Cross-platform property search and real estate app for the US market
A mobile-first, intuitive real estate platform empowering US buyers and renters to search, filter, and engage with properties and agents — all with rich media, secure chat, and AI-powered personalization. Built using cross-platform and backend technologies designed for rapid delivery and long-term scalability.
This project is delivered under NDA; we cannot disclose the product name or provide a live link.
Project idea
Our client’s vision was to empower prospective buyers and renters to discover homes or apartments through an app designed from the ground up with a mobile-first approach.
Key features would include map-based navigation, AI-driven recommendations, and secure agent communications — all while equipping real estate professionals with the tools to manage listings and capture new leads.
US residents searching for properties to rent or buy.
Busy professionals seeking an efficient, mobile-first search experience.
Real estate agents looking for direct, secure channels to reach and engage clients.
From onboarding to messaging and notifications, every touchpoint is focused on clarity, trust, and speed.
Design mobile-first interfaces for iOS and Android with high visual clarity
Enable advanced, map-based property search with deep filtering
Deliver rich listing pages: media galleries, floorplans, and neighborhood info
Integrate real-time chat and push notifications for buyer-agent communication
Build a scalable, secure backend for listings, user management, and messaging
Empower administrators with a robust, intuitive admin panel
Implement in-app monetization: paid featured listings and agent subscriptions
Lay the groundwork for AI-driven recommendations and dynamic content
UI/UX Design
Inspired by both industry standards and the needs of on‑the‑go US users, the visual approach is modern, calming, and loaded with trust signals. High-resolution media and subtle branding create a reassuring, professional atmosphere.
User flows and structure
Concept
The map-based search acts as the launchpad, with clustered pins and heatmaps surfacing listings in real US neighborhoods. Each listing page features immersive imagery, local school and transit info, and instant “Contact Agent” chat. The user dashboard keeps favorites, alerts, and recent interactions at a glance.
Clarity for confident real estate decisions
Clean layouts keep critical facts (price, address, contact) always visible
Minimalist navigation helps users focus on properties, not menus
Intuitive filters and map tools (draw search area, toggle layers) drive search precision
Progress cues for messaging and appointment booking sustain momentum
Robust accessibility for voiceover, contrast, and font scaling
A complete component library provides consistency across both iOS and Android. Colors, icons, and reusable cards allow rapid rollout of new features or markets.
Platform’s key features
Frictionless onboarding and profiles
Getting started and personalizing the experience is simple for both users and agents, providing quick access and seamless management from day one.
- New users can start instantly with guest browsing or register with email/Google/Apple
- Profiles save searches, favorites, and notification settings
- Agents have enhanced profiles including contacts, verification, and recent activity
Smart property search and dashboards
Advanced tools help users to find properties that truly match their needs and to monitor their search progress with ease.
- Search homes and rentals across the US — by map, zip code, price, or lifestyle filters, including schools, walkability, and amenities
- Results are visually clustered for uncluttered map views
- Interactive dashboards track search history, saved criteria, and new matches
Feature-rich listings
Listings are designed to provide meaningful, comprehensive insights into each property and its neighborhood at a glance.
- Listings showcase high-resolution galleries, floorplans, and community or amenities info
- Instant “Contact Agent” button opens secure in-app chat
- Integration with Google Maps for walk, bike, or public transit visualization
- Neighborhood info includes local market snapshots and crime/school scores
Secure agent chat and notifications
Quick, reliable communication means buyers, renters, and agents are always in sync with the latest updates and responses.
- Buyers and renters message agents in real time, with read receipts
- Push notifications for new listings, status changes, and chat replies
- Message archiving and spam controls
Admin management
A dedicated admin interface supports efficient management, moderation, and scaling of the platform behind the scenes.
- Approve and manage listings, moderate user content
- Verify agent documents and assign roles
- Analytics dashboard for tracking engagement and lead conversion
- Bulk edit or curate listings, send notifications, manage Stripe subscriptions
Killer feature: AI-powered property recommendations
A custom AI engine analyzes individual search behavior and preferences, serving up personalized property matches that increase discovery and reduce time-to-find.
Monetization and access model
From launch, the app is fully usable — search, chat, save, and view — with no major usage barriers. For sustainable growth and value delivery, two primary monetization streams are implemented:
In-app purchases:
Homeowners and agents may upgrade to premium (paid) listings for top placement and increased exposure within map and search results
Agent subscriptions:
Real estate agents can subscribe to unlock advanced analytics, featured profiles, and extended messaging/integration capabilities
All payments handled via Stripe for secure, PCI-compliant transactions tailored to US user expectations.
Future phases support expanded paywall, lead-gen sales, and partner advertising.
Tech stack
Mobile
React Native
React Native for cross-platform iOS & Android app development
TypeScript
Typescript for type-safe, maintainable mobile code
Expo & EAS
Expo & EAS for rapid development and streamlined native builds
Redux Toolkit
Redux Toolkit for predictable, scalable state management
ahooks
ahooks for composable, efficient side effects
React Navigation
React Navigation for flexible and intuitive app flows
Google Maps SDK
Google Maps SDK for interactive property browsing and geo-visualization
Accessibility-first
Accessibility-first: screen reader support, dynamic text resizing, color contrast, and voiceover
Web and admin
React and Typescript
React and Typescript for admin UI and web companion interfaces
Tailwind
Tailwind CSS for scalable design system and rapid UI development
i18n
i18n for localization and adaptable number/date formats
Laravel Nova
Laravel Nova for secure, powerful admin dashboards and agent/content management
Backend and infrastructure
Laravel
Laravel for robust API, business logic, and server-side orchestration
PostgreSQL
PostgreSQL for reliable, scalable relational data
Redis
Redis for real-time caching, session management, and chat scalability
Docker
Docker for consistent containerized deployments
GitHub Actions
GitHub Actions for automated CI/CD pipelines
AWS S3 and Cloudflare CDN
AWS S3 and Cloudflare CDN for accelerated, secure media and content delivery
Sentry
Sentry for error tracking and performance monitoring
Stripe and Stripe Connect
Stripe and Stripe Connect for payments, subscriptions, and agent KYC
Terraform
Terraform for Infrastructure-as-Code provisioning
Integrations and extras
Pusher
Pusher for real-time chat and notifications
Google Maps API
Google Maps API for mapping, transit, and neighborhood data
OpenAI API
OpenAI API for AI-powered property recommendations
OAuth2 / OIDC
OAuth2 / OIDC for secure sign-in (Google, Apple, Email)
Stripe Identity
Stripe Identity for agent verification and KYC compliance
Intercom
Intercom for in-app customer support
Challenges we faced
Our journey to deliver this feature-rich platform involved overcoming the following key challenges:
Data volume and sync
With property data constantly flowing in from multiple sources and agents, we faced the risk of data lag and inconsistencies across the app. Making sure that users always saw the most up-to-date listings — without slowdowns — proved to be a significant challenge. To solve this, we implemented robust caching and fine-tuned our API query strategies in Laravel, allowing data to refresh in near real-time while keeping the platform responsive.
Scalable mapping
One of our goals was to show thousands of property pins on a map without overloading users’ devices, especially older phones. Rendering such high volumes of geo-data responsively can easily cause freezing or delays. By employing clustering, dynamic pin loading, and asynchronous data layers through Google Maps API, we made sure that map interactions stayed smooth and intuitive, no matter the device or zoom level.
Performance on all fronts
Integrating high-quality imagery, real-time chat features, and fast search into one app often comes at the cost of either battery life or overall speed. We were determined not to make users choose. By carefully applying React Native best practices and optimizing backend workflows, we struck a balance — delivering a visually rich, real-time experience without sacrificing mobile performance.
Results
The MVP version of the app was released for both iOS and Android as part of a closed beta.
Early user and agent feedback highlighted strengths in intuitive navigation, map-based search, and secure communications, while also identifying areas for continued refinement. The team is actively incorporating this feedback and iterating on key features, with ongoing development focused on expanding functionality and improving overall performance as the platform prepares for a broader rollout.
