REAL ESTATE FOR HINZ AND KUNZ

Imagine owning a property with only 100K! Crowdhouse is the first real estate crowdfunding platform in Switzerland that offers everyone a new way to make more out of their money.

Together with Crowdhouse, we have crafted a digital strategy that enables Hinz and Kunz to make their dream of owning property come true. Everyone can easily find houses and become a co-owner with minimal investment and without the hassle of ever needing to talk to a real estate agent – comfortably from the couch.

Turning real-estate up-side-down

The ambitious goal of Crowdhouse was to reinvent the entire process of buying real-estate, from advertising a property to finding and investing in it. Our biggest challenge was to break down such a complex and novel idea into user stories and make it tangible for potential investors. Buying property should become as easy as a walk in the park!

An elaborate digital strategy

To enter the digital market, the project team developed a well thought-out branding, product, and launch strategy. With interdisciplinary teams, we first developed the entire digital identity then designed and developed the real-estate platform, and finally created a microsite to promote the launch before going live. 

A digital identity investors trust

Our team gained a deep understanding of Crowdhouse’s vision to craft the digital design guidelines, including a library of unique icons. We defined three key values: democratic, lucrative, and personal. The main idea for the logo was based upon a square, the deconstruction of this simple geometric shape represents property and portrays the three key values of the company. The final logo also reminds us of an apartment floor plan or the buildings of a neighbourhood.

Digital tools investors need

With a new business model that operates without an intermediary broker, investors have a greater need for information. We have designed and developed the tools that give them the confidence to find the right properties, gather sufficient information on their own, and finally invest digitally. 

FINDING – The real-estate finder makes it easy to find the right property to invest in. The interactive map works in two directions: Users can either search via the location or click on a property card to jump to the location of the building on the map.

UNDERSTANDING –On the details page, investors find everything they need in order to decide on an investment. A top bar with tabs structures the different contents into: Gallery, virtual tour, overview of finances, investment conditions, and documents.

INVESTING – The investment calculator helps decide how much money to invest. By means of an interactive slider, users can playfully find out how the degree of financing changes with their investment and how much return they can expect.

Heating up the attention

Our team developed a microsite to promote the product and trigger market attention before the launch. Together with Crowdhouse we established the information architecture, the content strategy,  the design, and the implementation of the promotional microsite.

A new investment world

Starting with nothing but a unique idea from the founders, we have created a trustworthy brand from scratch. Only four months after the crowdfunding platform went live, users had already invested 29 million Swiss francs. At this point, we realized that we had just laid down the foundation for a multi-million dollar business. 

Crowdhouse disrupted the real estate market. Firstly, by changing the way people buy real estate: independently, digitally, and with smaller investment amounts. Secondly, by building a new segment of buyers: houses that are too expensive for a private investor, but not interesting for institutional buyers, are now sold to a group of co-owners.

Project facts

Project team