In today’s residential property management landscape, it’s not the industry that’s evolving — it’s the needs of tenants and prospects. For businesses like Eastwood Housing Corporation, staying ahead means implementing innovative technology to operate at peak efficiency and meet these changing expectations.
Eastwood Housing, a nonprofit based in St. Thomas, Ontario, manages a growing portfolio of affordable residential properties. When their outdated management system started falling short of these needs, they knew it was time to explore better solutions. That’s when they turned to Yardi Breeze Premier — a decision that has transformed their operations and set them up for future success.
Let’s hear from Jon McCurry, Director of Operations at Eastwood Housing, on how the switch to Yardi Breeze Premier made all the difference.
Can you tell us about Eastwood Housing Corporation’s mission?
Eastwood Housing Corporation is dedicated to providing quality, affordable housing to the residents of St. Thomas and Elgin County. Our team is committed to serving the community, and we currently operate 11 properties with 325 units. We’re thrilled to announce that we broke ground September 2024 on an 82-unit building to help us further meet the needs of our residents. Our mission is not just about providing housing, but about building a stronger community through our efforts.
What made you realize it was time to make the switch to Breeze Premier?
Our previous system was really showing its age — it was slow, couldn’t handle multiple users effectively and often crashed when we added new properties. Last year, we faced a major issue when adding a new tenant coordinator; the system couldn’t support three users at once, leading to frequent crashes. It became clear we needed something more robust. After seeing Yardi at several conferences and hearing positive feedback from peers, we knew Breeze Premier could offer the scalability and efficiency we were missing. We needed a solution that could integrate everything from property management to accounting, and Breeze Premier fit the bill perfectly.
What improvements have you seen since switching to Breeze Premier?
Where do I start? One of the biggest improvements has been in our accounting processes. Previously, our corporation had to manually enter all rents and payments, which was incredibly time-consuming. With Breeze Premier, tasks that used to take hours are completed in minutes. The secure cloud-based platform has also made remote work a breeze. I can now work from anywhere, whether I’m at home or even halfway around the world. Additionally, the system’s ability to streamline tenant communications has made a world of difference. We can send emails directly from Breeze Premier, and all replies go straight to our tenant coordinators’ inboxes. It keeps everything organized and ensures no communication slips through the cracks.
Which Breeze Premier features have been your team’s favourites?
Our corporation is saving about $4,000 annually thanks to the direct withdrawal feature for rent collection, which not only cuts down on bank fees but also saves us time. The batch payment entry has also been a lifesaver, reducing hours of work each month. Another feature that’s made a big impact is the ability to integrate all aspects of property management into one system. Whether it’s handling maintenance requests, processing payments or managing tenant information, everything is centralised, which has significantly reduced our workload and improved efficiency.
How did the Yardi support team support your transition?
The Yardi support team has been fantastic, especially their online chat feature. Anytime we hit a snag, they’re there to help, often within minutes. During our transition, we had a steep learning curve, but the support from Yardi was second to none. The chat support not only helped us resolve issues quickly but also guided us through the process in a way that was educational — we were learning as we went, which was invaluable. The onboarding team was also incredibly supportive, ensuring that we had everything we needed to succeed with Breeze Premier. It’s great knowing that expert help is just a message away, even as we continue to deepen our use of the system.
Would you recommend Breeze Premier to other organizations?
Breeze Premier has been a game changer for us. It’s efficient, user-friendly and ready to grow with us. For any organization looking to streamline their operations and boost tenant engagement, Breeze Premier is a must-have. The investment we’ve made in Breeze Premier has paid off tenfold in time savings, reduced frustration and overall productivity. I honestly can’t imagine going back to our old system — it’s made such a difference in how we operate day-to-day.
