How to Switch Smart Apartment Platforms Without Replacing Your Hardware

The short answer: you can usually change smart apartment platforms without replacing working locks, access control or intercoms. Choose a platform that is flexible on hardware and connects to the equipment already installed and to your property management system (PMS), confirm compatibility model by model, then pilot one property before rolling out. Della OS is built for this: about 60% of its capabilities need no new hardware, and it connects to more than 40 building systems.

Why operators switch

• Mixed hardware after acquisitions. Different lock, access and intercom brands at different properties.
• More than one PMS. Some properties on Yardi, others on Entrata, RealPage, AppFolio or ResMan.
• Local support. Wanting a trained local integrator to own installation and first line support.
• More than devices. Wanting access, Wi-Fi onboarding, amenities, packages, maintenance and resident services on one operating standard.
• Contract renewal. A natural moment to ask whether the platform still fits the portfolio.

Four kinds of platform

• Operating layer platforms sit above the PMS and existing systems and coordinate them. Best for mixed portfolios and acquisitions.
• Hardware first platforms are built around their own device line. Simplest when you are installing new hardware everywhere.
• PMS add-ons come from the property management system vendor. Convenient when every property runs on one PMS.
• Point solutions go deep in one category, such as intercoms or leak detection. Strong at one job, but each adds another system to run.

Switching in six steps

1. Inventory every property. Lock, access control, intercom, thermostat and network models, plus which PMS each property uses.
2. Check compatibility model by model. Get a written list of what connects today, what is on the roadmap and what would need replacing, with reasons. Della's list is in the compatibility guide.
3. Connect the PMS first. Move-ins, transfers and move-outs should drive access and services from day one.
4. Pilot one property. Agree the measures before anything is installed: move-in time, access tickets, work orders, resident app use.
5. Plan the cutover with residents. Tell them what changes, when, and how they get their new digital key, so nobody is locked out.
6. Copy the standard, not the project. Roll out property by property using the same workflows.

Questions to ask every vendor, including us

• Which of our exact models are supported today, what would need replacing, and why?
• Can the same move-in and move-out workflow run at a property with different hardware?
• Which PMS events does it act on, and on which PMS platforms?
• How do doors and critical functions behave if the internet goes down?
• Who designs, installs and supports it in our markets, and what are the service levels?
• What happens to our data, residents' access and the connected devices if we leave?
• What happens when we acquire or sell a building?

Where Della OS fits

Della OS is a smart building and smart apartment platform built as one operating layer. It works with Yardi, Entrata, RealPage, AppFolio and ResMan and connects more than 40 building systems across the hardware a property already owns. It is deployed and supported by more than 30 certified integrator partners and runs across more than 105,000 active and contracted units, for operators including Greystar, Asset Living, Wood Partners, Thompson Thrift and Cardinal Group.

Support runs through the local integrator first, with Della's platform team behind them; service levels are set in each partner and customer agreement. In practice, most problems are solved before that chain starts. Della OS keeps a history for every connected device, and Della AI helps the property team read it. If a resident calls about a lock, the property manager can open the unit, select the lock and see in seconds what happened, such as a low battery warning followed by brief dropouts. The building dashboard flags the same issue, often before anyone calls. Many fixes, like a battery change, are done by the site team, which means fewer service calls to the integrator and fewer truck rolls.

Frequently asked questions

Can we change smart apartment platforms without replacing our locks?

Often, yes. With an operating layer platform, supported locks and access systems are connected rather than replaced. Compatibility is confirmed model by model.

How long does it take to switch platforms at one property?

It depends on the equipment and the PMS. Start with a one property pilot with measures agreed up front.

Does Della OS work with Yardi and Entrata?

Yes. Della OS works with Yardi, Entrata, RealPage, AppFolio and ResMan.

What happens to residents during the switch?

Plan the cutover so residents receive their new digital keys and app access before the old system is turned off.

Read how to choose a smart building platform, or book a walkthrough on one of your own properties.