Nicholas Dunlap is the founder and chief executive officer of Spadra Property Company, a full-service real estate investment and property management company in Fullerton, California. He’s been a Yardi customer with various property management companies since the early 1990s. We sat down with him in San Diego at the first annual in-person REfresh conference for Yardi Breeze users. We wanted to hear his story on why Yardi Breeze Premier is the best property management software for Spadra’s 600-unit portfolio.
Check out our two-minute video interview or read the full transcript below. Content has been edited for brevity and clarity.
A history with Yardi
Interviewer: You’ve been with Yardi for decades. Can you talk about that experience?
Nicholas Dunlap: I’ve been a Yardi customer through three different companies. I grew up in the real estate investment and property management business. My dad started his company in 1989 and used Yardi on the old DOS platform with 5.25-inch floppy disks. I actually still have a few of those disks in the office. We use them as coasters now.
Back then, Yardi really was the only game in town, while many people were still using spreadsheets, paper or green sheets. Over time, competition has increased, but what’s impressive is how Yardi has continued to grow and evolve. They now offer multiple platforms like Breeze, Breeze Premier and Voyager.
How Spadra uses Breeze Premier
Interviewer: You’ve used a number of Yardi products. Can you summarize how you use Breeze Premier?
Nicholas: When Spadra was starting out, it was really important for us to have a solution that catered not only to the needs of our investors but also to our residents. We looked at Yardi as the ideal platform to serve our customers while also providing our clients with the financial transparency and reporting they expect.
Breeze Premier stood out as the right solution, with tools like RentCafe, ID screening solutions, corporate and property websites and other features. It’s really grown into a full ecosystem that allows us to serve our customers better and ultimately generate stronger results for our clients.
What Spadra needed for a 600-unit portfolio
Interviewer: What were you looking for when you first adopted Breeze Premier?
Nicholas: When I started the company, I wanted a platform that would give our investors peace of mind through transparent financial reporting, while also being best-in-class for resident services. Breeze Premier gave us that. Over time, we’ve layered additional resources like RentCafe property websites and enhanced screening tools to help protect both our clients and our residents.
Evolving business needs
Interviewer: How has what you were looking for changed as your business has grown?
Nicholas: Initially, we were looking for a system that allowed us to report to our clients in a timely manner and provide clear, accurate financial information. That included accounting of funds, trends and reports that investors and property owners need to understand how their assets are performing. As we grew, we realized we could use the software to better serve residents as well, through online applications, resident portals, property websites and additional fraud-prevention tools.
As the company grew, I’ve reached out to our Yardi representatives to see what solutions we might not be fully utilizing, as well as new products in development.
Fraud prevention
Interviewer: Why is fraud prevention so important right now?
Nicholas: Fraud prevention is incredibly important right now, especially in a market like California where the eviction process can be very difficult and time-consuming. It’s critical that we do the work up front to make sure applicants are who they say they are. We need to know the information they provide — bank statements, rental history and other documentation — is legitimate. Having additional layers of fraud prevention gives me confidence that I’m mitigating risk and bad debt as much as possible.
We use a combination of ID verification, document authentication and resident screening tools because online applications are more common than ever. Even when applicants meet onsite staff and provide identification, having that information independently verified online adds another layer of confidence. Tools like ScreeningWorks Pro Document Authentication powered by Snappt help validate application data, allowing us to show investors that we’ve taken every reasonable step to ensure applicants are qualified and legitimate.
Why Breeze Premier is the right fit
Interviewer: Why is Breeze Premier the right property management software for your company right now?
Nicholas: Breeze Premier is the right solution for us because it allows us to serve both our clients and our residents through one centralized platform. Our clients benefit from transparent financial reporting and investor portal access, while our residents can submit maintenance requests, make online payments and communicate with our team in real time. Everything lives in one database, which streamlines operations and improves accessibility for everyone involved.
Technology that keeps pace with change
Interviewer: How has Breeze Premier supported your company’s growth?
Nicholas: Because of our relationship with Yardi’s customer support and account managers, we’re able to reach out when we have challenges or new needs. It’s reassuring to know we have a partner that’s focused on improving operations alongside us.
Best features in Breeze Premier
Interviewer: Which specific features have been the most beneficial, and why?
Nicholas: Like many businesses, our biggest challenges revolve around automation, transparency and reporting. Breeze Premier helps us address all three. Specific features that have been especially valuable include Yardi PayScan, which automates our accounts payable workflow and saves us dozens, if not hundreds, of hours each quarter. It removes a major administrative burden and does so more efficiently and cost-effectively. RentCafe has also been incredibly valuable on the resident side, allowing residents to submit maintenance requests, pay rent online and communicate directly with staff.
The bottom line
Interviewer: What’s the main benefit your company gets from Breeze Premier?
Nicholas Dunlap: The main benefit of Breeze Premier for us is that it serves as our operational backbone. Residents, clients and our internal team all interact with the same live, real-time system. That transparency allows us to see what’s happening across our portfolio and make better, more informed decisions.
Real-time information is more important than ever. Having access to current rent rolls and operating statements — updated today, not weeks or months ago — helps drive informed decision-making, which ultimately leads to better outcomes.
For a company with 600 units, Breeze Premier is ideal. I trust Yardi, whether we’re talking about the original DOS platform I used in the nineties or the modern Breeze Premier solution we use today.
REfresh
Interviewer: Why did you decide to attend REfresh in San Diego and participate in the fraud prevention panel?
Nicholas: I decided to attend REfresh and participate in the panel on fraud prevention because I believe it’s important to give back. Yardi isn’t just a software provider to us. You’re a partner. Especially in California’s highly regulated environment, it’s critical that Yardi hears directly from operators who are dealing with these challenges every day. We’ve had meaningful conversations with Yardi about lease language and regulatory considerations, and that collaboration benefits everyone.
The Yardi Ambassador program
Interviewer: Why did you choose to become a Yardi Breeze Ambassador?
Nicholas Dunlap: I became a Yardi Breeze Ambassador because I’ve believed in Yardi my entire career. I’ve seen the evolution from the DOS platform to today’s modern systems. While there are cheaper alternatives in the market, I think quality, consistency and reputation matter. Supporting Yardi ultimately helps them continue to innovate and improve the platforms that support all of us.
By sharing my positive experiences, I hope other businesses continue to see the value in Yardi.
