Sellie
Home buying and selling for the 21st century
Problem Statement
Original Directive: Create a new platform that you can enable homeowners and buyers to list and buy homes completely online without any realtors and or agencies.
Possible Solution
A digital solution that creates a safe environment for buying or selling a home, allowing for transparency into the process from all sides. A website that pairs every client with a realtor, outlines the many complicated processes, and allows for the constant tracking of progress from a centralized dashboard.
How might we create a safe, modern environment for home buyers and sellers?
Sellie is a digital product that reduces the stress of home buying and selling by allowing users to complete almost everything online with the oversight of a Sellie-certified realtor. Sellie makes the process feel more personal, and expedites the process on both sides of the negotiating table.
Responsibilities and Scope
This project was completed as a group of three. It was a truly collaborative process, with no defined roles.
My Role
Project Manager
UI Designer
UX Researcher
Content Strategist
Project Duration
8 weeks
60+ screens
Competitive Analysis
Research was conducted on current competitors to get a more clear picture of where this new product could fit in the market. The most competitive products were chosen and analyzed to determine the potential needs that Sellie could fulfill.
Zillow offers multiple avenues to help expedite the process, but their listings are often unreliable and out of date. Redfin has a large user base, but does not allow FSBO listings, and only shows listings where in-house agents are available. Orchard, the most direct competitor, is an insurance agency that employs real estate agents, but is only available in certain states.
Qualitative Research
We interviewed 14 participants via surveys and one-on-one interviews to understand the significant issues they experience when dealing with real estate agents and management companies, and how they can contribute to pain points in the buying and selling process.
Quantitative Research
An affinity map was created to easily group findings into like categories.
We surveyed participants using Google forms, to better understand the target audience and empathize with their needs, as well as derive any frequent pain points with the current process. After conducting the interviews we found that the participant’s answers fell into the following categories:
Positive and Negative things about their Realtor
Likes and Dislikes about the process
What they would and wouldn’t be willing to do online
What they are already did online
Other answers about their overall experience
“Without [the realtor’s] help, the deal definitely would have fallen apart.”
Key Takeaways
Even though the real estate market is flush with current virtual products, participants felt that they don’t replace the market knowledge and professional network that a realtor brings to the experience.
Industry Knowledge
Realtors are a vital part of the buying and selling process and their knowledge is invaluable to both buyers and sellers
Simplify
All participants would like the process of buying or selling to be simplified
Virtual Format
All participants were open to doing some, if not most, of the process online, but had strong feelings about seeing a property in person
Evaluating the Directive
After initial user research, it was clear that both buyers and sellers wouldn’t be comfortable participating without a realtor. The original prompt was re-evaluated to reflect this information and a new product goal was identified.
How might we create a safe, modern environment for home buyers and sellers?
Potential Users
User personas were created to better understand the potential audience. This helped increase empathy and imagine their potential motivations for using the product.
Buyer Persona
“We want a quiet place where we can have fun with neighbors and build our family.”
Goals
Find a house big enough to start a family
Short commute to work
Backyard for future kids to play in
Profile
30-40 years old
Married
Worked at the same company for 10 years
Seller Persona
“We would love a smaller place that is relaxing and has more space dedicated to our hobbies.”
Profile
50-60 years old
Married
Empty Nesters
Goals
Downsize into a smaller place since kids have left home
Wants to be able to pay off mortgage with sale
Sell house before holiday season
Brainstorming
Based on the interviews and survey data, we started brainstorming features and screens that we could include in the final product.
Dot voting was used to identify popular screen layouts among group members.
User Flows
We explored three user types: Buyers, Sellers, and Realtors. We then diagrammed the most common path each user would take through the product.
Design System
A design system was created that visually represented our product values:
Simple
Clear
Trustworthy
Welcoming
Sophisticated
Testing the Assumptions
After the design was completed, the essential path for each user type was built and made into a prototype for testing with four participants. The test was conducted virtually over video conference and we walked through four scenarios for both buyers and sellers.
Buyer Wireflow
This flow illustrates the process of searching for a property, discovering more information, and placing a bid on a house from the buyer’s perspective.
Buyer Scenarios
Initial Setup and Onboarding
Realtor Match Survey
Explore Dashboard
Choose and Bid on a Property
Seller Wireflow
This flow walks through the process of viewing your realtor’s team and contacting your realtor through the user’s portal.
Seller Scenarios
Initial Setup and Onboarding
Realtor Match Survey
Contact Realtor from Dashboard
Build Listing
Key Takeaways
Clarify Language
Update content and ensure tone of voice is consistent across product
Specify Role of Realtor
Identify what parts of the process pertain to the realtor versus buyer and seller
Increase Trustworthiness
Compare features of product to competitors in order to place product in the market
Implementing Feedback
After receiving feedback from potential users, we decided to make some changes to the product. Our focus was to increase product trust, define user roles, and change the market placement.
Many suggestions were implemented, but the most substantial were:
Change product tagline to something less targeted than avocado toast
Updating homepage to help product standout in the competitive market
Update realtor section on portal to clarify realtor’s responsibilities
Addition of button to toggle between buyer/seller portals
Next Steps
Continue Building
Keep building out the product beyond the two user flows that were prioritized.
Focus on Realtors
Interview realtors and test product viability among user group. Create an additional realtor access pathway. Market product towards realtors to use with new or existing clients to increase trustworthiness and product adoption.
Tooltips and Legal
Add tooltips or an introductory walkthrough to explain product to new users. Increase privacy and data security levels within product. Add legal language in appropriate places.