Written by: Todd Ellis, CPA, MST, CGMA
Summary of Key Takeaways:
- Outsourcing your accounting function will improve your financial visibility and efficiency process efficiency.
- An outsourced accounting team will reduce overhead, strengthen controls, and is very scalable.
- A real estate-focused team understands your industry’s unique challenges.
- Outsourced Accounting services provide strategic support, far beyond just bookkeeping.
Is it time to outsource our real estate accounting?
If you’re a real estate developer or investor juggling multiple projects, entities, or financing partners, chances are you’ve asked this question. Maybe your controller just left, your reports are always late, or your team is struggling to keep up. Or maybe you do have the people—but growth is outpacing your team’s capacity, and you’re feeling the strain. If you’re spending more time chasing down numbers than making decisions, outsourcing your accounting might be the best next move.
Let’s walk through what this shift can mean for your real estate business—and why an outsourced accounting team could be a better fit than a traditional internal setup.
What can an outsourced accounting team do that my internal team can’t?
Most internal teams are under-resourced or stretched thin. Even if you have a bookkeeper or part-time controller, it’s hard to manage everything from draw requests and cost tracking to investor distributions and multi-entity consolidations. An outsourced accounting team built for real estate brings depth, structure, and real-time reporting.
With cloud-based systems and integrated dashboards, you can:
- Use key metrics to best manage your business
- Monitor construction budgets
- Track capital contributions and agreements
- Track project spending
- Provide stakeholders such as investors and lenders with timely, accurate reports
You gain consistent, accurate financial data—without the patchwork that happens when your team is always one resignation away from chaos.
Is outsourcing really more cost-effective?
Hiring, training, and retaining skilled accountants’ costs more than you think. Especially in today’s tight labor market, it’s hard to build a team that covers every level: bookkeeper, analyst, controller, and CFO. An outsourced accounting model gives you flexible, scalable and dependable support across all levels at a predictable monthly cost.
Outsourcing also strengthens your financial controls. With standardized processes, clear segregation of duties, and a dedicated team monitoring your books, you reduce the risk of fraud, error, or compliance failures.
Can outsourced accounting really scale with my projects?
Whether you’re acquiring new land, breaking ground on your next build, or managing stabilized assets, your accounting needs change as your portfolio grows. An outsourced accounting team is built to flex with you. Especially if you need help in any of these areas:
- Bill pay and vendor management
- Monthly close and accruals
- Loan draws and capital reconciliations
- Tracking 1031 exchange proceeds
You can scale your services up or down depending on the phase of your project and your internal capabilities. Many firms even provide embedded team members—like a staff accountant reporting directly to your CFO—when needed.
Will they understand real estate?
Real estate accounting isn’t generic. It involves understanding development timelines, lease-up periods, refinance strategies, waterfall analysis, and cost segregation. A good partner brings this industry knowledge to the table, so you don’t have to educate them from scratch.
When working with Walter Shuffain’s outsourced accounting team you’ll benefit from:
- A Detailed understanding of real estate accounting and key metrics
- Strategic insights grounded in real estate cycles
- Advisors who know lender expectations
- Accurate investor reporting and capital tracking
- Guidance on software systems and automation tools
How do I know if outsourced accounting is right for me?
If any of these sound familiar, you likely are:
- “I’m having a hard time hiring and retaining good accounting staff.”
- “Our numbers change dramatically after tax prep or audit.”
- “We never get financials on time.”
- “We’re still cutting checks and doing things manually.”
- “I need more help, but only have budget for one hire.”
Real estate professionals who thrive with outsourced accounting support often need more than just a bookkeeper—but not a full in-house team. They want better processes, stronger reporting, and expert guidance in an eminently scalable solution.
A Smarter Way to Grow
Outsourcing your accounting isn’t a shortcut—it’s a strategic investment. We will become an extension of your business, bringing the right expertise at the right time.
Let’s talk about what outsourced accounting could look like for your real estate operation. Whether you’re building your first development or managing a multi-state portfolio, we’re here to help you scale with confidence.
Contact us today to explore how a dedicated real estate outsourced accounting team can streamline your operations—and unlock your next stage of growth.