Case Study
GPG Management Case Study
Finding the Right Bookkeeping Partner for Complex Real Estate Flips
GPG Management knows what success in real estate looks like, but it was their luxury residential property flipping projects that really tested their need for consistent, accurate bookkeeping.
Trying it All Before Finding the Right Bookkeeper
“Like many business owners, I’ve gone through a number of different bookkeeping solutions,” explains Rod G. from GPG Management. Their story is one we’ve heard before: they started by trying to handle the books themselves, but that quickly turned into a mess. Next came a local bookkeeper who knew the basics but didn’t understand the ins and outs of real estate.
After all, flipping multiple properties at once isn’t your standard bookkeeping job. “Real estate presents some particular problems when you have multiple projects,” Rod notes. “Having somebody that specializes in real estate and understands QuickBooks as it relates to real estate is important.”
Hoping to level up, GPG finally tried working with a fractional CFO and bookkeeping service. It seemed promising on paper, but reality fell short. They ended up with:
- A messy QuickBooks situation
- Too many people to communicate with
- Mistakes that shouldn’t have happened
- Slow responses despite the premium price tag
By this point, they were out thousands of dollars and hours of wasted time, with not much to show for it.
The Transformation with Ambrose Bookkeepers
When GPG partnered with us, we tackled their challenges in two phases:
1. The Cleanup Phase
Like many of our clients, GPG came to us with books that needed some serious attention. We love a good cleanup, so we dug in and got to work in QuickBooks. We set up a customized chart of accounts, set up property and entity tracking capabilities, and so much more. Our deep real estate experience meant we understood exactly what property flip accounting should look like and how to manage multiple project books effectively.
2. The Maintenance Phase
Once we got the books in order, we shifted into maintenance mode. “Kristen is very proactive,” Rod shares. “We’re always getting reminders: ‘Hey, I need an update on this entry’ or ‘I need to get the month closed down.’” Now, every month, GPG can count on clean books and consistent records from us, keeping everything running like clockwork.
Real Results
The improvements were clear and measurable:
- Clean, consistent financial records
- Smart data that can drive smart decisions
- Three hours saved every month compared to their previous setup
- Quick responses when they need answers
- Smoother processes across the board
- More time to focus on making deals
- Zero frustration
As Rod puts it, “What we need as real estate investors is people in our life helping us stay on top of the details. I want to be focused on the things that are going to ultimately make me money, which are the deals.”
Beyond Basic Bookkeeping
This wasn’t just about cleaner books—it was about finding a financial partner who really got it. “I’ve had lots of different experiences with different bookkeepers,,” Rod reflects. “I’ve had pleasant people, but with Ambrose Bookkeepers, I’ve just had a level of comfort that everything was getting done. And not just done, but done proactively, which is a different thing.”
The Bottom Line
For GPG Management, partnering with us delivered exactly what they’d been looking for: real estate know-how, QuickBooks expertise, and proactive management all rolled into one. Now they can focus on what they do best—making lucrative real estate deals—while knowing their books are in expert hands.
“I’ve already recommended Kristen,” says Rod. “100% hands down full recommendation. No concerns, highest marks for sure.”
Ready to Amp Up Your Own Bookkeeping to Match Your Ambition?
Maybe you’re in a similar position right now: you know your real estate business could perform better with the right financial systems in place. You’re ready to move from reactive to proactive, from uncertainty to confidence, from chaos to clarity.
Like GPG Management, you could have monthly financials that tell the true story of your business. You’d be able to make hiring and scaling decisions with complete confidence in your numbers. And you’d have a real estate bookkeeping expert in your corner, always ready to answer questions and help guide your growth.
That’s exactly what we deliver for real estate investors every day at Ambrose Bookkeepers, and we’d love to hear how we can help you!
Cleaned up video transcript:
“My business is real estate investment, primarily flipping luxury residential properties. I’ve gone through, like a lot of business owners, a number of different bookkeeping solutions. I’ve gone through trying to do it myself, which was the ultimate mess. Having a local bookkeeper who kind of knew what she was doing but didn’t really fully understand real estate wasn’t a real estate specialist – that wasn’t a great solution for us. Real estate presents some particular problems when you have multiple projects, so having somebody that specializes in real estate and understands and is an expert in QuickBooks as it relates to real estate is important.
From there, we went to a company that offers fractional CFO and bookkeeper solution. They sold themselves very well, but in the end, their execution was not great. Our QuickBooks was still messy and they made mistakes. Their communication wasn’t what we expected it to be and it was expensive.
Ultimately, we fired them and found Kristen. And since then, had a great experience. Kristen is prompt, responds very quickly and really cleaned up a mess for us. We were in a situation where we needed things cleaned up quickly and wanted to get back on track. She did that and it’s been great.
I would estimate that we’ve saved three hours a month in transitioning from our fractional CFO to Kristen, which is amazing because if you think about a fractional CFO having multiple levels, you would think that a larger company would be more efficient in dealing with your problems, but they only created weaknesses. Our experience in dealing with Kristen is that she’s been more efficient and saved us a significant amount of time.
Working with Kristen has been a really good experience. Surprising, actually. I’ve had lots of different experiences with different bookkeepers. None of them have been pleasant, really. I’ve had pleasant people, but none of them – I’ve just had a level of comfort that everything was getting done and not just done, but done proactively. Which is a different thing.
We started with a mess, which a lot of people start with some level of a mess. And so we worked through getting that cleaned up. And now we’re in maintenance mode, which is much nicer. And Kristen is very proactive. We’re always getting reminders: ‘Hey, I need an update on this entry. I need to get the month closed down.’ What we need as real estate investors or as business owners is people in our life helping us stay on top of the details because, at least for me, I want to be focused on the things that are going to ultimately make me money, which are the deals. And so that has made a big impact for me.
I’ve already recommended Kristen and 100 percent hands down full recommendation. No concerns, highest marks for sure.”