Research
UI Design
UX Design
Prototype
Timeline
Role
Team
Finding a new home can be an emotional and exhausting journey. Renters often feel frustrated by misleading photos, repetitive and outdated listings, and the wasted time scheduling and visiting apartments that don't match expectations. On the other hand, property owners struggle to showcase their spaces effectively and screen and quality applicants in a crowded marketplace.
Our mission was create a more transparent and stress-free experience for both ends of the renting process. Over a 12-week timeline (with just 6 weeks dedicated to the design process), we built a mobile app that reimagines how people explore and list properties.
The result was a mobile application centered around innovative features, most notably immersive 360° panoramic tours that gives renters the confidence to explore apartments remotely, drastically reducing unnecessary in-person visits. At the same time, the solution provides property owners with a highly efficient and streamlined process to list properties, and smart tools that help them manage listings and screen applicants.
AT A GLANCE
Making the rental experience effortless
01 / RESEARCH
Uncovering pain points
To understand the rental experience from both a market and user perspectives, we started with a competitve analysis followed by a mixed-method user research.
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
We analyzed 3 platforms that were popular among our user groups (renters and owners).
The analysis revealed common gaps particularly in listing accuracy, trust-building, and user experience for both groups.
USER RESEARCH
We needed to hear directly from the people navigating the rental experience daily, to challenge our assumptions and personal experiences.
User Interviews
Interviews with renters and property owners helped us uncover the emotional and practical frustrations driving their experiences.
7 semi-structured sessions
(4 renters, 3 owners)
Survey
A survey allowed us to quantify these insights across a broader audience, ensuring our design decisions were based on patterns that reflected real needs and frustrations.
26 responses
(24 renters, 2 owners)
KEY FINDINGS
What the data revealed
Our research revealed one of the biggest problem is lack of trust for both ends. Renters doubt listings and owners find it difficult to screen tenants and find a good match for their properties.
QUANTITATIVE DATA
The survey results revealed a consistent sense of frustration across both renters and property owners.
Most renters reported long, inefficient searches with 91% visiting listings that didn't match what was advertised and over 80% taking more than a month to secure an apartment.
Owners, on the other hand, struggles to create appealing listings, managing and screening qualified tenants, and stand out in crowded platforms.
Overall, both sides feels they are losing time and trust in the process.
QUANTITATIVE DATA
Trough 7 semi-structured interviews (4 renters, 3 owners) we collected rich stories about the renting experience.
Renters described a lack of confidence in online searching and the emotional toll of wasted time and fear of scams.
Property owners shared their frustration with how tiring the whole process is, from showcasing their property accurately to communicate with and find reliable tenants.
These sessions provided valuable context, helping us empathize with both user types and translate their pain points and need into actionable opportunities.
DATA SYNTHESIS
After analyzing and synthesizing the research data, we identified clear patterns in the experiences of both renters and property owners. Despite different goals, both groups shared similar frustrations with inefficiency, lack of transparency, and time-consuming processes.
These findings led to high-level insights that helped to prioritize the most impactful opportunities given our 12-week timeframe. They directly shaped the product strategy and guided key design decisions to focus on features that delivered the greatest value with minimal complexity.
USER PERSONAS
Two sides, different journeys, one common need
To better capture the motivations, behaviors, and pain points of our two user groups (renters and property owners), we developed personas grounded in insights from user research.
These personas helped guide the design process, helping the team stay aligned on user needs and make informed decisions that addressed real challenges from both sides of the renting journey.
JOURNEY MAPS
Mapping the renting experience
To understand how renter and property owners experience the rental process from start to finish, we mapped detailed journey maps capturing their actions, frustrations and emotions. This exercise helped revealed where the confusion and anxiety peaked and where the opportunities to create trust and smoother experience could emerge.
03 \ IDEATION
Exploring solutions to streamline the renting experience
Guided by the research findings and insights, we started the ideation phase by exploring a wide range of concepts.
We conducted a value vs, effort matrix workshop to prioritize features for our MVP, aligning potential solutions with the highest impact for our user groups.
Only then we put pencil to paper to freely explore design solutions before moving to wireframes and high-fidelity mockups.
USER FLOWS
Turning real needs into intuitive flows
From those insights, we mapped the key user flows for both user groups to define the essential interactions for our MVP.
For renters, this included exploring listings, viewing 360° tours, and contacting owners. For property owners, it included creating and managing listings, uploading photos to create panoramic views or 3d tours, and screening applicants. These flows helped us to clarify the structure of the app, guided feature prioritization, and validation of our system architecture.
Renters Flow
Owners Flow
WIREFRAMES
Before applying high-fidelity visuals, the wireframes served as the essential blueprint of the entire application. They help us quickly test and validate the structural logic of both user experiences.
To maximize efficiency, I divided work strategically: assigning one designer to cover the renter flow and another to the owner flow, while I kept the oversight across both to ensure consistency and cohesion. This workflow let us iterate faster without losing quality.
I also collaborated closely with the front-end developers during wireframing for technical validation on possible constraints before committing to high-fidelity designs, preventing costly revisions later and ensuring our solution was technically feasible within our 12-week timeline.
04 / SOLUTION
Streamlining apartment search that cuts through the noise
For too long, traditional rental platforms have prioritized quantity over quality for too long, overwhelming users with listings while offering little confidence in the process.
We took a different approach: designing a solution that cuts through the noise, focusing on quality, efficiency and trust, creating a seamless experience for both owners and renters.
Building Trust
Increasing efficiency
360° virtual tours let renters explore remotely, while AI-generated descriptions help owners list properties in seconds.
Ensuring clarity
A conversational interface and streamlined information architecture guide users through searches and listings without overwhelming them.
Informed decisions
FINAL DESIGNS
The solution and the why behind the design
With validated wireframes, I led the visual design phase, crafting a polished UI system, balancing aesthetic and usability. Working closely with the team, I designed key screens and stablished interaction patterns that prioritized clarity and visual design across both renters and owners flows.
The following high-fidelity mockups are structure by the core features that drive the user experience.
VISUAL DESIGN
Building a visual language that feels
like home
As the lead designer, I oversaw every stage of the visual design process from defining the visual direction to ensuring consistency across the interface.
I guided the team designers through decisions on color, typography, and visual hierarchy to align with our UX goals.
My main contribution centered on building and maintaining the design system (cards, buttons, input fields) to ensure a cohesive and scalable UI across the app.
05 / IMPACT
If implemented, this MVP could:
Cut search time for tenants by streamlining search and visits through 360° virtual tours.
Boost trust and transparency with verified listings and accurate property visuals.
Save time for owners by simplifying the listing flow and providing an applicant matching tool.
Improve listing performance through better visual and AI assistant tools.
