Frequently Asked Questions

Estate Management Systems FAQs

A businessman walks away from his private jet

How does EMS compare to other private software systems?

It boils down to ownership of your information and cost. You will own and manage the data and templates by purchasing an EMS system. At the lowest initial investment in the business, the only fee (beyond our templates) will be $120 per user per year.

I’m not sure I’m ready to go digital. How can I tell if my services warrant a move to an online system?

Based on the number of hours most of us spend on our phones daily, every estate manager needs to have all their work info available in an app-friendly system. Need further clarification? Take this quick test.

I’m already so busy; I don’t have time to implement a new system. What do you suggest?

There’s never a better time to start uploading everything you do into one program. Start small (like with your daily property walk-through notes). You can voice-record these into your phone as you walk the property, and then later at your desk, move them over to your housekeeper’s/landscaper’s boards, etc., to assign tasks to your staff and set deadlines. Try our How To Manage A Mansion™ System for all the tools and training. And when your principal is ready to invest in a system, contact us for full customization.

I use Excel spreadsheets and Word documents to manage all of my contractor and maintenance details and don’t want (or need) to create a new system. But I want to improve communication with my team to track project progress, assign tasks, and set deadlines. Can I use my housekeeping checklists and SOPs in the EMS system, or do I have to use yours?

Use yours! This is the best and fastest way to get started. Our templates and checklists are provided in case you don’t have this information already in place or if you need to fill in gaps in your current system. Try our How To Manage A Mansion™ System so that we can show you how to format and upload all of your information online.

Estate manager sitting in front of a computer at a desk and interviewing new personnel

I manage smaller properties, and my employers don’t entertain a lot, don’t have high-profile guests, and don’t have full-time housekeeping staff. Does the EMS system work for these types of clients?

100% yes! If you get paid to manage these properties and gather information on behalf of the homeowner, check out How To Manage A Mansion™ System.

How can I make sure my principal’s personal information (i.e., medical prescriptions, jewelry inventories, etc.) are held private while also sharing information with my staff (like housekeeping tasks)?

All boards are marked private. However, you’ll have the ability and control to invite staff members to any board you choose. If you add or change staff, remove them from your workspace. We also recommend the following policy when building your system: Don’t use addresses, last names, or bank or credit card information. Even without these, you’ll have a fully functioning house management system.

Estate manager sits with a married couple at the kitchen table to review important documents about managing their estate

Does the EMS system provide monthly expense reports?

Our system is a great home management software. However, we recommend QuickBooks for financial record-keeping and reporting.

An important note: Most of our estate-manager clients don’t manage bookkeeping services. These are typically handled through the principal’s family office or an outside accounting firm. We provide an annual operating budget spreadsheet and cards for your monthly expense receipts, approved invoices, credit card reconciliation statements, and employee expense reports.

How long does it take to implement an EMS program?

We recommend allowing 3 to 12 months to customize your system and onboard your staff. If you want to speed up this process, reach out to us for customization pricing options.

I manage multiple properties for multiple homeowners. Can I purchase your system?

We suggest purchasing one How To Manage A Mansion™ system per homeowner, as you’ll eventually want the homeowner to own and manage their own system.

Why Trello

We compared several home inventory and maintenance platforms (e.g., Homezada.com, Homebinder.com) and generic project management tools, such as Asana and Monday.com. Trello stood out as the easiest for the entire team to learn, the most cost-effective, and the most user-friendly—especially for staff with limited tech skills.

Key Benefits:

  • Translates into 21 languages

  • Voice dictation for quick property walk-throughs and adding comments/tasks

  • Syncs with Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Drive, Outlook, Dropbox, and more

  • Calendar view with two-way sync to other calendars

  • Excellent mobile app for on-the-go updates

  • Real-time communication within each project card

  • Flexible, customizable layout with drag-and-drop organization

  • Power-Ups for expanded functionality

  • Secure access control with two-step verification

  • Task assignment, deadlines, and photo uploads directly from your phone

  • Export checklists to PDF for non-Trello users

  • Color-coded labels for at-a-glance progress tracking

  • Low ongoing cost ($10/month per user)

Additional questions? We're here for you!