We take a look back over 2022 and how, in the midst of challenging conditions, HomeViews has been able to respond to market changes and sustain growth while expanding its reach and authority as a highly respected source of data.
IN BRIEF
- 51% increase in visitor numbers
- Over 40,000 reviews live on site
- 4 minutes 36 seconds avg. time spent by visitors on development pages
- New partners include Redrow, Lovell Homes and Southern Housing Group
- Reports published on BTR, BTS, sustainability and top locations
2022 was the year we all hoped would bring a return to normal following Covid. However, the Ukraine conflict and its repercussions have left few regions or sectors untouched. In the UK, effects were compounded by a disastrous mini-budget from our shortest-serving Prime Minister, which, alongside the ongoing Brexit fallout, has made 2022 a tumultuous year for the property industry.
However, rental demand in the UK remains high. The sales market has shown signs of rebounding sooner than expected. Operators, developers, housing associations and suppliers are as keen as ever to be able to access the most accurate and insightful data to give them a strategic edge and inform the services they provide.
HomeViews reports and research are now a core part of the company’s proposition, with new industry partners continuing to sign up for the resident insights only HomeViews can provide. Let’s take a look at this, and a few other headlines from the past year.
HOMEVIEWS HEADLINES 2022
HomeViews traffic up 51% year-on-year
Visitors to HomeViews.com continued to grow steadily in 2022, building on previous years of rapid increase to push close to two million annual sessions on the site. 90% of visitors found the site through search and, despite growing volumes, user engagement on the site remained high. For example, visitors averaged 4 minutes and 36 seconds spent viewing development pages.
Over 40,000 reviews now live on HomeViews
HomeViews’ proactive review collection has continued in 2022, bringing the total number of reviews on the site up to over 40,000. Reviews now cover apartment, housing and social housing developments across the UK, giving unmatched review data and insights on all types of new homes.
New industry partners include Lovell Homes, Redrow, Southern Housing Group and Hill Group
HomeViews continues to add to its list of partner developers, housebuilders and housing associations. 2022 saw Lovell Homes, Redrow, Southern Housing Group, Hill Group, Telereal Trillium, Fabrica, Cordings, Citra Living, Kingsford, VervLife, Network Homes and The James added to the roster of over 50 current HomeViews partners.
Improved tools for partners and non-partners
Developers, housebuilders and housing associations partnering with HomeViews were given a new and improved dashboard earlier this year, providing simple, instant access to their review data and industry benchmarks. The new interface added new features including the ability to select any time periods, better measure portfolio performance, filter data by resident type and age, and a keyword search function to better track resident sentiment.
HomeViews also launched its Engage Package to provide non-partners with easier access to their development pages on the site. This allows them to more easily collect and respond to resident reviews.
HomeViews partners with EE for 2022 Sustainability Report + webinar
Following its launch in 2021, the second HomeViews report Sustainability: The Resident Perspective was published in October. The report’s most surprising finding was that younger respondents valued sustainable building features less than older residents. The accompanying webinar discussed the report’s main headlines and included expert input from Zoopla, Stonewood Homes and Telford Homes.
2022 HomeViews BTR Resident Choice Awards expand to 12 titles
The annual HomeViews Resident Choice Awards for the Build to Rent industry took place at the UKAA’s BTR Conference in November. More award categories were added for 2022 to reflect the UKAA’s regional hubs, drawing from reviews and data covering over 89% of completed BTR developments. New awards included Team of Year and Team Member of the Year.
First ever HomeViews Location Ratings Report launched + webinar
For the first time ever, HomeViews analysed more than 28,000 resident reviews to find the UK’s most-loved locations. The inaugural HomeViews Location Ratings Report identified Edinburgh as the UK’s top location, and Bromley was found to be the highest-rated London borough. The accompanying webinar Mapping the Future: What Makes the Perfect Location? saw experts from CBRE, Urban Strategy and Moda join HomeViews CEO Rory Cramer to discuss how to find the best residential locations post-Covid.
HomeViews work with Realyse, Cortland Consult and the UKAA to create interactive BTR map
A new interactive map allows users to view HomeViews resident ratings for over 90% of the UK’s BTR communities alongside data on the full pipeline of BTR developments. Created in collaboration with Realyse, Cortland Consult and The UKAA, the map can be viewed here.
New hires and roles to boost partner services and improve products
Key hires in 2022 included Grace Tolley-Smith, who has brought extensive product management expertise to improving the platform and related partner services. Zora Vukovic quickly established herself as a crucial member of the account management team, while Emma James was promoted to Account Executive. The team is now led by Chloe McCallum, who was promoted to Head of Accounts and Partnership Marketing earlier in the year. Lastly, Ian Chapman was promoted to Head of Development to oversee the expanding in-house tech team.
First ever New Build Resident Experience Report launched with commentary from Zoopla + webinar
For the first time ever, HomeViews compiled its extensive data on Build to Sell developments across the UK to launch a report of unprecedented detail on the new build resident experience. Commentary from Zoopla provided additional insights, while the accompanying webinar explored the report’s key findings.
2022 HomeViews Build to Rent Report and webinar explored Manchester’s ascendance
In what has become the definitive analysis of the Build to Rent sector, the 2022 release of the HomeViews Build to Rent Report drew upon a dataset twice the size of the previous year’s report. Using data covering 64% of completed BTR stock in the UK, the report included an analysis of why Manchester schemes are leading the industry in the UK.
Register to receive your copy of the upcoming 2023 report here.
First ever New Build Buyer’s Guide launched with the HomeOwners Alliance
HomeViews partnered with the HomeOwner’s Alliance to create and launch our first-ever New Build Buyer’s Guide. The free guide includes a list of the 10 things homeowners wish they’d known before buying, as well as ranked lists of the top 10 UK developers for first time buyers and top 5 housing associations for Shared Owners. The HomeOwners Alliance added their expert tips on the process of buying a new home to create a uniquely comprehensive guide for new build buyers.
HomeViews exhibits at London Homes Show
HomeViews exhibited at the Share to Buy London Homes Show for the first time back in April. The team gave out the HomeViews New Build Buyer’s Guide to visitors and CEO Rory Cramer presented key elements from the guide in the show’s seminar series.
Partners amplify positive reviews for maximum impact
Third party validation offers some of the most powerful marketing content available. HomeViews partners continue to create effective campaigns simply by amplifying their ratings and positive resident feedback.
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HomeViews provides verified resident reviews of the UK’s housing developments. We’re working with developers, house builders, operators, housing associations and the Government to recognise high performers and help improve standards in the built environment.
