A Siberian startup platform for renting private houses and cottages, catering to both long-term and short-term stays. The portal supports multiple regions and allows users to select properties based on various criteria or via an interactive map. It includes an integration with the Yandex Maps API.
Optima.agency team launched the product from the ground up.
Key tasks performed:
- Translating the client’s vision into technical requirements for the product
- Defining the stages of the product launch
- Preparing the technical specification
- Creating detailed prototypes that reflect the precise functionality for the initial launch phase
- Developing the design
- Handling software development and necessary integrations
- Deploying the product to a live production environment
- Handing over all source materials and access credentials to the client
The prototyping phase proved to be one of the most critical stages. It was necessary to define the minimum set of features for the initial launch, given the limited time available. The prototypes had to showcase the planned functionality—including filters, a property catalog, search capabilities, and the behavioral logic for job seekers. Prototypes illustrating how these functional elements would appear on mobile devices were also developed. Subsequently, these prototypes served as the foundation for the design process.
High levels of competition among established, reputable platforms necessitated an analysis of the user experience (UX) on similar sites. The design of the new project needed to incorporate these existing UX patterns—ensuring it wouldn’t alienate new users—while simultaneously remaining modern and offering a more compelling design proposition.
The real estate catalog is a core functional module linked to the administrative panel. It has been designed to allow for rapid enhancements in line with any planned future functionality.
The module can be configured via the administrative panel and includes filtering options based on more than 20 different properties.
The Yandex Maps API has also been integrated. Portal administrators can now place markers on the map in two ways:
- Manually placing a marker on the map, which automatically determines the object's address.
2. Entering the object's address, which automatically places a corresponding marker on the map.
Special attention was given to the property listing page, where a calendar of available dates with a booking feature was implemented. Everyone who makes a booking is automatically added to a moderated user database.
A custom platform was designed and developed from the ground up for the website. The core framework used for the functional component is Laravel. The administrative panel is built for rapid scalability; during the design phase, all functionality was broken down into modules, which allows for quick implementation of changes to the project.
The screenshot of the administrative panel shows an example of the data—with personal information redacted in accordance with an NDA—as well as certain functional features.
