Remote Revolution: How Next Brick Went From 0 to 550 Doors in 5 Years
Next Brick scaled their portfolio at an unprecedented rate by prioritizing a remote culture, made possible by the Showdigs platform and Agent network.
“Showdigs opened up a completely new door for us in order to accommodate showings. It helped us to change the process of how we show the properties completely.”
— Wei Ma, Operations Specialist, Next Brick Property Management
Seattle-based Next Brick Property Management was founded in 2019. Their remote-first model has allowed them to grow to over 550 doors in under 5 years.
Balancing rapid growth with tenant satisfaction was a challenge in their early years. By outsourcing showings and inspections to Showdigs, they reduced staff overwhelm, improved efficiency, and scaled their portfolio while transitioning to a remote team structure.
The challenge
Founded in 2019, Next Brick quickly established itself as a leading property management company. Recognizing the limits of traditional practices, they sought innovative solutions to streamline operations and improve efficiency.
Overburdened staff struggled to maintain quality service, and time-consuming tasks like manual data entry and scheduling drained their resources.
Heavy workload
Next Brick struggled to meet the increasing demand for property management services, especially during busy periods.
Staffing
Recruiting staff and maintaining workloads during the off-season became a challenge. They were also limited by geography and how easily properties could be reached for showings and routine inspections.
Industry challenges
The COVID-19 pandemic presented additional obstacles, such as rent collection difficulties and increased demand for virtual property tours.
The Showdigs solution
Next Brick’s success came from adopting a remote-first model through technology and outsourcing non-core tasks. Showdigs’ on-demand agent services, vacancy checks, and move-in/move-out reports aligned with their goals.
- On-demand showings — flexible scheduling for property tours, reducing the need for in-house staff
- Periodic inspections — Showdigs Agents conducted thorough inspections to identify issues and keep owners updated
- Integrations — Showdigs integrated with Next Brick’s property management software, automating tasks and reducing manual data entry
Optimized processes
Showdigs’ on-demand services allowed Next Brick to reduce their reliance on in-house staff, freeing the team to focus on strategic initiatives.
Enhanced efficiency
Automation tools and seamless integrations streamlined operations, reduced manual tasks, and improved overall efficiency.
Better hiring practices
Through their new remote strategy, Next Brick could hire from a wider pool and select more qualified staff without being restricted by location.
Tenant trust
Showdigs’ showings and efficient communication capabilities enhanced the tenant experience, leading to increased satisfaction and retention.
The results
With over 550 doors in less than 5 years, Next Brick’s journey from a struggling property management company to a thriving remote-first business shows what technology and strategic partnerships can unlock.
