Property management software has come a long way. What was once only available for large landlords and sophisticated property managers is now available to real estate investors with as little as a single unit under management. And what’s more, these tools are easier to use and less expensive than ever before. When it comes to the software and tools available, it’s good to be a landlord. In fact, there are even free property management software platforms out there that do not compromise when it comes to features.

Ironically, the revolution in property management software has resulted in one unfortunate side effect: too many choices. If you’re unfamiliar with the space, it can be overwhelming to determine which property management software is the best choice for you. To help you make that decision, we’ve identified the seven core features to look for in property management software. Hopefully this guide helps you determine which software is the right choice for you!

Tenant Screening Services

Great renters are worth their weight in gold, and the best way to identify great renter’s is through thorough tenant screening. As a successful landlord, you likely already know that, but what you may not know is how property management software can help.

A good program will integrate screening tools directly, offering you access to credit, criminal, and eviction histories when needed. A great program, however, will also help you manage these potential applicants. That includes collecting custom data (like the breed, weight, and age of their dog) and managing the status of various applicants. Some even allow applicants to upload additional forms as a part of their application – a great way to acquire bank statements or pay stubs. 

Digital Document Signing

After a tenant is screened, it’s time to sign a lease agreement. This is the last step in legally binding the renter (and their potential income) to your property, so it is not something you want to delay. Property management software fortunately can help here too.

Many renter management software providers include some form of online signing. Look for programs that also allow you to create re-usable templates. And the best programs expand beyond just leases into other document types, enabling you to quickly and easily sign parking addenda, pet agreements, and any other document you can think of.

Online Rent Collection

Perhaps the most requested feature of any property management software, online rent collection will save you far and away the most time. First of all, it’s a feature that your tenants want. According to the National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC) nearly 80% of tenants prefer to pay their rent (and other rent related bills) online.

If making your tenants’ lives easier isn’t reason enough, it’s also a huge benefit to you. Between automated reminders and automated payments, you’ll have far fewer tenants forgetting to pay rent. What’s more, you’ll spend less time chasing down and delivering a pile of checks to the bank.

Automated Late Fees

Tracking down late payments and enforcing late fees is one of the most annoying and time-consuming responsibilities a landlord has. And because of this, it often gets left to the wayside. Too often, landlords chase down a late payment only to give up on enforcing the late fee, but property management software can change this. Off-boarding your rental collection to a faceless computer program means your tenants have a harder time wriggling out of their responsibilities.

What’s more, the rental management software you choose should prevent tenants from paying future month’s rent until their prior month and all late fees have been paid. Also ensure that you can implement the late fees according to your lease, whether that means you charge a flat fee, a percentage fee, a repeating fee, or some combination of them all.

Maintenance and Work Order Management

While tenant management software can’t fix a leaky faucet, it can help you track, respond, and manage the process of fixing it, and that is highly valuable in it’s own right. Ensure that it’s easy for your tenants to report issues when they arise and easy for you to comment on and assign those tickets as needed. You should be able to upload pictures, video, and add descriptions and notes.

Rental Advertising Tools

When it’s time to find new renters, property management software can help there too. Many tools these days offer the ability to syndicate your available listings to a variety of websites across the internet. Be sure that the major players in your area are covered. Usually that means Realtor, Apartments.com, and possibly Zillow. Keep in mind that Zillow is now charging for the time you advertise your rental, so you may look to cut them out of your rotation.

It should be easy to add a listing and remove it, make edits, and add pictures and videos. 

Mobile App

These days, most of your management will occur while your out of the office or away from your home. For that reason, it’s more important than ever to find management software that also offers a mobile app. Managing on the go allows you to access all the great features above whenever you need them.

Look for an app that is simple to use but also feature packed. Keep an eye out for programs that offer a vastly different (namely, inferior) mobile app experience.

Conclusion

Above are just some of the features you should look for in a property management software. There are plenty of other ways it can improve your business and your life as a real estate investor. Our best guidance is to do some research and try out various platforms. Plenty of programs offer free trials and some even remain free all the time. The bottom line, however, is that property management software can really help!

There’s no other river in the world that’s as long, or as interesting as, the Nile. The sights that one will see while sailing down this incredible waterway will remain with them forever, from the Great Pyramids of Gîza to Cairo’s ancient settlements. It’s truly a cruise back in history to a time when life was still primitive and the Egyptians ruled all that they could see.

With that being said, there are some things to know before booking a Nile cruise. Questions such as ‘how long will it take?’ and ‘what will passengers see?’ are two of the most commonly asked, but there are so many more to answer before booking a trip.

What Can One Expect To See When Cruising Down The Nile?

It seems that there’s no shortage of sights when it comes to visiting Egypt, in general, but since this river runs through more than one city, there is an overwhelming number of interest points. Examples of stops along the way on any given itinerary might include:

• Cairo. For most, this ancient city will be the first stop. This is also where the most famous pyramids in all of Egypt are found, those of Gîza, AKA the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the World.

• Luxor. Unfortunately, cruises from Cairo to Luxor only travel high-water points during the year, and many boats halted travel during the 1990s. However, some itineraries do include this stop and if they don’t, it’s always possible to take a day tour there from Dendara. Luxor was once home to great pharaohs such as Tutankhamun and Ramses II and is currently home to a wide array of ancient artifacts and monuments.

• Aswân. Arguably one of the most scenic stretches of the Nile, Aswân features unique rock formations along the river that give it a unique landscape compared to the rest of this waterway. This is a major point of interest for Nile cruises and visitors will likely have the chance to explore for at least one day off the boat, seeing things such as the Temple of Isis, the High Dam, and the Unfinished Obelisk.

How Long Does It Take To Cruise The Nile River?

Despite the fact that it is the longest river in the world, the Nile doesn’t take that long to sail, at least not with today’s itineraries. Passengers will be looking at a trip length that doesn’t go much beyond that of any Caribbean cruise, with the exception of days added for any side-trips or added excursions.

• Boats cover distances very quickly on the Nile
• The average sailing time is about four hours per day.

When Should You Go And In Which City Should You Depart?

Choosing when to cruise the Nile is a bit of a catch-22. There’s a good time and a better time, both of which come with their own pricing options that can fit into one’s budget. For those who choose to cruise during the hottest time of the year – between June and August – temperatures well into the 90s and 100s are to be expected.

The trade-off during this time is that cruise tickets are often the cheapest. Alternatively, the winter months between December and March are at the height of Egypt’s tourist season, thus resulting in the most expensive cruise tickets. Those choosing to go between the spring and fall months can look forward to temperatures that are tolerable, mid-range pricing, and enough daylight to see most historic locations.

Season Recap

• Most Affordable: Between June and August
• Best Weather: Between December and March
• Fewer Tourists: Between September to November / April and May

The unique thing about Nile cruises is that they can depart from various ports along the river, depending on the length and itinerary passengers wish to see. Of these ports, two cities are the most popular for departure: Luxor and Aswân.

Also you can book Nile cruise from Cairo with Luxor and Aswan Travel.

Benefits Of Each Port Of Departure

Luxor: Passengers will likely have an extra day added to their itineraries if they leave out of Luxor. The reason behind this is that the current is much stronger in this part of the Nile, so the time it takes to power through its waters is slightly longer.

Aswan: This is the more popular choice for passengers on the Nile. The trip from Aswân is shorter as captains are not fighting the current, which means it’s more affordable without having to stay the extra day.

Internships are not mandatory, and many youths still believe that it is good only for people who would be associated with some specific industry. Hence, there are tons of myths about interning that we still think of as facts. For example, it is not just for people of one specific field, science and arts students can get very good internship opportunities if they look real hard. Several websites offer internships for arts and science jobs. Let’s bust a few more myths regarding internships!

Volunteering Or Unpaid Positions Are Not Worth It

We have the common misconception that if it is not a paid position you are not supposed to take your job seriously. But remember that it is conceived by us. Companies do not think likewise. Paid or unpaid, work is work! And when you are working with other professionals you are learning something new every day. Many NGO have unpaid internships, as they cannot afford to pay everyone because of their low budget. But if you work for them, you will end up learning a lot. Remember, paid or unpaid, companies and organizations will always present you with a work experience certificate which will add to your resume and give you something to talk about when you go for your first real job interview.

Interning Is A Casual Job Position

This is probably believed by most people, which is the reason they don’t take interning seriously. And, that might be the biggest career mistake you can ever make. If you think intern is a casual position, you will behave in any way you want. You might come to the office late, you might not dress professionally, or you might use your phone and check social media during work hours – if you think being an intern you can do any of these, then you are very wrong! When you start as an intern, you need to behave like a professional and follow the code of conduct at the office.

Internships Always Lead To A Full-Time Job

Being an intern at a company doesn’t mean they will hire you for sure. Internships do lead to permanent job positions but there is no guarantee. It depends on several factors that include the kind of vacancy available at the company at that time and the quality of work done by you as an intern. You can use the skills and capabilities learned during the internship and leverage the experience certificate given by one company and get a lucrative offer from another.

 One Should Intern Only With Known Companies

When the world is abuzz with various kinds of startups, it is wrong to assume that interning for established companies only is good. On the contrary, working for small companies means that you can learn more. Small companies have a friendlier culture that will help you adapt to professional life easily as well.

Internships can be a great learning experience which can be fun too. Make the most of it and pave your path for achieving your goals.

Among the most interesting places on earth that fits the best family vacation is the glorious land of Pharaohs since it has it all from majestic monuments, spectacular nature, all types of incredible entertainment and everything else that amaze anyone from a child to an elder. All travelers from all around the world are so welcomed to enjoy the incredible beauty of Egypt especially the young ones who wait their vacation to get the chance to pay a visit with their families and friends to Egypt to see the amazing beauty of the treasures there which they spend the whole year studying and reading about.

Egypt tour packages is your ideal choice for enjoying an impressive Egypt family holiday package. Everything in Egypt is really huge and breathtaking and there is no place in Egypt that is disappointing or doesn’t deserve to be visited. On the contrary, you will enjoy every single moment of your vacation with your family while touring around the massive temples, incredible tombs, majestic historical sightseeing, totally magical museums, breathtaking gorgeous nature, and while doing unforgettable activities with others as Egypt has it all. If you have children with you, they won’t get bored at all and they will find lots of things to share with you. The majority of 5* hotels, Nile Cruises; domestic flights are good value for money which makes it much easier to enjoy a vacation with the whole of your family. It is going to be an exotic & exciting holiday in Egypt.

There are lots of thing to see and to do in the majestic land of Pharaohs and the most important thing is that the whole tourist spots in Egypt are impressive, safe, and offer the greatest lifetime adventure especially because children usually get bored after spending some time in one place and if you have taken the decision to travel to Egypt with your kids & family to spend your Egypt vacation, It is going to be the best decision ever you make especially if you have children at young ages and it is going to be your responsibility to promote their awareness and broaden their knowledge about the whole world and to be more specific, the countries that are known with their amazing history, taking the highest security measures, and offer all means of comfort and entertainment and you will find Egypt on the top list where your children will learn a lot about the Egyptian customs & traditions and how the ancients have managed to establish such an unparalleled civilization out of nothing and succeeded in letting it be one of its kind.

Best Places to Visit in Egypt

When it comes to arranging a tour with your family, you will think a lot about what will let them get happy, thrilled, and have something to remember for the whole of their life especially that there are hundreds of things to do. Here is your travel guide on the must-be visited sites in Egypt and feel free to choose the most interesting destinations for you & your family while planning your Egypt tours.

Enjoy the Perfect Tour Towards Giza Pyramids & Old Cairo

Giza Pyramids Complex is the most interesting and impressive site all over the world for kids, children, adults, teenagers, elders, and everyone because of the majestic size of the Pyramids and all that mysteries that revolve around the construction of such a wonder of the ancient world. You will spend with your family there some wonderful time and for extra excitement, you can head to Cairo, the capital of Egypt and the site where there are some of the most impressive historical & religious sightseeing just like the hypnotic Egyptian Museum, the glorious Saladin Citadel, Mohamed Ali Mosque, the Hanging Church, Ben Ezra Synagogue, Amr Ibn El-As Mosque, Mosque of Ibn Tulun, St. Virgin Mary Church, Khan El-khalili Bazaar, and so other magnificent attractions that you can include in your tour itinerary while being in Cairo and it mainly depends on the number of days you have to spend.

Kindly also notice that the Egyptian government is about to open the “Grand Egyptian Museum” which is going to be the greatest museum to be ever built by a man so can you imagine how much your children are going to enjoy while being in such a magical site!!

Relax as Never Before in The Red Sea

Playing on the beach or having a snorkeling excursion is maybe the most desirable wish any child may have to spend a wonderful vacation. Egypt has the most fascinating coastal cities on the Red Sea that offer the best types of services and the most relaxing accommodation. You can sit relaxed on the beach with your wife watching your children playing in front of you and you can get a marvelous banana boat ride on the sea.

If you want to explore the most magical types of fish & coral reefs, you will find in Hurghada, Sharm El-Sheikh, and Marsa Alam what exactly you are looking for with the most reasonable prices and the best well-organized tours.

Head Towards Upper Egypt on the Board of A Nile Cruise

For an unforgettable historical tour with your family, there are two charming Egyptian cities that lie in Upper Egypt and you can choose either to have an overland tour between them or to choose the other favorable choice which is boarding a Nile River Cruise and we highly recommend the second option as it fits families more and allow you to experience what you have never experienced before. It is going to be something similar to going with the flow and since Egypt is the gift of the Nile, you will be able to see the other fabulous face of Egypt through visiting Karnak & Luxor Temples, Valley of the Kings, and Hatshepsut Temple in Luxor plus heading on the same Nile cruise vacation towards Aswan’s exquisite sightseeing including The High Dam, Philae Temple, the Unfinished Obelisk, Abu Simbel Temples, and lots of other incomparable sightseeing that you won’t find anywhere except in Egypt.

Necessary Procedures to Be Considered While Arranging  A Family Tour in Egypt

1. Check with the members of your family who are going to share the experience with you about what they want to see or visit so that you try to satisfy everyone and leave them happy since Egypt has it all from the wonderful things you can have while being there.
2. Check the weather in Egypt before your arrival to arrange your clothes and the items you should back with you accordingly since weather in Egypt differs from a season to another and you should also read more about the weather on each season to choose which season best fits your requirements.
3. Choose a good travel agency and this point is really important and necessary for the safety of your children and your family since your agency will be the one responsible for your bookings and you won’t be able to feel relaxed and happy unless all elements of your bookings were perfectly arranged just like what you have requested.
4. If you have young children, ask from your travel agency to book hotels for you that have views and offer some entertainment activities especially the coastal ones and this will allow your children to enjoy much more.
5. If any member of your group has any kind of medical issue that may affect his/her tour in Egypt, you should let your tour operator know all the details to act accordingly and prepare everything in the best possible way.
6. If you have specific inquiries, you need to inform your agency in advance about all of them to arrange it for you for example if you are allergic towards specific type of food or if you don’t want to get into tombs as you have some breathing issues, you should be very clear about them.

Best Activities to Enjoy in Egypt

There are tens of different activities that you can enjoy with your family while spending your vacation in Egypt during the daytime or even at night. As during the whole day, you can visit the memorable tourist sightseeing, try some water sports & activities, Ride A Camel in Giza Complex which is a totally wonderful thing to do in such a historical site. At night, you can head to Cairo to have a charming Dinner Cruise in the middle of the Nile and taste some wonderful traditional food and see some amazing Egyptian shows. You can also decide to attend the Sound & Light Show in Giza and if you are in Luxor, you can attend the Sound & Light Show at Karnak. There is a very interesting activity that you can enjoy with your family which is having a Hot Air Balloon Ride in Luxor in the early morning and that way you will be able to check the amazing attractions in Luxor from the highest point.

There are lots of other impressive things & activities that you can enjoy while being in Egypt and there is no doubt that you will enjoy the most with the whole members of your family of all ages especially after knowing that lots of hotels and aswan to luxor cruise in Egypt offer facilities for accessible travelers and this is such a wonderful thing for travelers from all around the world to enjoy their Egypt Vacations without facing any kind of problem. Just check what things you want to see & enjoy and then come to the beautiful land of Egypt to enjoy the best of it in an unforgettable tour with your family & friends.