Build homes at low risk, anywhere in Ireland
Gain access to verified buyer demand while planning your project and lock in actual, committed buyers before you submit the planning application.
When you apply, you can use our free matchmaker service. FInd a partner or partners. Find finance. Whatever you need.
Investment from Enterprise Ireland
We are proud to be an Enterprise Ireland-backed company.
Enterprise Ireland's vital, albeit small, foundational support enabled us to launch a solution with unparalleled efficiency compared to other housing efforts by the state — tackling Ireland's largest problem with smart, targeted investment. This is a small but crucial first step on a much larger journey.
Whether you're a homebuyer or a homebuilder, we're keenly aware this investment is made on behalf of the Irish people 🇮🇪, and we will never lose sight of this responsibility.
This initial seed of support has been instrumental. However, to truly scale and create a competitive ecosystem of problem-solvers, a broader and more ambitious mandate is required. We continue to advocate for a #HomesMarketTechFund to build upon this successful foundation and properly resource the companies capable of solving our national housing crisis.
You Can Own a Part of the Solution
Become a stakeholder in Ireland's housing revolution.
Our community investment approach allows ordinary people to own a stake in solving Ireland's housing crisis. Starting from just €500, you can join our community funding round and get equity in a company that's transforming how Ireland builds homes.
Enterprise Ireland has already backed us because they see the massive potential, but we want ordinary people to own part of the solution too. Your investment converts to equity at a 20% discount to the valuation set by professional investors in a future funding round, rewarding you for your early support.
We're pursuing this community approach to stay independent as long as possible, allowing our human-friendly social good mission to bed in properly without pressure to alter our models for purely short-sighted commercial gains. Your investment helps us maintain this focus on solving the housing crisis, first and foremost.
Why Partner with Homebuyer's Hero?
security A Radically De-risked Approach to Development
Getting a site costs money. Getting planning permission costs money. What if there are no buyers after all the hassle? Who can afford to carry that? Our model is designed to ensure buyers are present and committed before you incur major planning application costs.
Read a bit more expand_moreIf there aren't enough of them still there after you get planning permission, their commitment cash will compensate you for costs. But there will be, because we manage the queue of buyers all through the planning process.
trending_down Significantly reduced planning risk
We set everyone up for success from the outset. From your earliest pre-planning meeting, you will know the demand in the area. The number of buyers, their capacity to purchase, the homes they want.
Read a bit more expand_moreYou will use this data, for free, to find the perfect match between the demand, the site size / asking price and the development plan stipulations for the site. Nothing remotely like this is currently available anywhere.
Planners don't like speculative development, but you are coming with hard data and if they won't adjust their thinking to the data you simply walk away from the site. Simple.
insights Demand-led Development
On sites where demand matches the planning authority's vision, buyers will be committed pre-planning and will have observations submitted on the planning file, counteracting spurious objections.
Read a bit more expand_moreConcerns for views, visual amenity, over-shadowing or the like will be seen in proper perspective under our models.
This means that far from being speculative development, projects using Homebuyer's Hero are demand-led development. This is very significant from the point of view of a planner.
credit_score Understand Finance Availability Early
Under our models, finance providers understand early on that they also have very much reduced risk. This changes things significantly for assessment and lending terms.
Read a bit more expand_moreNow they can:
- Assess sites using Homebuyer's Hero before planning is granted
- Give much better gearing and go to areas they wouldn't have lent in, without our models
Why? Because they know that their cash will not be drawn down until the buyers are all neatly in contracts after the grant of planning permission, at which point there is far less risk for them than normal.
Major lenders have confirmed they will engage with home builders at very early stages if they are using Homebuyer's Hero. 👍
bedtime Get a good night's sleep - every night!
As things are now, even if you could get the site, get planning permission and get finance, you are still putting your capital and more at risk. What if buyers don't show up?
Read a bit more expand_moreHome builders who get that far tend to squeeze hard and this has a very negative feedback into the market and leads to the boom/bust cycle. It's why you aren't building now. Homebuilding simply isn't possible in Ireland outside the cities, without taking risks only few can handle, even if you can get finance.
With Homebuyer's Hero, you do not have to carry all the risk through planning, and then hope for the best and pay significantly for marketing at that point. From the outset, you know the homes are all spoken for or the project simply doesn't reach critical mass and you can pivot to a different site without having incurred the significant costs of a full planning application.
lightbulb A new way to look at things
You don't have to stick to the larger urban areas or worry about competition. Choose sites in Ireland's smaller towns and villages - where many people want to live - and do so without risk.
Read a bit more expand_moreCompetition
If you wish to develop a project, you might worry if another home builder in your area might split the market or go to market with a product favoured by buyers, or perhaps in a better location. However, this need not be an issue at all if you are using Homebuyer's Hero, as our platform ensures that you have your buyers signed up in a new two-way relationship.
Which site?
Our models also allow for interesting ways to structure the purchase, such that the price of the site is commensurate with the actual unit yield, post planning.
Join us if you want to build homes
Apply and help reshape the future of homebuilding in Ireland.
Your Journey with Homebuyer's Hero
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Make an Application
Begin your journey with us - even if you're only half ready!You may be a builder or a developer or someone with track record working elsewhere who wants to get in the game. You don't need to know everything yet and you can explore sites without everything being in place yet.
Read a bit more expand_moreWe will need to understand your track record (knowledge, experience, etc) and financial capacity. We can connect you to JV partners and finance providers.
Propose Development Sites
Share your project ideas!Submit potential sites and preliminary project details, even if you don't have everything in place yet like finance or team. We'll help you gauge buyer interest in these areas.
Read a bit more expand_moreDeveloping buyer numbers will attract you to areas and your proposals will attract buyers. This creates a dynamic marketplace where supply and demand inform each other from the earliest stages.
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Engage with Planners
Use our data to inform planning decisionsGeneral numbers of buyers in your area and buyers interested specifically in your site and project will inform layouts and unit designs to get the best fit between the market and any rigidity in the planning authority.
Read a bit more expand_moreSite value will start becoming clear. It will now be possible to cost the development accurately based on real market demand and planning requirements.
Secure Commitments
This step makes housing development the default again for the construction industryWe queue up buyers for your development and they make a financial commitment which binds them to you and you to them. They get to lock in a home with a high degree of probability and you get restful nights!
Read a bit more expand_moreDuring the planning process, we will maintain this queue for the project, letting people in and out, but maintaining the numbers we need. If planning comes through and buyers do not proceed in enough numbers, your costs will be addressed via the financial commitment from those in our queues who will not sign contracts when offered, if we fail to replace them with others at go time.
This is highly unlikely given the nature of how the system works. Does this mean housing development is now a no brainer for SMEs in the construction industry, with a higher margin and less risk than sub-contracting on commercial projects?
We certainly think so!
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Planning Permission Application
Move forward efficiently!After getting to a GO / NO-GO on the project and with buyers all signed up, you submit your planning application. With all the prospective buyers submitting observations on the file, we expect better results, faster, under our models.
Read a bit more expand_moreRemember, it is this process which serves to derisk your home building. You may cycle through two or three sites searching for the optimal site, but that doesn't matter. There is so much low hanging fruit out there in terms of obviously suitable sites, and we derisk the aspects of development which is making them unusable right now.
Don't fixate on one site and feel it must be pushed through planning. That's the old way. The new way is to use our data to pick the one with the best chance possible.
After Planning Decision Tasks
Seal the deal!If we have a grant of planning permission, your solicitor will issue contracts to those buyers in the queue managed by us. We will hit critical mass of buyers and away you go to the next stage!
Read a bit more expand_moreIf planning is granted and for some reason, so many buyers are not ready to proceed AND we can't get others, then all those who will not proceed with contracts forfeit their commitment cash and you are compensated. It is highly unlikely, barring some massive economic shock, that we would end up with this result.
It is possible that planning permission will not be granted, despite all positive indicators. Our platform significantly reduces the risk of this eventuality by allowing you to make much better decisions about proceeding with a particular site to planning application stage.
Under our models you will continue to bear this risk, much reduced from current levels, but still present. It just won't include the risk of not getting buyers and it won't include the risk of not knowing if the development plan and market are compatible.
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Begin Construction
Do what you do best after letting us mitigate your risks.Start building with the assurance of pre-sold units and a supportive community. You can focus on what you do best - construction - without worrying about market risk.
Read a bit more expand_moreWith buyers already committed and contracts in place, you can proceed with confidence. Regular updates to buyers throughout construction help maintain engagement and build community even before move-in day.
Complete and... Repeat! 🔁
Welcome to profitable, sustainable homebuilding!
Congratulations! Your journey with Homebuyer's Hero has led you to this moment. Enjoy the success of delivering quality homes while knowing you've played a key role in reshaping Ireland's housing future.
While your development was taking shape, your business continued to grow and thrive. Now, it's time to celebrate completed homes and plan your next profitable project!
🏗️💰📈🏠🎯🤝💡🌟🔧🏆📋✅🍀💼🎉🔁
While timelines can vary based on project specifics, our system streamlines the process significantly by removing market uncertainty. A typical journey with Homebuyer's Hero involves several key phases that work together to deliver results.
- Registration and Validation: A short while to apply and then a call and some paperwork with us.
- Proposing Sites and Buyer Engagement: Several weeks to present potential sites, gather buyer interest, and secure commitments.
- Planning and Approvals: This can take several months, depending on local authority processes, but our demand-led approach significantly improves success rates.
- Construction: Varies based on the project's scale but typically ranges from several months to over a year, with the confidence of pre-sold units.
From sign up to handing over the first batch of keys, we estimate around 3 years, and we hope to shave time off this even with our first projects.
Throughout the process, our platform supports you at each stage to keep the project moving efficiently. Know too that if you are working elsewhere, this process does not require that you stop other pursuits in the interim, as long as you can demonstrate track record and financial capacity to borrow.
With Homebuyer's Hero, you can move from concept to construction with confidence, knowing your homes are already spoken for. Jump in - apply today - it's a short process to kick off.
Ready to do what you thought you'd be doing 15 years ago?
You've been thinking for years about a residential development. The time is right now. Apply to Homebuyer's Hero today to get the ball rolling. It's OK if everything isn't 100% - we're not the lender. 😉 We will help you get ship-shape.
Frequently Asked Questions
Homebuyer's Hero is an innovative platform designed to revolutionise the homebuilding process in Ireland. We connect SME builders with verified buyer demand, reducing risks and streamlining development.
Our system facilitates early buyer engagement, helping builders like you plan and execute projects with confidence.
Don't worry if you don't have everything in place. We will help you get there, even including pairing you with potential JV (joint venture) partners and finance providers.
For now, simply document your track record - essentially like a couple of points on a CV - which say when and where you worked for a company or on a project which contributes to your experience as a home builder. Write down all of these and that is enough to go on.
For those of you who are more developer than builder, document your experience. All we need is a small paragraph on each project or piece of experience.
Homebuyer's Hero offers several key benefits to builders:
- Reduce Development Risk: Access to verified buyer demand minimises speculative building.
- Streamlined Planning: Data-driven approach expedites approvals by filtering for potentially successful applications before submission and tailors developments to market needs.
- Transparent Processes: Clear communication builds trust with buyers through open processes, transparent pricing and shared objectives.
- Competitive Advantage: Leverage our platform to showcase your projects to an engaged audience of potential buyers.
- Improved Access to Financing: Verified buyer commitments strengthen your financing applications and provide assurance on finance before you start spending big.
- Build Vibrant Communities: Contribute to community growth by providing much-needed housing where it's most desired.
By connecting you with verified buyer demand, our platform ensures you're building homes that are already in demand. This reduces the uncertainty associated with speculative building and helps you see sight of finance at the earliest of stages.
Knowing that homes are pre-sold allows you to plan more effectively and reduces the financial risks associated with planning applications and attempting housing development.
Our platform provides tools for communication with interested buyers en masse. You can share project updates, gather feedback, and answer queries, fostering a transparent and collaborative relationship, all with our help, encouragement nad active problem-solving support.
This engagement helps tailor your developments to meet buyer preferences, enhancing satisfaction and trust and ensuring a low-risk approach to development.
By providing evidence of genuine buyer demand, our platform strengthens your planning applications. Authorities are more likely to approve developments that meet verified community needs and less likely to tinker with things. We are in a housing crisis after all and the country needs planners and planning authorities capable of a parctical approach.
The data and insights from buyer engagement can also help address potential concerns at the earliest stages of design, making the approval process smoother and more efficient.
By securing commitments from buyers through our platform, you can present strong evidence of demand to financial institutions. Such is the strength of this, that some financial institutions are willing to engage at the earliest stages of our models.
We will pass you to the finance people at the appropriate point, early on and we can also connect you to potential partners - people who have indicated to us that they are excited to engage with our dealflow to add value and potentially team up.
Absolutely! Our platform is designed to empower SME builders across Ireland. By providing access to buyer demand and reducing risks, we level the playing field, allowing smaller builders to compete effectively with larger developers. It's not much of a competition really - many SMEs are located in areas where people desperately want to be and can't see any way to buy a home. For now.
We support you throughout the development process, helping you get your project off the ground and contribute to local communities.
We take data privacy seriously and comply with all relevant data protection regulations. Personal information is securely stored and only shared with necessary parties involved in the development process.
Our platform uses strong security measures to protect your data and the data of buyers engaging with your projects.
We provide ongoing support throughout your development journey. This includes assistance with platform features, buyer engagement, data interpretation, strategy and more.
Our team is dedicated to helping you succeed, offering support, practical help, publicity and guidance whenever you need it.
Getting started is easy! Click on the "Apply" button to register your business on our platform. Follow the prompts to provide the necessary information and begin your journey towards successful, low-risk, profitable, demand-driven development.
If you have any questions or need assistance during the registration process, our support team is here to help. Use the chat button at the lower right corner of every page on this website.
You will require an architect or engineer with a track record for understanding the planning process and/or a planning professional who can work with one or both of these. You may already have good relationships with such professionals.
You will also require a Quantity Surveyor. They have an important job under our processes and will be required to give Homebuyer's Hero a duty of care. Some of their traditional tasks will be front-loaded to before planning application to provide pricing etc for our models and so buyers know what they are getting into. But this will only be required when you really have a very good idea that it is worth proceeding.
At the outset, your planning agent, which may be an engineer or architect, will be required to give us the understanding of the status of pre-planning consultations, the highlights of your site, etc.
Most likely, there will be very little costs for you to get to an understanding that you want to proceed. It's good business for people to work together and we will encourage you and your professionals to enter into our suggested structure which encourages working together to get to a point of good understanding on the project, with the understanding that they will be then engaged for the entirety of the project.
It's good for you and good for them.
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