Lone Wolf Back Office

A Real Estate Must-Have

Kommentare: Overall this program is a must have for any real estate office. It makes accounting and reporting so easy!

Vorteile:

Broker Wolf makes paying agents a breeze. I am able to input the agents information, along with their pay breakdown so when they do have a transaction close, the payment is automatically completed when I close the transaction! No second guessing. We can also track the transaction through the program and run detailed reporting on basically anything input into the system!

Nachteile:

The interface can be a little difficult to comprehend but after using it for a little while it has become very easy.

When I call in for help, usually I get it right away. Most of the time i get my issue resolved.

Kommentare: Merged with the Front Desk system you have a seemless system at your fingertips.
Learning new/upgraded features. Not liking the new login tho, change that back!

Vorteile:

That I don't have to worry to much about the calculations. I like that it is familar and easy for me to use and teach when we have new members joining.

Nachteile:

I have to search to many sub numbers to find what I want and the search bar doesn't help to much. I didn't receive a book or know of one that would help with the process of learning, which would help when training.

Too complicated my accountant hated it

Kommentare: Did not like it at all, canceled it, and went back to a more simple and more effective and more affordable process

Vorteile:

The reporting funcrtwas very good and gave me the information I needed

Nachteile:

Customer support was terrible. Even within their own company integrations no one knew how it worked. I.e. transaction desk is a Lonewolf product, but it could not be understood by people who were LoneWolf back office support people

it's easy to get around the program, and should issues arise...customer service is right there !

Kommentare: It's quick, it's simple, and takes the worry out of accounting as there is nothing you can do wrong within the program as it can be quickly corrected if necessary!

Vorteile:

That it stores everything that you do within the program so you don't need to worry about missing anything!

Nachteile:

At first it was a little cumbersome - but after getting assistance and learning the program and its functions-I have nothing to report for not liking the program! It's a great program!

Been using the software for 20+ years and find it meets all my real estate needs and more.

Vorteile:

The software is very easy to use. The software is constantly updated to provide you the most up to date RECO and real estate requirements. Lone Wolf has an excellent support staff that is always available and co-operative to assist you.

Nachteile:

Cant find a negative - if there are any issues you contact their support staff and they guide you through.

We use the software for the back end admin: trades, accounting, payroll, etc.

Kommentare: Can't imagine running a real estate office without this software.

Vorteile:

Great system that keeps the back end of our office organized! Probably could use features that we haven't even discovered yet!

Nachteile:

The system does T4s very easily, but does not do ROE's. Just had an employee go on maternity leave, and we had a hard time figuring out her qualifying income/hours.

Not a great software and constant price increases

Kommentare: They need to innovate more rather than try to buy the competition only to shut them down and have their inferior product on the market

Vorteile:

It has lots of features and RECO knows how to access it for inspections.

Nachteile:

- Lots hidden costs and constant price increases - very steep learning curve - They try to be a monopoly and by out all competition

Most comprehensive software for Real Estate front and back office

Kommentare: 1. Integrated front and back office.
2. Real Estate Trust Reconciliation
3. Quick Response on The Lone Wolf Community Site
4. Comprehensive management reporting on Sales, Trade Closing, Sales performance

Vorteile:

It's easy to use, logical in process, integrated for front and back office. Wolf Connect gets populated with listing information when a listing is uploaded on to MLS. Real Estate Trust Ledgers/Journals for month end compliance requirements.

Nachteile:

That Broker Wolf and Wolf Connect requires 2 separate logins. The help menu in Wolf Connect is not as comprehensive as the menu in Broker Wolf

Very Very Disappointed

Kommentare: Nothing.

Nachteile:

Stay away from this system! We were set up to utilize their technology, and were very very disappointed. It took forever to get the system up and running, the system runs very slow over wifi, and we were told that "the system should really be run from a hardline connection." Upon bringing all of our concerns to the table there were no solutions provided, and ultimately cancelled the service. We had to wait over a week for the "Executives" to make a decision on a refund. After receiving a response that we would get a refund, it was sub-par. And to this day we are still getting charged and have not received a penny back. Run far from this service, they are antiquated and the customer service is slow. Very Very Disappointed.

Easy and helpful!

Vorteile:

I love how helpful this software is. I use it every day and it makes the things I do go by so much faster. I don't know what I would do without it!

Nachteile:

I wish there was a way to keep all the reports I pull on a regular basis in one location.

Best Transaction Management system around

Kommentare: Easily keeps track of transactions and making sure we are in compliance

Vorteile:

Easily keep all the info about a transaction in one place, and has reminders to make sure you have everything you need. Super simple to keep track of your in progress deals and know what your missing/next steps are, and create commission invoices.

Nachteile:

Very few cons I can think of. Sometimes it has trouble searching for a property in the MLS to associate it with that transaction but most of the time it works well

BrokerWolf at a Commercial Brokerage

Kommentare: There is not a lot of competition out there and the few I have tried were worse, but I see there are a few more competitors and a new brokerage I am aware of is using one of the new companies. I am watching to see how that goes.

Vorteile:

-That accounting is tied together with the deals making the financial side of things easier -Screens have same look and feel -Bank recs I like in this system -Reporting isn't bad but wish it was simpler to build what you need.

Nachteile:

-It doesn't play well with other platforms such as Salesforce so we duplicate efforts -I don’t know why, but Lone Wolf which I will call LW going forward cannot calculate source deductions from benefits that we pay staff – RRSP’s and or health benefits, so this is something I have to manually calculate and manually fix for anyone receiving benefits (Staff only) – seems counter productive to having a computer program to me. While I am talking about payroll, why cant I tab around to different fields in the deductions. I press tab all the time but it won’t take me to the next box. -When creating the EFT transmission file in 5E1, I create the file early as the bank direct deposit requires a work around to actually work -If we make a change in a deal to the commission or accidentally double tap the date on the commission tab, all the agent info for the payout changes. That should not happen -When updating people (lets say there is a typo in a name of a person) and you go in to correct it, LW asks if you want to update all deals, we say yes and then the deals are not updated. Same with lawyers. -The penny issue is an ongoing headache -Cloning a deal is virtually useless but if it worked better it would be valuable to us -Customer service used to be great - that has gone downhill with tickets and files getting dropped or passed to multiple people and the answers by email are not always easy to understand even if you know the software fairly well...and more that wont fit

Likes and Dislikes of Brokerwolf

Kommentare: If it were not for this Real Estate software the job of tracking Listing and Sales as well as Realtor information would be quite cumbersome and most statistical reporting would be lost.

Vorteile:

The software is easy to use and is structured quite well for our office use. We have a small office but quite active and setting up new Realtors or Listings or Sales information does not require a lot of effort. Once information is entered into the system, the number of statistical reports available on how the company is progressing throughout the year and comparisons to previous years is numerous. You have the capability to create your own reports as well which is a bonus but not that user friendly. This software is widely used within our Real Estate community which allows us to communicate with other Brokerages whom are involved with our sales reporting from a commission perspective. Also, our accountant is familiar with the various reports Brokerwolf provides which makes it easy to produce accounting reports required for year-end reporting.

Nachteile:

I do not like the fact that the "Help" menu to look up items does not work within the system. Also, I had requested a change to the main "Office" report which would show the e-mail addresses rather than the Fax number which is quite archaic now. I find that even though there are plenty of pre-set reports, to have a change made falls through the cracks.

Pretty good program, there is a few features that I find a bit cumbersome.

Vorteile:

It is fairly straight forward when it comes to managing your listings and sales transactions. Fairly easy as it is mostly data entry based, the program does all the calculating as long as your info has been entered correctly. Support has been really good, I prefer to call rather than email support, usually I need help right away because it is usually something I need to fix before carrying on.

Nachteile:

There is a few things I find cumbersome, I find it hard to search and find specific things I am looking for, the top titles have to be clicked on to search for a specific thing and that method is very inefficient, it doesn't always work. In a sale the commission I choose does not stay, if I choose no commission plan to enter a flat fee it always reverts back to 7/3, constantly have to fix. Little things in the letters need tweaking, I have tried to figure out how to fix but do not find that easy. Just little things. Support changed to encourage more email and producing a ticket, but I find that difficult because most of the time I just need a quick answer, so I still continue to call in for help, and most of the time that is very helpful. I must say, I have worked on the program for over 8 years and I was just taught by previous administrators on how to use, so there may be things I have never learned that might make the program more efficient.

Lone Wolf has made it feasible for me to handle my own accounting without hiring additional staff.

Vorteile:

It keeps the office organized from front end to back end. I know when an agent has loaded a property onto mls and love how it feeds into the system alerting me that I need paperwork from that agent. It is not difficult to use and the training and customer service is unbelievable. I trained for 2 weeks and am able to provide my accountant with all completed year end documents. this significantly reduces the accounting fees. I also like the fact that the system is being backed up on secure servers and lessens the risk of loosing information by failing to back up. The system also has certain measures in place to remind you about Fintrac compliance and other REBBA compliance related alerts. Trade record sheets are a breeze to prepare along with other features related to payroll and performance tracking for the agents and office. I cant really imagine how I would function without it!

Nachteile:

What I like the least is the fact that there isn't a section with terminology that relates to leases. (references to Landlords and Tenants would be nice) It would be less confusing when training new staff. Same with "listing Side" and "Selling Side" (it sounds like the same thing) it would be clearer as "listing Side" and "Buying Side". Other than the terminology I really don't have any other complaints.

I have used this software since 1994.

Vorteile:

The pros of using LoneWolf is it's ease of use. From setting it up initially, using it day to day and completing the year end. The accounting interface is the best. Balancing bank statements is so efficient. Real Estate transaction sheets provide the agents with all the information they need. They also like the various reports that I can produce for them. The broker also is happy with the reporting that can be obtained. Updating the software is quick and easy.

Nachteile:

Support is not as good as it used to be. I liked the option of calling a representative with questions. I currently have a problem that they have closed again without fixing the problem. Their problem is they are not understanding my problem. It is now a joke all my peers at other brokerages and I laugh about. Sometimes the updates drive me crazy. Logging onto Lone Wolf is cumbersome now. The broker absolutely hates the password rules.

This is the best software, that I have ever used. Easy to navigate - excellent customer support.

Kommentare: It makes the accounting function much easier - takes less time than other methods. The agent profile section is also very useful to keep track of the agents and their production.

Vorteile:

Trade record information - and letter set up is very good. Also, the accounts payable portion of the programme is easy to use and very intuitive. It is quite easy to set up the different portions of the program from the agent deductions and bonuses - right through to the accounts payable and accounts receivable.

Nachteile:

Sometimes the 'help' program does not address the problem well. Also, the online report submission has been an issue from time to time.

Suggested changes

Kommentare: I received over the phone training about 8 years ago. I know nothing about Lone Wolf. After about 1 1/2 days of training I was able to work the system on my own. Working with the listings, the trades and the office accounting. I have zero accounting training but Lone Wolf has made the office accounting so easy for me to use. It works well and yes I would recommend it.

Vorteile:

The various reports and the ability to create your own reports. (T.C.2) The extensive help features. The "Training Mode" feature - has been extremely helpful. Would not have been able to learn new procedures without it.

Nachteile:

I would love the Help Features to be much clearer. They used to have a column down the right hand side and this has now changed making if more difficult to find the help I need. Your help features have always been fantastic. I had only limited training but using your help I have have been able to navigate you system very well.

Broker Wolf

Kommentare: No more ledgers, no more hand written information. Excellent reports, ease of use. Can't beat it in my books!

Vorteile:

It is designed and perfect for the real estate industry. Everything works together within the system saving so much time. Avoids mistakes. They are constantly updating the software. There is comfort in knowing you are using the latest in technology. Very forward thinking.

Nachteile:

There is really nothing that I can say that is a con, it suits my needs.

QUITE EASY TO USE

Kommentare: The software is quite easy to use - handles the complete transaction from start to end - and allows for customization in various areas (like letters)

Vorteile:

Most of the software is very intuitive - there is a lot of support available when you have an issue. The support is in a 'Help' section, by email, video tutorials, telephone - and more.

Nachteile:

nothing comes to mind right now. Have been working with this software for over 25 years

Comfort yet requires adjustability

Vorteile:

Tracking requirements, conditions, closings, etc. (Downside is not having Analytics for automatic reporting)

Nachteile:

Copy and paste is not permitted, Commission amounts cannot be based on Net of HST purchase price (we sell new builds so HST is backed out of Commission base.); and letter is not allowing our new logo on top and I have since lost one standard letter format....Finally, we do not use Brokerwolf for General accounting so it would be nice to have HST received cleared out with a click of a button...lol

Good and not so good

Kommentare: The biggest problem we have come across is the integration with Skyslope. It's very possible it could be an issue with Skyslope as well but Lonewolf has not said that. So I'm not sure really sure how to point the finger at.

Vorteile:

I think the system does an amazing job at the commission side of things.

Nachteile:

The accounting functions and reporting could be greatly improved. Auditing features are non-existent. Reversing an invoice or correcting is non-existent. Even the new analytics system is extremely clunky and not user friendly. we moved forward with Skyslope because of the integration function and it's still not working - over a year later. There should be more ways to run the financials statements than what is in the canned reports.

Hard to understand at the beginning but with practice it becomes your best resource

Kommentare: The best way to manage Agents, Transactions and Vendors, all in one place!!!

Vorteile:

The amount of reports that you can get. When setting the program, it is nice that your trainer will customize it so you can understand better where to go base on what you are doing. I love that you can manage your Agents but also closings from their Transactions plus you can manage your Accounts payable all in one place!. Customer service is my favorite thing., you never feel alone, they always answer your questions in an easy way and help you until you accomplish what you want.

Nachteile:

How complicated the letters and numbers from the menu option seem to be. After learning what each number is for, everything starts to make sence

LoneWolf is a great program that I as an office manager find easy to navigate.

Vorteile:

Record keeping. When I need to look up statistics for our agents it is easy to find. Also, federal and state reports for employees are easily accessible.

Nachteile:

Sometimes I do not understand how to navigate some of the tabs. The help directions are not very easy to understand.

brokerWolf Software user

Kommentare: I love that brokerWolf has everything you could possibly need in one program. Can't wait to see our office go paperless also and then our system would be complete!

Vorteile:

I like that this software knows that you might be posting something in error and asks you if you are sure this is what you want to do. It even tells you what it thinks the posting should be. This is a great feature for new users when you can't always be looking over their shoulders.

Nachteile:

In the beginning if there was an error made sometimes the correction of it is was a long process, but support is great and once you understand what to look for when someone has made an error it is easier.