We first encountered homeAR in March. The solution for home builders and their customers creates virtual models of homes that are viewable on-site or in “dollhouse mode” from anywhere. So what’s the next step? Whole AR communities? In fact, yes. Other recent platform updates include “Always-On” functionality and greater compatibility with other apps.
Welcome homeAR
HomeAR It’s been around for a while now, but it’s only been around in its current version for a few years after CEO Richard Penny drew inspiration from his own experience building a house.
The last time we checked in with homeAR, future homeowners could view the AR model of their home on location or wherever they are. Either solution has made it easier for them to plan their future home to better work with contractors to ensure everything goes according to plan (or change the plan).
“When someone uses it and expects it to behave like a house, we want to make it usable so people aren’t just interacting with a 3D widget, they’re interacting with a house.” Penny said AR Post at the time.
The app was good for exactly that. People having a house built could see their house practically before the ground was even broken on their property. But not all homes are custom built by a homeowner working with a private contractor. What about people looking to move into a new housing complex or development? This is where some of the new features come in.
Your next home hasn’t been built yet
HomeAR has rolled out a bunch of new features, but one of the most exciting is the Always active characteristic. Builders can import their CAD models into the homeAR backend and then associate the model with a QR code on site. Site visitors can then scan the QR code to launch the experience.
This experience consists of virtual homes pinned to their future locations in the physical world. Potentially replacing a single model home and an artist’s 2D rendering of the construction site, this experience allows visitors to imagine an entire unbuilt community in the physical environment around them.
“Being able to take buyers on a journey where they can experience not just an individual home, but an entire community, is extremely powerful for both parties,” Penny said in a statement shared with AR Post. “This Always-On technology provides a glimpse of the future on the construction site and is the perfect tool to help someone imagine what lies ahead.”
This tool not only provides information to visitors, it also provides information to developers. Metrics collected from users interacting with the virtual development help project managers understand how potential residents are exploring the site.
And after?
This is not the end of homeAR. Some of the features Penny told us to expect in the future still aren’t here – like space-anchored notes in virtual model homes and in-app video recording. We don’t know when to expect these features, but it’s nice to see the company isn’t standing still.