Byet — Real Estate Search Platform
Designed a real estate platform connecting buyers, sellers, renters, and agents through web and mobile — with advanced search, interactive maps, and agent profiles across 26 screens.
Executive Summary
Project Overview
Byet is a real estate platform that connects all stakeholders in the property market — buyers, sellers, renters, and agents — through a unified web and mobile experience. The platform centers on making property discovery fast and informed through advanced search, interactive maps, and detailed listings, while giving agents tools to manage their portfolios and client relationships.
The Challenge
Property search in the market faced several friction points:
- Fragmented discovery: Buyers and renters had to check multiple sources (classifieds, social media, direct calls) to find available properties — no single platform aggregated listings with reliable data
- Shallow listing information: Most platforms showed basic details without floor plans, neighborhood context, or verified agent information — forcing users to make calls just to get basic facts
- No agent-buyer connection: Agents managed leads through informal channels with no structured way to showcase their portfolios, ratings, or availability
- Location blindness: Users couldn’t easily understand a property’s context — nearby amenities, schools, transport — without separate research
Key Design Decisions & Tradeoffs
1. Search-first architecture (vs. browse-first)
Decision: Design the primary experience around powerful search with multi-parameter filtering rather than category browsing.
Tradeoff: First-time users face a denser interface; browse mode is secondary.
Why: Real estate users typically have specific criteria (location, price, bedrooms, type). Search-first gets them to relevant results faster than browsing through categories.
2. Interactive map as co-primary view
Decision: Present map and list views as equal navigation modes, with the map showing nearby amenities, schools, and transport.
Tradeoff: Map view requires more data loading and is heavier on mobile.
Why: Location context is the #1 factor in property decisions. An interactive map with neighborhood data answers "what’s nearby?" without leaving the platform.
3. Agent profiles with portfolio and ratings
Decision: Give agents dedicated profile pages with their active listings, transaction history, and client ratings.
Tradeoff: Agents may resist transparency (ratings, public portfolio).
Why: Builds trust for buyers — they can evaluate an agent’s track record before making contact. Also incentivizes agents to maintain quality listings.
4. Consistent design system across web and mobile
Decision: Use a shared design system with platform-specific optimizations rather than designing web and mobile independently.
Tradeoff: Some compromises on platform-native patterns (e.g., mobile navigation follows web conventions in places).
Why: With 26 total screens across both platforms, a shared system ensures consistency and reduces design/dev effort. Users switching between web and mobile have a familiar experience.
Solution Overview
Web Platform (12 screens)
- Search and discovery: Multi-filter search with map/list toggle, saved searches, and instant notifications for new matches
- Property detail: Full-page listings with image galleries, floor plans, neighborhood information, and agent contact
- Agent directory: Browse verified agents by area, specialty, and rating
- Favorites and comparisons: Save properties and compare side-by-side
Mobile Application (14 screens)
- On-the-go search: Location-aware property search with push notifications for new matches
- Quick property view: Swipe-through property cards with key details visible at a glance
- Direct messaging: In-app communication between buyers/renters and agents
- Saved searches: Persistent filters with real-time alerts for new listings
System Thinking
States & Edge Cases
- Empty search results: Clear messaging with suggestion to broaden filters
- No agent reviews: New agents show "New on Byet" badge instead of empty rating
- Offline/slow connection: Mobile app caches recently viewed properties for offline access
- Listing status changes: Properties marked as sold/rented update across all saved lists and notifications
Cross-Platform Patterns
- Search filters: Same filter logic on web and mobile, adapted for touch vs. click interactions
- Property cards: Consistent information hierarchy (image, price, key specs, location) across both platforms
- Notification system: Saved search alerts, price changes, and agent messages unified across platforms
Design Screens
Web Platform
Mobile Application
Impact & Results
- Aggregated property listings into a single discoverable platform for buyers, sellers, renters, and agents
- Faster property search through multi-parameter filtering and interactive map integration
- Onboarded active real estate agents with dedicated portfolio and rating profiles
- Delivered consistent design language across web and mobile (26 screens)
Tools: Figma
Platform: Web & Mobile (iOS/Android)