Drone being used for a house survey flying over a house.

What’s the next innovation in the UK property market? Five ideas that aren’t as futuristic as you might think.

10 Nov 2025 | 1 min

From drone surveys to swipe-based property apps, technology is already reshaping how we buy, sell, and build homes.

In this blog, we explore five emerging trends that could soon become everyday tools for homeowners, brokers, and developers alike.

Professional bearded man in a smart casual beige jacket stood up and using a VR headset at work.

VR viewings

Would you like to look around your next home…from the comfort of your own home?

VR tours are already being used by agents and developers to help buyers explore properties remotely.

Platforms like Matterport and Giraffe360 are being used to create immersive virtual walkthroughs, with some agents offering full VR headset-compatible experiences.

This tech is especially popular with overseas buyers, relocators, and busy professionals, and, as 5G and mobile VR adoption grow, virtual viewings could become a standard part of the property journey.

Professional woman showing a property app on her phone with a house covered in green vines behind her.

Property Matchmaker apps

Could finding your perfect property match be a simple swipe away?

Swipe-based apps like MoveStreets and Casa are gaining popularity, especially among younger buyers who want a faster, more personalised search experience.

These apps offer daily property suggestions based on lifestyle preferences, not just price and postcode. Some even open direct chats with agents when you ‘swipe right’.

A group of builders in orange vests and yellow hard hats stood around a site plan.

AI assisted planning processes

Can AI help to ease the pain of getting planning permission?

Tools like Extract, trialled by UK councils in 2025, are already speeding up planning reviews by scanning and interpreting documents in minutes.

Future innovations could include AI-powered planning assistants that simulate how local authorities might respond to an application, flagging potential objections, policy conflicts, or appeal risks before submission.

With nearly 330,000 planning applications submitted annually, AI could help reduce delays, free up officer time, and accelerate housing delivery across the UK.

A builder on a development site using a drone to conduct a survey.

‘Fly by’ valuations

Will drone surveys become the norm?

Drone-based inspections could offer faster, safer, and more detailed assessments, especially for hard-to-reach or large sites.

Equipped with high-resolution cameras and thermal imaging, drones can capture roof condition, plot boundaries, and even structural anomalies.

As regulation catches up and costs fall, this tech could become a valuable tool for surveyors, especially in auction sales, bridging deals, or time-sensitive transactions.

Bio-concrete being skimmed on to a wall.

Self-repairing materials

What if your house could fix that crack in the wall itself?

In 2025, UK trials of bio-concrete, which uses bacteria to seal cracks when exposed to moisture, have shown promising results in public buildings and civil engineering. Self-healing paints and polymers are also being developed to repair surface damage automatically.

While still niche in residential construction, these materials could pave the way for longer-lasting homes, lower upkeep costs, and smarter sustainability.

The property market is always evolving, and, as we’ve highlighted, so is the tech behind it.

At Together, we’re always looking at ways to support our award-winning solutions and customer service using the latest innovations and technologies, making our processes as simple and stress-free as possible.

If you’re looking for finance to fund your next purchase, speak to our expert team to see if we can turn tomorrow’s dreams into today’s reality.

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