Our company

Bookkeeping built around the way apartments actually run

Apartment Bookkeeping was founded on a simple idea: multifamily operators deserve a back-office partner who already understands their world — the software, the draws, the owner reporting, all of it.

Our story

Apartment Bookkeeping is a family business — a father and two sons, working the same problem from three directions.

We started it after years inside the multifamily industry, watching talented operators lose nights and weekends to reconciliations, month-end close, and payroll headaches. We watched something else, too: good accounting firms settling into doing things the way they'd always done them. The industry moved and the service didn't. We stopped arguing about it and built the alternative.

Most accounting firms buy technology. Most technology firms don't understand accrual accounting. We're building the practice and the automation at the same time, with no legacy system to protect — and we argue it out over dinner as often as over a conference table.

For you, that means enterprise-scale experience delivered at a human scale. When you call, you reach a Ballard — not a queue, not a ticket number, not an account manager who has to check with someone and get back to you. Our name is on the door, and that has a way of concentrating the mind.

Our team is fluent in every major property management platform — Entrata, ResMan, RealPage, AppFolio, Buildium, and Yardi — so onboarding is fast and switching software never means starting over.

We handle the financial back office for owner-managed portfolios and third-party management companies, so our clients can focus on residents, asset performance, and growth.

Apartment Bookkeeping accountants reviewing financials together

What we stand for

Multifamily, exclusively

We don't dabble across industries. Apartments are all we do, so our team speaks your language from day one.

Accuracy without the drama

Clean, reconciled, on-time books — month after month — so you never chase a number again.

A real partnership

We're an extension of your team, flagging opportunities and risks long before they hit your bottom line.

Decades of multifamily accounting experience, founder-led

Master's-level accounting expertise, with real estate operating background

Purpose-built automation, in-house

Six property platforms supported

Our team

At Apartment Bookkeeping, we provide premier financial management solutions exclusively for the multifamily real estate industry. Founded to deliver exceptional accuracy, transparency, and strategic financial oversight at a cost-effective price, we help property owners and operators streamline operations, improve financial performance, and scale with confidence.

Our team understands the unique complexities of multifamily accounting—from property-level financial reporting and investor distributions to sophisticated ownership structures. With decades of executive leadership, public accounting, and private equity experience, we deliver far more than bookkeeping. We provide the financial intelligence and operational insight that empower our clients to make better decisions and pursue growth with confidence.

Mike Ballard

Co-Founder & Managing Partner

Mike Ballard brings decades of executive leadership and operational expertise to Apartment Bookkeeping. A pioneer in outsourced multifamily accounting, he previously co-founded Ascent Multifamily Accounting and helped build it into one of the nation's leading accounting firms serving the apartment industry. Under his leadership, the company earned recognition on the Inc. 500 list, ranking #374 among America's fastest-growing private companies in 2021.

Throughout his career, Mike has overseen large multifamily portfolios, structured complex real estate investments, and led major master-planned community developments. His experience spans accounting, operations, development, finance, and executive leadership, giving him a unique perspective on the challenges property owners and management companies face as they grow.

Recognized for his ability to translate complex financial information into practical business strategy, Mike co-founded Apartment Bookkeeping to provide a more responsive, relationship-driven alternative for multifamily owners and operators. His goal is simple: deliver institutional-quality financial reporting with the personal service and strategic guidance clients need to build stronger, more profitable organizations.

Mike began his career in the Information Systems Consulting practice of Laventhol & Horwath, CPAs, before joining McGladrey & Pullen. He later founded his own consulting firm, serving clients across the real estate and financial services industries.

Cole Ballard

Co-Founder & Operations Partner

Cole Ballard brings institutional accounting expertise and real estate private equity experience to Apartment Bookkeeping. His career began in the Real Estate Tax practice at KPMG in New York City, where he advised institutional real estate clients on complex partnership structures, tax compliance, and strategic planning for large investment portfolios.

Cole later joined TriPost, a New York-based real estate private equity firm, serving as an Operations Analyst in Capital Markets. In this role, he worked across acquisitions, capital markets, financial analysis, and cross-functional operational initiatives designed to maximize asset performance and investor value. His foundational experience includes working with a regional real estate syndicator during college, where he assisted with property financials, underwriting models, and advanced financial analysis.

Cole earned both his Bachelor of Science and Master of Accountancy degrees from Brigham Young University. His unique combination of Big Four tax experience, private equity operational oversight, and advanced accounting education allows Apartment Bookkeeping to deliver sophisticated financial reporting, and institutional-quality financial oversight that drives long-term asset growth for clients.

Expert bookkeepers in all the major property management software

Let's take bookkeeping off your plate

Partner with seasoned multifamily experts who know your systems, your numbers, and your industry — so you can get back to running properties.

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