Homebuyer Satisfaction & Loyalty: Don’t Let Moving In Become Moving On

Homebuilders: Handing over the keys to a newly built home is an exciting step in your buyers’ home journey, but it shouldn’t be the end of the builder/buyer relationship. By nurturing this relationship — even after buyers have moved in — you can increase home buyer satisfaction and loyalty, which can have significant returns for your business long-term.  

Below, we explore why homebuyer satisfaction and loyalty is so important, and how you can nurture it even after your buyers have moved in. 

3 Reasons Why Homebuyer Satisfaction & Loyalty Is Important

1. Nothing Beats Word-of-Mouth Marketing

When a homebuyer is happy with their experience, they’ll likely share it with others: family, friends, and neighbors (in other words — more prospective buyers). The best thing about word-of-mouth marketing? It doesn’t cost a thing. Plus, people are much more likely to trust a family member, friend, or neighbor than an ad. If that review is positive, it may send new business your way.

2. Happy Buyers Keep Coming Back

Although repeat customers aren’t as common in the homebuilding industry as they are in other industries, you might still find that satisfied buyers drive additional business. Even if a buyer doesn’t hire you to build an entirely new house, they may bring you on for a remodel or add-on down the line.

3. New Customers (Homebuyers) Cost More Than Old Ones

The cost of acquiring a new customer is typically much more than the cost of retaining an existing one. When it comes to digital advertising, new data suggests an ad must be seen at least 20 times to make a sale. (Unfortunately, each of those ad views is costing your organization money!)

A previous customer (i.e. homebuyer) already has you in mind, and — in theory — trusts the quality of your work. Humans are creatures of habit, so if a customer has already had a great experience with you, they’re much more likely to hire you again rather than search for a new business.

4. Loyal Buyers Provide Feedback

Loyal buyers care about the success of your building company and want you to know how you can do better in the future. They’ll sing your praises for the things they loved, and they’ll often work with you to remedy the things they didn’t. As long as you’re willing to listen to and learn from criticism, a loyal homebuyer can help you inspire even more loyalty in the next buyer.

How Homebuilders Can Increase Home Buyer Loyalty

Building loyalty may sound daunting, but it’s probably easier than you think. Just like in any relationship, the key to buyer loyalty includes regular contact, ongoing support, and willingness to accommodate and adjust.

1. Start Building Loyalty Before You Start Building

From the first day of contact with a prospective buyer, focus on building loyalty by treating it like you would a romantic relationship. (It may sound strange, but stay with us.) Don’t “ghost” them after the first quote and hope they’ll come back anyway. Follow up after every meeting. Ask things like:

• Now that you’ve had time to think, do you have any additional questions for me?
• Do you have any hesitations about working together?
• What can I do to mitigate those hesitations — to put your mind at ease?

Buyers will love that you care enough to make them comfortable and prioritize providing a positive experience.

2. Follow Up Post-Move-In

The builder/buyer relationship shouldn’t end when you hand over the keys. Checking in with your buyers after they’ve lived in the home for a little while can help them feel like you care about your work and their experience. 

An appropriate follow-up can be as simple as asking them if they’re satisfied with the work or reminding them of regular maintenance that might be needed. Even sending them a quick thank-you or housewarming card can show them you care.

You may also consider setting up a regular newsletter you can send to former and prospective buyers showcasing your current projects. This will keep you top of mind and further demonstrate your skill and expertise. A newsletter also gives buyers something to forward along to family and friends that might be interested in a new home.

3. Partner With a Home Maintenance Subscription Provider

For first-time buyers, the reality of homeownership can be overwhelming. It’s a lot all at once — and, whether justified or not, buyers’ frustration is sometimes taken out on their builder.

A common homeownership challenge is maintenance. Often, new homeowners don’t even know where to begin. Which systems and appliances need maintenance — and when? What should I do if I’m having an issue? What’s the deal with product registration . . . do I need to register my home appliances with the manufacturer? 

Tools like HomeKeep can help homeowners know exactly what, when, how, and how much is needed to take care of their home. It simplifies the process of homeownership by creating regular, easy-to-follow plans, specific tutorials, and timely maintenance reminders.

Homeowners simply add their home’s systems, components, and appliances — and HK does the rest:

• Registers each major home product so that they are under warranty
• Automatically adds product manuals
• Creates customized plans and instructions to ensure every part of the home remains in top working order. 

With HomeKeep, homeowners can spend more time enjoying their home — and less time worrying about its upkeep. HomeKeep: the smart, stress-free way to manage and maintain your home.

4. Take Feedback in Stride

If a customer cares enough to provide feedback, make sure that you really learn from it. Find a way to show them that you’ve heard what they have to say — positive or negative — and will implement that feedback on future work. 

Consider sending a survey or providing a comment card upon move-in to indicate that you’re open to feedback, and make sure to respond if they complete it. If repairs or warranty claims are involved, be sure to get the work completed in a timely manner to show the customer that you care about their experience.

Boost Customer Loyalty With HomeKeep

The convenience of HomeKeep’s home maintenance app makes it that much easier to inspire buyer loyalty. For more information on how HomeKeep can lead to happy buyers, check out our homebuilder services and get in touch by filling out our contact form.