Setting Up Your Complete Rental Portfolio

Migrating from spreadsheets into a professional property management system is a big step. If you manage multiple properties, doing this systematically saves you hours and prevents errors.

This guide outlines the optimal approach to building out a large portfolio in Landager. We call it the "Layer Cake Method."

The Layer Cake Method: Build from the Ground Up

Don't try to add a Property, its Tenants, and their Leases all at once. When managing multiple properties, build each layer completely before moving to the next.

Layer 1: Property Addresses (The Foundation)

Focus exclusively on getting your physical real estate into the system.

1. Open the Properties page.
2. Systematically add every property you manage.
3. For each, enter the Name, Full Address, Property Type (Single Family, Multi Unit, Apartment, Land, Commercial), Total Units, and any Notes.
4. Don't stop to add units yet — just get all the addresses in first.

Layer 2: Units (The Walls)

Now go back through each property and define the interior spaces.

1. Click into each multi-unit property.
2. Click Add Unit for each rentable space.
3. Enter the Unit Number, Layout (Bedrooms, Bathrooms, Square Footage), and baseline Rent Amount.
4. Set the Status (Vacant, Occupied, or Maintenance).
5. Move on to the next property. Continue until every rentable door in your portfolio is accounted for.

Layer 3: Tenants (The People)

With every unit modeled, switch to the Tenants page.

1. Add every active tenant:
   • First Name, Last Name, Email, Phone
   • Assigned Unit
   • Move-In Date
   • Status: Active
2. Add Emergency Contacts for each tenant.
3. Focus on getting all the people into the database first.

Layer 4: Leases (The Glue)

This is where everything connects.

1. Navigate to the Leases page.
2. Click Add Lease.
3. Select a Unit (from Layer 2) and a Tenant (from Layer 3).
4. Define the terms: Start Date, End Date, Rent Amount, Security Deposit, Late Fees, Lease Type, and Rent Due Day.
5. Upload the Lease Document and any Unit Condition Photos.
6. Repeat for each tenant-unit pair.

Why This Method Works

By following the Layer Cake Method, you completely avoid the "Chicken or the Egg" problem — trying to create a lease for a tenant that doesn't exist yet, for a unit inside a property you forgot to add.

It divides a massive migration task into four focused, repetitive sprints:

1. Properties → 2. Units → 3. Tenants → 4. Leases

Once Layer 4 is complete, your Dashboard instantly shows accurate:

• Occupancy rates based on active leases
• Revenue projections from lease rent amounts
• Unit counts matching your subscription limit
• Recent Activity logging every record you created

Learn more about how all this data flows together in our guide: How Everything Connects.