Truhoo: An all-in-one real estate platform

Conducting discovery analysis

To set the development direction with end users’ needs and market trends in mind, we:

• elicited and prioritized requirements
• conducted competitor analysis of top real estate platforms
• consulted with a real estate agent as a subject matter expert

Designing the solution architecture

At the client’s request, we developed a secure, cloud-based, and scalable solution with:

• a modular microservices architecture and cost-efficient infrastructure
• the ability to process and store huge volumes of media data with AWS Lambda 
• out-of-the-box localization support for all system components
• a fault-tolerant key–value store managed by AWS for temporary data like access tokens and request counters
• integration with third-party services for real estate agency background checks, a 3D tour feature, mapping, and payments 
• centralized logging and monitoring of hardware, application, and business metrics for further analysis
• a single entry point for any type of client (web, iOS, Android)
• reusable REST API endpoints for any type of client

Conducting search engine optimization

Our client wanted to ensure a fast influx of users to the platform. We followed recommendations from an SEO agency and implemented:

• Angular Universal, as it allows for uploading page content on the server side so that an SEO bot can see it
• a URL building approach to avoid query parameters in URLs while using search filters 
• a URL parsing mechanism to implement the required type of URLs 
• Open Graph meta tags to automatically represent an image and description while sharing links
• a parsing mechanism that, in response to receiving the robots.txt file, sees pages that are not to be indexed and puts the noindex tag in them 
• a dynamic XML sitemap to properly reflect the state of the site for search engines

Delivering competitive functionality

The product includes the following features:

• Streamlined UI/UX. We reduced clicks by simplifying and shortening the user flow and ensured a consistent brand identity and user experience across web and mobile versions.

• 3D tours. Truhoo 3D tours display floor plans and 3D property models. Users can record virtual tours with audio narration to give context to potential buyers and tenants.
• Advanced property search. Easy-to-configure search allows users to apply over 50 filters that consider characteristics of a property and its surrounding environment.
• Optimized media service. The platform is capable of simultaneously uploading up to 50 images each up to 20MB in size for any real estate listing via an optimized media service.
• Protection from scams. We implemented mechanisms to validate every agency before registering it on the platform. Cadastral numbers are also used to ensure information accuracy. 
• Multi-language support. Spanish- and English-speaking users have access to all information in their native language, which simplifies the process of buying, selling, and renting properties.

Ensuring GDPR compliance

We ensured GDPR compliance for the EU market.

• We implemented active consent for the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy when registering, and re-consent if terms are changed.
• All legal documents have versioning and can be edited from the admin panel.
• The Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, Listings Policy, and Cookie Policy are published on the website and available to print or save as PDF files.
• Users can subscribe to and unsubscribe from commercial communications.
• Users can request their accounts be removed.