England’s Fastest Growing Residential Property Market
Manchester has been ranked as the top English city for residential investment in 2024 by Colliers, featuring third overall in the UK Residential Investment Cities report, following only Edinburgh and Glasgow in the whole of the UK.
This recognition was based on key factors such as economic performance, housing price growth, and population expansion: it’s safe to say, the residential property market in the city is booming.
And with a boom like this comes the exciting challenge of marketing property in Manchester to a burgeoning audience against ever-expanding competition.
Manchester’s Residential Growth in Numbers
Residents in Manchester have seen a remarkable 33% increase in house prices over the past five years, a figure that significantly outperforms the 15% average across the 20 cities surveyed by Colliers.
Though of course not everyone is happy at price increases in ‘their’ city, this rapid appreciation in property values highlights Manchester’s appeal to investors, developers, and homebuyers alike.
In the past year, exciting city-centre developments like Square Gardens and The Castings have opened their doors to residents, and have been filling up fast.
With ongoing regeneration projects, a thriving business ecosystem, and a growing population, Manchester’s residential property market is expanding at an unprecedented rate. Many will tell you it’s well on the way to becoming the ‘new London’ (for better or worse).
The demand for modern, high-quality housing has never been stronger, making it an ideal time for developers to maximise their investments.
Getting Digital with Property Marketing
Given MCR’s fast-paced property development, effective marketing strategies are essential for developers looking to stand out.
The pool of potential buyers, renters and investors is bigger than ever and only heading in one direction, and curating a digital marketing portfolio that is resilient and data-led is crucial for brands who want to reach high-intent customers.
Stats from Meta are evident to the fact that searching for a new home is more digital than ever: with 79% of homebuyers using online resources at some point in their search. Not only that but millennials spend nearly 14 hours a week on social media when looking for a new place to live.
Three highly effective platforms for marketing residential developments include:
Google Ads – Capturing intent-driven search queries from potential buyers, renters and investors actively looking for properties in Manchester on Google Search Network. And leverage Google Display and YouTube to cast the net even wider with low cost per view video ads and smart re-targeting.
TikTok Ads – Create engaging video content to attract younger demographics e.g. students and young professionals, and building brand awareness at low cost. By understanding how TikTok is fast-becoming many users’ search engine of choice, you can make this ad platform shrewd strategic move.
Meta Ads (Facebook & Instagram) – Utilising precise (localised) targeting options to showcase properties to interested users based on location, interests, and behaviours. This gives you access to the audiences that align to your business goals, and with a pay-per-click model it can be an extremely cost effective way to do so.
Hitting Target ROI
Property developers who invest time and effort into strategic digital marketing campaigns can expect high return on investment. The stats don’t lie, Manchester is a gold-mine for residential property investors.
The right marketing strategy is the tool that uncovers the treasure.
Google Ads can drive qualified traffic directly to property listings, while social media platforms like TikTok and Meta Ads can generate significant engagement, brand awareness, and lead conversions.
With a strong landing page built to prompt conversion, or use of Meta’s in-app forms, marketers can ask the right questions to qualify leads to deliver high-quality contacts for the sales team to nurture.
A phased approach is key to new developments: introducing the audience to a new brand during the build phase provides the foundation for success. By offering glimpses of key features (like communal areas, gyms etc for apartments), a teaser campaign can generate interest and, most-importantly, gather data of interested customers for low funnel contact or re-targeting campaigns.
The building blocks that follow depend on the development itself, but typically a prospecting campaign includes building and/or room tours, extra detail on unique selling points or highlights, and pricing. A special offers for early-adopters is a perfect way to start building a community quickly.
As that community builds, a switched-on marketing team will recognise the value of creating ad content that shows just how it feels to be a part of the development. If they are in-tune with the customer, they’ll understand that changing your home is a big life decision. Therefore it goes without saying that any development’s marketing must evoke an emotive reaction for people to consider it as a place to live.
As Manchester continues to grow as the leading residential property hotspot in England, securing a strong digital presence is key to capitalising on the market’s momentum. Whether targeting local buyers or international investors, a well-executed digital marketing strategy is an invaluable asset for any property development firm.
Time to Unlock Growth
With Manchester’s residential property market racing ahead of the rest of England, now is the time for developers to leverage cutting-edge marketing strategies.
Investing in Google Ads, TikTok Ads, and Meta Ads can unlock unparalleled growth opportunities, and set any property development apart from its competitors.
If you’re looking to market your residential development effectively, focusing on these digital strategies will help you maximise exposure and drive sales in one of the UK’s most exciting property markets.
