The property management software market is booming: the global market for property management tools is projected to reach 9.68 billion USD by 2030, growing at a (Compound Annual Growth Rate) CAGR of 8.9% Grand View Research. In the mobile home park segment, demand is similarly rising—with the market expected to expand from about 500 million USD in 2023 to 900 million USD by 2032, at a CAGR of 6.5% Dataintelo. This growth makes efficient manufactured housing software essential for operators who want to stay competitive.
Without the right software, communities face:
- Manual rent collection and delayed electronic payment processing
- Error-prone utility billing and late fees
- Cumbersome resident screening and lease tracking
- Poor visibility into maintenance and expenses
Implementing Manufactured Housing Management Software Successfully is about far more than setup. It requires planning with clear goals, training teams across roles, and optimizing features like resident screening, utility billing, payment automation, and reporting. When done right, the system transforms operations and drives measurable ROI.
Let’s dive into how to make it work in your community.
How to Prepare for a Smooth Software Implementation
Assess Current Processes
Before rolling out manufactured housing property management software, take time to evaluate existing workflows. Many communities still juggle manual rent collection, paper-based utility billing, and inconsistent resident communication. These inefficiencies create errors, delays, and lost revenue opportunities. By mapping out current processes, you can pinpoint the areas where software will make the biggest impact.
Set Clear Objectives
Defining what success looks like is critical. Goals may include reducing administrative hours, recovering more utility costs, improving NOI, or achieving compliance confidence with state billing rules. Data shows that property management software can reduce administrative workloads by up to 60% and increase on-time rent collection by more than 20% (UnitConnect). Clear objectives create benchmarks for measuring ROI and keep your implementation strategy aligned with business priorities.
Engage Stakeholders Early
Getting buy-in from owners, managers, and frontline staff ensures a smoother rollout. Resistance to change can stem from lack of communication or uncertainty about benefits. In many cases, though, teams resist not because they don’t understand the benefits, but because they feel their current systems “work fine.” The truth is that outdated processes quietly drain efficiency, create errors, and limit growth—challenges modern software is designed to solve.
Explaining how the software simplifies resident screening, streamlines utility billing, and automates electronic payment solutions helps stakeholders clearly see its value. When teams understand how their daily tasks will improve, adoption is faster, and long-term results are stronger.
What Does the Step-by-Step Installation Process Typically Look Like?
Implementing manufactured housing management software successfully requires a structured rollout. Below is a common three-step process most communities follow:
- System Design: After assessing current systems for best practices, the first implementation step is sharing how you want to configure the system around your community’s specific needs. Modules such as rent collection, inspections, accounting, and utility billing should be customized to match daily operations. By deploying integrated digital tools for rent collection and inspections, communities can significantly streamline operations. This leads to a faster and more efficient maintenance process, resulting in a quicker turnaround time on resident requests. The improved workflow and communication are key to increasing resident satisfaction.
- Data Migration: Poor data migration can create significant compliance risks and billing disputes. The root of the problem is often the high rate of project failure in data migration, which is commonly cited as a top implementation challenge. A structured, step-by-step plan that includes thorough verification and testing is crucial for ensuring data integrity and minimizing disruptions.
- Integration with Existing Tools: Most manufactured housing communities already use accounting systems, prospect tracking tools, and resident screening applications. Integrating these tools with your new software prevents duplicate work and improves efficiency. This connectivity ensures all resident interactions—from screening to move out—flow into one centralized platform.
Training Your Team to Use Manufactured Housing Software Effectively
Even the most advanced software will only deliver maximum results if teams know how to use it correctly. Effective training is the key to implementing manufactured housing management software successfully, ensuring adoption across roles and maximizing ROI.
Role-Based Training
Not every team member uses the system the same way. Regional managers need to focus on reporting, accounting, and NOI tracking. Office staff handle rent collection, resident communication, and utility billing. Maintenance teams rely on mobile work order management and inspections, while ownership often prioritizes portfolio-level reporting. Tailoring sessions to these roles avoids wasted time and ensures each group gains the skills they need most.
From the start, ManageAmerica’s Implementation Specialists create a customized onboarding plan that aligns with your company policies and system standards. Both property-level users and supervisors are trained through webinars led by experienced experts. Every team member also receives ongoing access to ManageAmerica University, offering unlimited new-user and refresher courses at no additional cost. Unlike some platforms that charge extra for training, ManageAmerica believes support should be built in—. Since the software is intuitive and easy to navigate, your team won’t need extensive retraining—most users are confident and productive after just the initial sessions. This role-based approach ensures regional managers, office staff, maintenance, and ownership all have the tools to succeed right away.
As Julio Jaramillo at Evergreen Communities explains:
“...The support and tools have been key to our growth. From utility billing to reporting, everything just works. Whenever we’ve needed something, you’ve been there to help us grow and succeed.”
Hands-On Practice
With an intuitive interface and built-in hyperlinks, ManageAmerica is designed for ease of use. If your staff can shop online or send emails, they can navigate the platform.
Kathie Campbell at Follett USA highlights this and the value of ManageAmerica University:
“The great thing about it is ManageAmerica is very user-friendly. Every manager has access to ManageAmerica University where they can ask questions and get a pop-up showing exactly how to take care of the issue—without needing to call their regional for help.”
Ongoing Support & Refreshers
Training shouldn’t end after implementation. Scheduling periodic refresher sessions with your team ensures they stay sharp and learn about new features as they are introduced. Communities that maintain ongoing training are more likely to see higher ROI and increased staff productivity. Regular check-ins also provide opportunities to address pain points and reinforce best practices.
ManageAmerica provides continuous access to ManageAmerica University and integrates an online SupportDesk, staffed by trained professionals who track and resolve requests quickly. Unlimited support tickets are included at no additional cost, ensuring your team always has answers.
Kathie Campbell at Follett USA adds:
“If our team needs additional support, they can submit a support ticket, and ManageAmerica is right on it. They come right back with the answer, or they'll at least say we're looking into it. So, you know what level you're at to getting your answer.”
For large operators managing complex portfolios, this level of expertise makes a measurable difference. A VP of Operations overseeing more than 100,000+ sites nationwide notes:
“With numerous systems talking to each other, essential for accurate billing, ManageAmerica’s teams' technical expertise and support is outstanding.”
When training is combined with ManageAmerica’s extensive support resources, the software becomes more than just a platform—it becomes a partnership that empowers communities to streamline operations, recover revenue, and deliver better resident experiences.
How to Maximize the Benefits of Your New Software
After successfully implementing manufactured housing management software, the next step is leveraging its full potential to transform operations and increase NOI.
Streamline Daily Operations
Automation is one of the greatest advantages of property management software. By automating rent collection, utility billing, work orders, and resident communication, communities can significantly reduce administrative workload and improve rent payment timeliness. This efficiency allows staff to focus on higher-value initiatives such as resident retention, proactive maintenance, and long-term community growth.
Enhance Resident Experience
Mobile apps and resident portals are quickly becoming essential across manufactured housing communities nationwide. Offering transparent billing, online payment options, and 24/7 access to account information improves resident satisfaction, reduces disputes, and strengthens retention.
Read more about how to streamline your operations with mobile apps.
Leverage Reporting Tools
Data-driven decision-making is what separates thriving communities from those that struggle. Real-time dashboards give managers visibility into delinquency trends, utility recovery, and overall portfolio performance. Operators who rely on advanced reporting tools are far more likely to exceed NOI goals compared to those making decisions without accurate insights. With timely data at their fingertips, owners and managers can adjust strategies quickly and with confidence.
Read more about the importance of data driven decision making in manufactured housing.
How ManageAmerica Sets Your Team Up for Success After Implementation
Choosing the right manufactured housing management software is the first step—having ongoing support after implementation is what ensures long-term success. ManageAmerica is more than a software platform; we are a partner invested in your growth.
Dedicated Onboarding Team
From the beginning, our Implementation Specialists guide you through company setup and property onboarding. We create a customized plan tailored to your unique needs and transition timeline, ensuring every detail is handled with precision.
Expert Data Migration
Accurate and secure migration of resident, utility, and financial data is critical. ManageAmerica’s data experts ensure a seamless transition, giving your team confidence that all records are in place and ready to use from day one.
Customized Training Programs
Every role in your organization requires different tools to succeed. ManageAmerica delivers role-specific training for your teams based on your needs. With unlimited access to ManageAmerica University, your team benefits from ongoing new-user and refresher courses at no additional cost—building confidence and ensuring long-term adoption.
Ongoing Partnership
Support doesn’t stop after launch. Our integrated SupportDesk provides unlimited support tickets, tracked in real time, and included in your service fees. Clients consistently cite our technical expertise and responsiveness as a key factor in their growth.
As Julio Jaramillo at Evergreen Communities put it:
“Whenever we’ve needed something, you’ve been there to help us grow and succeed.”
At ManageAmerica, we are committed to supporting your team’s ongoing needs and growth. With access to our experienced industry professionals, you can take full advantage of our suite of products, features, and services. The result is a platform that empowers your team, maximizes revenue recovery, and positions your communities for sustainable growth.
From Implementation to Growth: The Path to Stronger Communities
Implementing manufactured housing management software successfully requires preparation, careful data migration, role-based training, and ongoing optimization. By streamlining rent collection, utility billing, resident communication, and reporting, the right system becomes a driver of efficiency, compliance, and NOI growth.
Acquiring property management software for your manufactured housing communities is a long-term investment in your community’s success. With the right tools in place, operators gain the ability to maximize revenue, reduce manual workloads, and deliver a better resident experience across every property.
ManageAmerica provides end-to-end support with expert onboarding, tailored training, and ongoing support from industry professionals. Ready to see how the right partner can help scale your operations? Schedule a demo with ManageAmerica’s experts today and unlock the full potential of your communities.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How do you implement manufactured housing property management software step by step?
Implementation works best when broken down into six actionable steps:
- System Setup – Configure the software’s core modules—rent collection, inspections, utility billing, and accounting—to match the unique needs of your community.
- Data Migration – Transfer resident, lease, utility, and financial records with precision to ensure accuracy from day one.
- Integration – Connect the platform with your existing accounting systems, electronic payment processors, and utility platforms to keep all processes centralized.
- Team Training – Provide role-based training for property managers, office staff, maintenance teams, and ownership so each user is confident in the tools they’ll use daily.
- Automation – Set up automated processes for rent collection, utility billing, work orders, and communication to reduce manual workload and improve efficiency.
- Monitoring & Optimization – Use real-time dashboards and reporting tools to track performance, identify trends, and make data-driven adjustments that drive NOI growth.
What are the best practices for training staff on manufactured housing software?
Role-based training is the most effective. Regional managers need reporting and NOI insights, office staff handle rent and utilities, maintenance teams use mobile work orders, and owner/operators review portfolio data. Supplement training with hands-on practice and providing ongoing refreshers. With ManageAmerica, training is free and supported by ManageAmerica University, ensuring long-term adoption.
How long does it take to fully implement a property management system in a mobile home park?
The timeline depends on community size, data complexity, and how quickly staff adopt the new system. For many operators, the transition can take several weeks to a few months. With structured onboarding, clear goals, and expert support, implementation can move faster while minimizing disruptions.
What features should you look for in manufactured housing property management software?
Look for features built specifically for manufactured housing communities, including:
- Integrated rent + utility billing
- Resident screening tools
- Electronic payment solutions
- Mobile inspections and work orders
- Real-time reporting and dashboards
- Role-based access for managers, staff, and ownership
Check out this article, "How to Choose the Right Property Management Software" for more guidance on this topic.
How do you migrate data when switching to new manufactured housing software?
Data migration involves securely transferring resident, lease, utility, and financial records from legacy systems. The process should include thorough audits, validation checks, and test runs to ensure accuracy. ManageAmerica’s experts handle this with precision so communities can use all features from day one.
What ongoing support is available after implementing property management software?
Ongoing support should include refresher training, help desk access, and technical troubleshooting. ManageAmerica offers unlimited support tickets through its SupportDesk, plus continuous access to ManageAmerica University for new-user and refresher training at no cost—ensuring teams always have the resources they need.
Why choose ManageAmerica for manufactured housing software implementation?
ManageAmerica is the only platform partnering exclusively with the manufactured housing industry. With dedicated onboarding, expert data migration, role-based training, and ongoing partnership, they are dedicated to setting communities up for success. Clients consistently highlight their ease of use, free unlimited training, and responsive support as key reasons they’ve scaled since partnering with ManageAmerica.
