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A Homebuyer's Guide to Navigating Review Sites

  • Written on March 03, 2021

In the process of finding your perfect, new home, it can be tough to traverse through the sea of online review and rating websites. With 93% of consumers checking online review sites before making a purchase, it’s important to understand the value of each review site and how it can help you in your purchase. We’ve taken the time to break down the different review sites you are looking at during your home buying journey, as well as what information those reviews can give you.

  1. Google Reviews. A staple in the review community, Google Reviews are one of the easiest to sift through as they pop up right when you search for a company online. The ratings are easily visible, with the most recent reviews at the click of a mouse. One great aspect of Google Reviews is that you can quickly see the company’s nearby locations and the specific reviews and ratings for each. For homebuyers, this feature helps you pick and choose the neighborhood you want to see reviews about swiftly! The best thing about Google Reviews is that it is totally transparent. A company is not able to remove reviews from their location listings which makes these reviews some of the best to look at if you are looking for honest opinions.
  2. Industry-specific review sites. To narrow down your searches to only homebuilders, there are specific review sites for just that. Websites like Guild Quality work directly with verified homebuyers only for their thoughts and ratings on every aspect of the homebuying process – other pages allow people who may have never entered or purchased a home write a review. Stanley Martin Homes also recently teamed up with Avid Ratings, another great review site that uses a revolutionary software platform to gather homebuyer feedback!
  3. Yelp Reviews. Well-known for finding top rated restaurants, nail salons, and other retail in a specific area, the site’s almost 150 million visitors per month provide a wide network for word-of-mouth recommendations. Check this site to see how far away the best hair salon in the area is from your home or to ensure you can get pizza delivered to your new residence. One main drawback to keep an eye out for: Yelp filters out about 25% of user reviews through their algorithm, that could contain glowing, positive reviews or even some bad ones.
  4. Houzz. A house is not truly a home without some personalization and unique touches! With home design websites like Houzz, you can shop for various home products, receive some design inspiration and contact general contractors or remodeling experts in your area. While not a “true” review site, Houzz is a great way to tackle your next home project and get insight from people in your area on who to use to help you with design!
  5. Trip Advisor. When moving to a new area or even a new neighborhood within your beloved city, you want to make sure there’s plenty to do outside of your home. Think like a tourist and check Trip Advisor prior to moving to see where the closest museums are if you’re an art lover, the most hidden trails are for outdoor enthusiasts or where the nearest amusement park for the kids.

We hope these websites help you in your search for finding the perfect new home! If you’re in the process of finding the right location and neighborhood for your new home, click here to browse the locations we currently build in. Our New Home Consultants are ready to help you begin the process of creating your dream home.