The verdict in three sentences
For a Berlin property manager wanting an owner portal, automated capital calls and online AGM voting, custom software costs between 60,000 and 140,000 EUR in 2026, delivered in 5 to 8 months. HOA SaaS (2-6 EUR/unit/month) works well up to a few hundred units, but per-unit billing becomes heavy at scale. The switch happens around 3,000 to 5,000 units managed depending on the negotiated SaaS rate.
Modules and 2026 costs
The business core is HOA accounting linked to capital calls, document management (DMS) and paperless AGMs.
| Module | Scope | Indicative 2026 cost (EUR) | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| HOA accounting | Budgets, keys, charge allocation | 12,000 - 26,000 | 5-7 wk |
| Capital calls | Issuance, reminders, online payment | 10,000 - 22,000 | 4-6 wk |
| Owner portal | Documents, balances, requests | 9,000 - 18,000 | 4-6 wk |
| DMS & archiving | Contracts, minutes, invoices | 7,000 - 15,000 | 3-5 wk |
| Online AGM voting | Notice, proxies, sign-in | 10,000 - 22,000 | 4-7 wk |
| Core + integrations | Auth, roles, bank, accounting | 12,000 - 30,000 | 5-8 wk |
Add maintenance of 1,500 to 3,500 EUR/month depending on unit volume and service level (regulatory updates included).
Custom or HOA SaaS: the tipping point
SaaS bills per unit; custom has a near-fixed cost. Here is a 2026 5-year projection, base 4 EUR/unit/month on the SaaS side.
| Units managed | SaaS 5 years | Custom 5 years* | Best choice |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 units | 120,000 EUR | 150,000 EUR | SaaS |
| 1,500 units | 360,000 EUR | 165,000 EUR | Custom |
| 3,000 units | 720,000 EUR | 180,000 EUR | Custom |
| 6,000 units | 1,440,000 EUR | 200,000 EUR | Custom |
| 10,000 units | 2,400,000 EUR | 220,000 EUR | Custom |
*Custom = build (60,000-140,000 EUR) + cumulative maintenance. At 4 EUR/unit/month, SaaS costs 48 EUR/unit/year: above ~1,000 units, custom quickly becomes advantageous.
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Mini case study
Catherine, principal of a Berlin property management firm handling 2,400 units, pays about 2,400 x 4 EUR = 9,600 EUR/month on SaaS, i.e. 115,200 EUR/year and 576,000 EUR over 5 years. Custom software at 115,000 EUR + 2,500 EUR/month maintenance comes to 265,000 EUR over 5 years: a saving of over 300,000 EUR, while removing manual capital-call reminders (about 6 h/week saved, i.e. ~14,000 EUR/year of manager time).
FAQ
What is the minimum budget to start? An HOA accounting + capital calls core ships at around 40,000 to 60,000 EUR in 2026, in 12 to 16 weeks.
From how many units does custom win? From about 1,000 to 1,500 units at 4 EUR/unit/month, since SaaS then exceeds 48,000 to 72,000 EUR/year.
Is online AGM voting compliant? Yes: the paperless AGM module (notice, proxies, sign-in, voting) is built to respect the applicable legal framework; budget 10,000 to 22,000 EUR.
How much is maintenance? Budget 1,500 to 3,500 EUR/month, including regulatory updates and hosting.
Is online payment of charges included? Yes, in the capital-calls module: owners pay by card or direct debit, cutting arrears by 15 to 25% on our references.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your units under management, your priority modules (capital calls, online AGM) and an indicative budget: we can scope a core from 40,000 EUR. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
