PROPP, a property finance comparison site, had a multi-page website offering service descriptions and basic property and loan calculators.
The clients requested a new portal where users could create personal profiles and access a comprehensive platform for property investments, valuations, and live finance information.
As the sole UX/UI Designer on this project I took the project from requirements gathering to design of the entire portal.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
* Due to budget constraints, we were unable to conduct extensive UX research for this project. Instead, we relied on competitor analysis, particularly looking at industry leaders like Property Pal, to guide our design decisions.
Given the limited budget, I opted to follow the well-known principle, "Why reinvent the wheel?" and used established best practices to shape my approach*
The PROPP Portal is a specialised platform for property investors that serves as a one-stop shop for property finance solutions. It allows users to compare various financial products such as buy-to-let mortgages, bridging loans, and commercial mortgages, and facilitates easy access to these services. The portal is unique because it provides tools for evaluating property deals, calculating ROI, and assessing the cost of financing - all in one place. Additionally, it offers free property valuations and has a "Deal Optimiser" feature, which helps investors secure competitive rates by having lenders bid for their business.
Without the portal, users couldn't access live property valuations, browse listings, or stay updated with new ones. They had to rely on external tools, leading them away from the PROPP website and making their experience lengthy and frustrating.
Navigating specialist finance options like bridging loans and commercial mortgages can be complex and overwhelming for users with the terminology and jargon, especially with so many property broker sites available and the amount of tools out there.
Personalised dashboard on the PROPP Portal provides:
1. Personalised Interaction: Addressing the user by name creates a more personal connection, making the platform feel user-centric and approachable. This personalised touch helps build trust and makes users feel valued, leading to better engagement.
2. Quick Access to Saved Content: The dashboard provides easy access to saved properties, search preferences, and documents. Instead of users repeatedly searching for the same properties or inputting preferences, users can pick up right where they left off. This saves time and reduces friction in the user journey.
3. Centralised Information Hub: By gathering all relevant information, like saved documents and search preferences, into one dashboard, the platform allows users to manage their property investments more efficiently. This removes the need for users to juggle between multiple sections of the site, enhancing ease of use. The user also has quick access to property listings from the 'Find your next property' button located on the dashbord.
4. Encouraging Return Visits: A dashboard that remembers user activity (saved properties, preferences) encourages repeat visits by making the portal more efficient and tailored to each individual. This helps build a sense of ownership.
Designed a quick and simple form that users can fill in to request a valuation of their chosen property.
Showing number of steps to complete: Research shows that when users know how many steps are left , they are more likely to complete the form. Showing users there are only 2 steps on this valuation process helps reduce abandonment rates.
Icons for property details and numbering options for bedrooms: providing visual clarity and speed for users when completing
1. Sticky panel on right hand side: providing quick access to valuing, analysing and financing a property
2. Similar properties section: By displaying related properties, users are presented with additional options that may align with their preferences or needs. This encourages exploration and helps users discover other listings they might not have considered, thereby increasing the likelihood of finding a suitable property
3. Save properties feature: Saving properties feature on the property pages allows users to curate their own lists of favourites, making it easier to revisit listings they’re interested in without having to search for the property again in the listings.
