problem
Finding a home means jumping between listing sites, calling agents and asking friends. Listings are easy to find. Honest answers are not: what the area is really like, whether an agent is reliable, what the process involves, whether a rent price is fair.
HousingYarn puts listings and people in one place. Buyers and renters search homes on a map, and they can also read reviews, ask questions and learn from a community of other buyers, renters and agents.
my role
I designed HousingYarn for the web and for mobile: how people sign up, search, read about a home, and take part in the community.
what I did
Ask who you are first
The first question after signing in is simple: Buyer/Renter or Agent/Landlord. The answer decides what the product shows next. Sign-in is a short form or one tap with Google, on a calm dark screen that keeps the focus on the form.
A home page that starts with search
The home page greets the person by name and puts search first: location, property type, buying or renting, and a price range. Two banners speak to the two worries people have, getting a home without breaking the bank, and starting to pay for one instead of renting. Below are featured listings, top agents, and a From the community section with local tips, so the page already shows that homes and people belong together.
Search on a map
Results can be browsed as a list or on a map with price pins. A toggle lets the map search again as it moves, so people can explore a neighbourhood without retyping. Each result shows photos, a price, a name and the basics, and results are paged. People can save a search, and some advanced filters sit behind an upgrade.
The same product on a phone
On mobile the home page, the list, the map and the property page keep the same structure, so someone who starts on a laptop can pick up on their phone. The map becomes a full screen with a List button to switch back, and the result list gets a Map button.
A property page that answers the real questions
A property page leads with photos, then the price, address and the basics, then About this home and the amenities. Further down is the agent, with a rating, a breakdown of reviews and written reviews marked as verified. A buyer sees what past clients said before they get in touch.
A community that makes good advice visible
The community is where buyers and renters ask questions and share what they learn. Someone can start a thread, comment, like and share, follow communities around a topic, and read an activity feed. To reward the people who help, members earn badges such as Conversation Starter, Expert Reviewer, Top Contributor, Helpful Voice and Community Builder. Agents earn their own, such as Top-Rated Agent, Quick Responder and Listing Pro. Good advice and fast replies become easy to see.
outcome
This was a design project. The web and mobile designs are complete.
lessons
Put people next to the listings. A photo and a price don't answer the questions that matter, so every listing sits near reviews, agents and a community.
Reward the behaviour you want. Badges for helpful members and quick agents make good advice easy to find and worth giving.