leasing agent to show properties, and a tenant communication system.
- Add-ons: Hemlane offers a few add-on services to their offerings, as well:
- For $595 or $995, Hemlane will handle the entire process of finding, screening, showing, and placing a tenant. The more expensive version of this service includes a property inspection, minor repairs, deep cleaning, and some painting.
- Pre-eviction support is available for a one-time fee of $475 per specific case. Hemlane will mediate with the tenant to solve the problem or help connect the landlord with legal services to initiate the eviction process. For an additional $4.75 per unit, Hemlane also offers “Rent Defense,” which prompts Hemlane agents to mediate between landlords and tenants and assists tenants in actionable plans to pay back rent and continue paying rent on time.
This pricing model places Hemlane among the most expensive of any property management software out there and keeps critical features that are automatically included at much lower price points on other platforms exclusive to the more expensive tiers.
Additionally, landlords with multiple properties might find this platform financially difficult to engage with because of the increased cost per unit.
User Reviews
Many Hemlane reviews across multiple review sites skew favorably. However, some users are critical of the pricing structure, as it is not a cost-effective solution if you’re a landlord who manages multiple properties. Additionally, no mobile Hemlane app is available to landlords or tenants, which has become a standard feature for most property management software solutions.
Hemlane customer service tends to be one area that many people praise; however, one review from a Reddit user praised their professional service but was critical of their maintenance system and partnerships and that many features, even in the top pricing tier, fail to live up to expectations.
Hemlane vs. TurboTenant
The biggest thing that stands out in many Hemlane reviews is the service’s overall cost compared to the features you receive in return. Even at the Basic level, the cost can balloon quickly for landlords with multiple properties.
To access the full collection of features, you’ll need to pay nearly $70 extra for every unit you manage. Additionally, Hemlane rent collection is only available for paying customers, which is likely frustrating for landlords looking for cost-effective rent collection solutions.
On the other hand, TurboTenant offers many of the features that Hemlane does, but for free or at a fraction of Hemlane’s cost.
For instance, TurboTenant’s free tier covers unlimited units, online rent payments, maintenance tracking, and property listings to dozens of popular online listing platforms.
Upgrading to the Premium tier costs less per year than managing two units with Hemlane Complete per month. The upgraded tier adds state-specific lease agreements, income verification, e-signatures, and lower screening fees. TurboTenant also has a mobile app for landlords and tenants to make tracking properties and communicating with tenants simple.
Why Choose TurboTenant
Between Hemlane property management reviews and their pricing structure, many landlords may find themselves looking for a more cost-effective solution.
TurboTenant has become a trusted choice for over 650,000 landlords across the country, who have grown to love and appreciate the platform for its ease of use, full feature set, and fast and efficient customer support. The platform features online rent payments, legally reviewed rental lease agreements for all 50 states, and unlimited connected bank accounts to help keep everything organized.
It’s easy to see why so many landlords and tenants love TurboTenant, so sign up for a free account today!