Customer Story: Denizen Management

Denizen Management has been a pillar of property management in the Midwest for over a decade. Starting with the construction of their first property, Lofts at Willow Creek, 14 years ago, they now manage more than 5,000 units across the country. This rapid growth has required a robust and adaptable approach to managing properties, residents, and operations. Rent Manager has been a cornerstone of that strategy, providing the tools, integrations, and customization options Denizen needs to thrive.

Insights from three Denizen leaders—Oksana Luk, Heather Croft, and Sri Nelant—shed light on how Rent Manager helps their company stay ahead in a competitive and ever-evolving industry.

Operational Excellence: Oksana Luk, Operations Manager

Overseeing Denizen’s property management operations, Oksana Luk has been with the company for a decade. With experience using other property management software at previous companies, she quickly recognized Rent Manager’s unique strengths when she joined Denizen.

“It’s more intelligent, more interconnected, and does more than other software I’ve used,” Oksana says. Rent Manager has been instrumental in helping her team navigate challenges including rapidly evolving technology, multifamily housing regulations, and rising resident and owner expectations.

Oksana also emphasizes the value of Rent Manager’s reporting tools. “The reports include the data that really matters to us, whether it’s on the leasing side or the financial side,” she says. Customized reporting functionality is particularly helpful for keeping operations on track and meeting owner expectations.

Customer support is another area where Rent Manager shines. Oksana says, “[Customer support] is quick to respond and genuinely invested in helping us succeed. It’s comforting to know the software is backed by such knowledgeable and friendly people.”

Oksana’s answer is clear when asked to imagine life without Rent Manager: “There would be no operations for Denizen Management without Rent Manager.”

The View from the Lofts: Heather Croft, General Manager

Heather Croft has been the General Manager at Lofts at Willow Creek, Denizen’s flagship property, for several years. Her favorite part of the job? “The people,” she says. However, managing the needs of both residents and property owners can be a delicate balancing act. “The biggest challenge is finding that balance and ensuring everyone’s needs are met.”

For Heather, Rent Manager’s flexibility and integrations have been key to overcoming difficulties and enhancing her team’s efficiency. “Integrations are everything,” she explains. “They allow us to use third-party apps we really like, which rounds out our tech stack.” One of her favorite tools is rmAppSuite Pro, particularly for tasks like move-out inspections. “We can take videos directly in the app and upload them to Rent Manager right away. It makes updating data in the field so simple and ensures nothing gets missed.”

Heather also highlights Rent Manager’s ability to generate leasing quotes quickly and accurately. This functionality keeps the leasing process running smoothly, avoiding delays that could deter prospective tenants. Other platforms don’t come close to offering what Rent Manager gives us. It ensures we don’t have to duplicate work, even when using other providers, because the integrations are so seamless.”

Customization is another standout benefit for Heather. “It’s helped us create repeatable reporting processes for both employees and owners,” she notes. Reflecting on Rent Manager’s impact, Heather offers this advice to other property management companies: “Take a close look at Rent Manager. I’ve worked with other software, and [those platforms] don’t compare. I cannot imagine what life in my role would be like without Rent Manager.”

Transforming Accounting: Sri Nelant, Controller

As Denizen’s Controller for the past six years, Sri Nelant leads a team responsible for all accounting functions, including financial packages and custom reports tailored to property owners’ needs. She takes a three-pronged approach to her role, ensuring that decisions benefit tenants, owners, and employees alike.

Reporting is a critical part of Sri’s work, and Rent Manager’s tools help her stay on top of key performance indicators. “The pre-defined reports are great, but the customized reports are a game-changer. They let us focus on the data our owners care about most—things like ROI [return on investment] and NOI [net operating income],” she explains.

Sri also praises Rent Manager’s integration with AvidXchange, a solution Denizen has used for over eight years to streamline accounts payable (AP) processes. Before implementing AvidXchange, Denizen’s AP processes involved significant manual data entry, which was both time-consuming and prone to error. “With Avid, invoices come through already indexed and coded. All our managers have to do is an accuracy scan. It saves so much time and ensures everything is ready when the end of the month comes around,” she says.

Payments are another area where AvidXchange has made a significant impact. “We can make payments with the click of a button and let Avid handle the rest,” Sri says. This seamless process not only saves time but also ensures vendors are paid promptly, strengthening relationships.

Sri’s favorite part of Rent Manager is utilizing integrations. “At least once a week, I check the ‘available integrations’ section in Rent Manager to see how else we can streamline our processes.”

Reflecting on the importance of these tools, Sri states, “I wouldn’t want to experience a world where we’re not using Avid or Rent Manager. Life without them would come to a grinding halt.”

Building a Stronger Future with Rent Manager

Across Denizen Management, Rent Manager is more than just software—it’s a trusted partner. For Oksana, Heather, and Sri, its integrations, customization, and outstanding customer support have made it an indispensable part of their daily operations.

As Denizen continues to grow and adapt to new challenges, Rent Manager remains central to their strategy, providing the tools they need to succeed in an ever-changing industry. For companies looking to elevate their property management operations, Denizen’s leaders have one clear message: Rent Manager is the way forward.