Modernizing apps for millions of homebuyers
Realtor.com's mobile app was functional but forgettable. In a market full of bland experiences, we were just another bland app. I led the creation of a bold North Star Vision that gave Realtor.com a distinctive visual identity. The result: a comprehensive design system that grew users by 16.5% in three months.
Company
Realtor.com
Year
2023
Role
Lead Product Designer
Timeline
6 months
01 CHALLENGE
Realtor.com had 7.5 million mobile users. Competitors averaged 18.8 million. We were growing at 17% while the market grew at 23%. The app worked—it just didn't stand for anything.
Leadership knew this. They launched "Native as #1" to make the mobile app the primary experience. The bet: create an app people love that helps them find homes.
The problem wasn't functionality. It was that our interface looked like every other real estate app. Conservative, utilitarian, forgettable. We had no emotional reason for users to choose us over competitors.
02 RESEARCH
We focused on first-time homebuyers. They represented one-third of the buyer market, were technology-first, and showed higher referral conversion. 86% were under 38. Not just demographics—strategic opportunity.
I ran competitive analysis against Zillow (25.6M users, 32% growth), Redfin (3.7M users, 61% growth), and others. The gap was obvious. Competitors built emotional connections through bold visuals and personality. We delivered spreadsheets.
Behavioral archetypes
Research revealed five distinct user types. Window Shoppers wanted rich imagery. Particular buyers needed data and control. Family First users prioritized schools. Overwhelmed buyers needed validation. Money Conscious buyers wanted value signals.
Each had different emotional needs. The solution couldn't be one-size-fits-all—it needed to flex for all of them.
03 SOLUTION
The objective was clear: reimagine the app to create a world-class experience. Make it simple, frictionless, youthful, and enjoyable. Deliver a North Star Vision by Q1 FY22.
This wasn't about shipping features. It was about creating vision—a proof-of-concept that showed where we were headed and got the organization excited about the same future.
Moodboards and style tiles
I created emotion-driven design directions for each archetype. Window Shoppers got vibrant imagery and editorial layouts. Particular buyers got balanced data. Family First got functionality-first designs. We tested with users and synthesized the strongest elements into one unified direction.
Persona-driven experiences
Each archetype informed unique aesthetics and functionality. The designs weren't just prettier—they aligned to what each user type needed emotionally at critical moments.
A comprehensive design system
I built Realtor.com's first native design system. Refined type scale using Space Grotesk and Inter. Expanded color palette with accessibility built in. Custom icon library. 16px baseline grids. Design tokens for iOS and Android. A centralized Figma library that made the brand scalable.
04 impact
The redesigned apps launched through internal beta, external testing, then gradual A/B rollout. Three months later, results were clear.
The North Star Vision became more than a prototype—it became the blueprint. The visual language and design system scaled to the website, marketing channels, and every new feature. We created a cohesive brand experience that finally felt distinctive.
The design system enabled faster iteration and consistent quality across teams. More importantly, it gave the organization shared understanding of where we were headed. Product, engineering, and marketing all pointed to the same future.
05 REFLECTION
Visual identity isn't decoration—it's strategic differentiation. In a crowded market, emotional connection separates commodity products from brands people choose and recommend.
The work succeeded because every creative decision was grounded in research and business goals. We didn't make things pretty for the sake of pretty. We made them distinctive because distinctiveness drives growth.
The foundation we built enabled rapid innovation. The design system powered subsequent features including a redesigned search filter, the Discover feature, and enhanced map layers. Teams could ship fast while maintaining brand integrity.
The dual-track approach mattered. While I led North Star discovery, squads kept shipping improvements to the current app. Strategic work and tactical execution working together, not in conflict.
Biggest lesson: The best design systems don't just enable consistency—they let a brand express itself authentically at scale.