Set Up Rental Property Tracking in 10 Minutes
Estavo gets self-managing landlords from a blank account to a working rental income and expense tracker in under 10 minutes. This quick start covers every step: account creation, property setup, unit configuration, obligation setup, and your first logged transaction.
Create your free account
Go to app.estavo.net/register .
Enter your name, email, and password — no credit card required. The free tier is permanent for 1 rental unit (not a trial).
After verifying your email, you’ll be prompted to name your organization. Use your LLC name, your portfolio name, or your own name. This appears on reports and exports.
Add a property owner
Before adding your first rental property, create the owner — the legal entity that holds it.
Go to Portfolio → Owners → Add owner.
| Owner type | When to use |
|---|---|
| Individual | Property held in your personal name |
| LLC | Property held by an LLC |
| Trust | Property held in a trust |
| Partnership | Property held by a partnership |
Most landlords start with one owner. Add more if you hold properties in multiple entities.
Add your first rental property
From Portfolio, click Add property.
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Property name | A short label: “Beach House” or “123 Oak St” |
| Address | Full street address |
| Owner | Select the owner you just created |
| Status | Active — if it’s currently generating or intended to generate rental income |
Add a unit
After saving the property, Estavo prompts you to add units.
- Single-family rental home → 1 unit
- Duplex → 2 units (add each separately)
- Vacation rental with a main house and guest cottage → 2 units
For each unit, choose the lease type:
| Lease type | Use this for | Fields it enables |
|---|---|---|
| Short-term | Airbnb, VRBO, nightly/weekly rentals | Booking platform, check-in/out dates, guest name, Guest Welcome packet |
| Long-term | Annual leases, month-to-month tenants | Tenant name and contact, lease start/end dates |
You can change the lease type later — existing transactions are not affected.
Set up an obligation (strongly recommended)
Obligations cover your recurring bills — mortgage, insurance, utilities, HOA. Set one up now and Estavo will auto-generate draft transactions on schedule so you never forget a recurring expense.
Go to your property → Obligations → Add obligation.
Select the type, enter the amount and schedule, and save. For insurance and mortgage, add the policy end date — Estavo will show urgency alerts when renewal approaches.
You can add more obligations later. Skip for now if you’re in a hurry.
Log your first transaction
Go to Money → Add transaction.
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Unit | Which unit this income or expense belongs to |
| Direction | Credit for income received, Debit for money spent |
| Amount | Dollar amount (positive number, no $ symbol) |
| Category | IRS Schedule E category — see the full list if unsure |
| Date | When it happened |
| Description | Optional: “March rent”, “HVAC repair”, “Airbnb payout — 5 nights” |
Click Save. The transaction is now in your ledger.
What to Do Next
If you have a short-term rental (Airbnb, VRBO): → Set up booking income tracking → Add access credentials (WiFi, door codes) for the Guest Welcome packet
If you have long-term tenants: → Record monthly rent payments → Set up a mortgage obligation to auto-draft your monthly mortgage expense
If you’re migrating from a spreadsheet: → Import your existing transaction history via CSV template
If you’re inviting a team member (property manager, accountant): → Set up roles and permissions
Free tier: 1 active unit, permanently, no credit card. When you need a second unit, Estavo offers a 14-day upgrade trial — no card needed. See Plans & Pricing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to set up obligations before I can record transactions?
No. Obligations are optional. You can record every transaction manually in the Money view without ever setting up obligations. Obligations just automate the draft generation for recurring bills — they save time but aren’t required.
What if I have multiple rental properties?
After your first property is set up, go to Portfolio → Add property and repeat the process. Each property gets its own units, obligations, and transaction history. Reports can filter by property or across your whole portfolio.
Can I start with just expenses and add income later?
Yes — you can record any combination of credits and debits in any order. The ledger doesn’t care which you enter first.
What if I made a mistake on a transaction?
Go to Money, find the transaction, click it to open it, and click Edit. You can change any field on any transaction at any time. There’s no locked or closed period.
Is my data secure?
Yes. All data is transmitted over HTTPS. Access credentials (WiFi passwords, door codes) are encrypted with AES-256-GCM — the encryption key never touches the database. S3-stored files (receipts, photos) use presigned URLs that expire in 15 minutes.