The build to rent (BTR) sector is experiencing rapid growth following the current housing demands, purchase cost inflation and changing consumer needs. Living in rented properties for longer and relishing the sense of community that comes with BTR developments is becoming both a preferential option and a means to satisfy lifestyle choices for many.
As demand increases for an industry that currently makes up less than 2% of the overall property market, BTR operators must continue to deliver the best service possible to stand out in the crowded market. As supported by the HomeViews 2022 National Build to Rent Report, exploring how the BTR sector continues to provide outstanding service to its residents, technology is fundamental for community building and delivering unrivalled customer service.
The power of technology
Yardi’s purposely designed BTR platform forms a single connected solution for property management that integrates marketing websites, online applications, CRM & leasing, accounting, procurement management, a branded resident app and more. Yardi’s end-to-end solution, currently used by many developments in the UK, is designed to automate processes and streamline activities for an improved resident experience.
According to the HomeViews report, out of 3,589 verified tenant reviews across the UK, Yardi developments were rated higher by residents in every review category than developments not using the software.
“Yardi developments were rated higher by residents in every review category than developments not using the software.”
This statistical correlation between technology and successful property management UK-wide highlights the importance of providing a seamless resident experience, from booking a viewing and signing a contract to accessing amenities and other services once living in the development.
“For developments using Yardi software to be scoring so much above average across every data point in such a competitive market is a significant achievement. This data, supported by resident reviews, clearly demonstrates a consistent trend of high performance for developments using Yardi.” – Hannah Marsh, co-founder of HomeViews.
The success of Greater Manchester
Delving into specific regions, the HomeViews BTR Report revealed that Greater Manchester BTR schemes consistently outperformed developments in the rest of the UK across every review category.
Out of 1,000 verified resident reviews across 43 developments, 82% gave the quality of their management a 4 or 5 out of 5 and 65% gave a 5 out of 5. Many of these reviews were attributed to excellent communication via a resident app, as explained by HomeViews – “Technology played a big role in how much residents enjoyed living in their developments. We saw an increasing number of references to apps and being able to quickly report issues.”
With this, it is paramount that providing a frictionless line of communication to residents through a mobile app is highly regarded and will set BTR operators apart from the rest of the market.
The latest HomeViews webinar, The secrets behind Manchester’s unrivalled BTR success, touches on ‘community building’ as another key factor in the success of Greater Manchester and discusses how technology is facilitating this.
Dougie Orton-Wade, asset manager of Allsop Lettings and Management, agreed that “community is the new amenity” and explained that roughly 95% of its resident reviews in 2021 alluded to ‘community’ or ‘team’.
In addition to local amenities and partnerships with external service providers, resident technology is another important asset to ensure communities are built and maintained. As seen in the HomeViews report, resident reviews from Vox by Allsop Lettings and Management justify the impact technology is having on BTR communities.
“Having an app where we can create posts has been such a good way of meeting people (especially since myself and my flatmate are new to Manchester).” – Jodie, Verified Resident on HomeViews, Vox by Allsop Letting and Management, October 2021.
With community at the forefront of considerations for BTR residents, having a single connected solution such as Yardi’s Residential Suite is a great way to drive resident engagement, deliver a resident-friendly experience and ensure happy tenants.
Going further than digitisation
Yardi’s solutions are not only designed to digitalise and automate many operational aspects but empower teams to free up valuable time to focus on nurturing residents and communities. Supported by Michael Howard, owner and managing director of UrbanBubble, Yardi’s clients are experiencing greater efficiencies post-implementation.
“Yardi’s RentCafe enables our team to provide a frictionless service from the moment they discover us to leasing the apartment of choice and making use of amenities once they have moved in. The efficiencies we see on the management and operations side save my team time and allow them to focus on what matters: providing our residents with a great experience and building a great community for them to live in.” – Michael Howard, owner and managing director of Urban Bubble.
Discover Yardi’s end-to-end BTR solution
Yardi’s single connected solution, including software and mobile apps, provides a fully end-to-end platform for the management of your build to rent operations. High-performance branded websites, powerful online applications, CRM and leasing are combined with financial and property management, procurement, maintenance, construction management and investor reporting to provide a seamless experience.
Additionally, our white-label resident app can be branded to your company or community to further enhance the resident journey. By utilising a connected platform, you enable your residents to take control of their application process, payments and more. Yardi’s BTR platform is not only designed to digitalise and automate operations but to empower teams to free up valuable time to focus on nurturing residents and communities with one source of truth.