Combined Properties, based in Washington D.C. and Los Angeles, is a successful retail owner and property management firm with 33 properties totaling more than 5 million square feet. One part of their success has been their property management software provider for the past 10 years, Intuit Real Estate Solutions (IRES, formerly MRI).

“IRES' MRI Commercial product is the most powerful solution on the market,” says T.J. Finnerty, Vice President/Chief Accounting Officer. “The biggest reason we’ve stayed with IRES is that we continue to get everything out of the system that we want and more.”

A future with IRES

Finnerty had been an IRES user before he joined Combined Properties and, as a long time user, he continues to be impressed with the product. “IRES ' product has always been powerful, as it can be efficiently tailored to meet your company’s specific needs.

“Other software systems just can’t match the flexibility and the power of MRI Commercial.”

Finnerty continues, “The biggest strength in IRES is the products themselves, especially MRI Commercial. Most other packages are not as sophisticated and can’t be customized to our specific requirements, particularly considering some of the complexities associated with the retail real estate sector.” MRI Commercial offers extensive reporting features that provide an in-depth, big-picture look at where your business is today and is going tomorrow.

IRES is a “one-stop” shop

“As an executive, I want to spend my money as effectively as possible, and I like to do that with ‘one-stop’ shopping. With JobCost, IRES is now my ‘one-stop’ shop for property management software,” says Finnerty. Finnerty served on the steering committee for IRES' JobCost module and enjoyed being able to add input into a product he knew he was going to use. The experience was rewarding and he is confident it will pay off for not only Combined Properties but also for all IRES users.

In addition to being a member of the JobCost steering committee, Finnerty is also the founding member of the Washington D.C. IRES user group. An IRES user group consists of a number of IRES users in close proximity to each other, meeting on a regular basis to discuss issues IRES products and services.

Finnerty had heard about other IRES user groups across the country after attending IRES' annual International User Conference five years ago. He then came in contact with the head of the New York user group to see how things were run and get a better understanding of how it all worked. From there it just took off.

“The biggest advantage of being in a user group is being able to meet and network with other IRES users. It’s an open forum, where all of us can discuss different issues regarding IRES software and how it is affecting us,” says Finnerty.

As with all IRES user groups, the Washington D.C. chapter is given support by IRES itself.

“We’ve always had great support from IRES, with IRES leaders attending most of our meetings to answer questions, demo new products or to just get our opinions. It allows us to have a voice that is heard, and to know that our input counts,” Finnerty concluded.

About Combined Properties

Combined Properties is the largest privately held, full-service, asset manager of retail strip shopping centers in the Washington, DC metropolitan area and is forging a presence on the west coast with properties in the Los Angeles region. In total, CPI manages 33 properties comprising more than 5 million square feet for owner Ronald Haft, and institutional third parties. For more information, please visit their website at www.combinednow.com