Real estate
Real estate software developmentfor agencies, portals, property managers and developers
Real estate software depends on licensed listing data, search that reflects how people actually look for property, and a clear idea of which kind of business it is for.
Listing data is the hard part
A property site or portal is only as good as its listings: where they come from, how quickly they update and who is allowed to show them. Decide this first, because it shapes the database, the search and the contract you sign with each data provider.
In the US and some other markets, listing data usually comes from a Multiple Listing Service. RESO, the standards body for this data, has replaced the older RETS transport with the RESO Web API, which uses OData with JSON responses and OAuth2 for authorisation. Its Data Dictionary defines shared resources such as Property, Member and Office, and fields such as ListPrice and StandardStatus.
Standards help, but they don't remove the work. Each MLS grants access under its own agreement with its own display rules, and local fields still vary. A feed that merges several sources has to handle duplicates, conflicting statuses and listings that disappear without notice.
Search that behaves the way buyers search
Property search combines filters on structured fields with location: a map area, a school catchment, a commute. That usually means a geospatial index rather than plain database queries once the listing count grows, and a clear rule for how results stay current when a listing goes under offer an hour after someone saved it.
Different businesses, different systems
- Agencies mostly need listing management, enquiry routing and a site that loads quickly on a phone.
- Portals have a two-sided model: agents pay to list, buyers search free, and fraud and duplicates become constant problems.
- Property managers need tenancies, rent schedules, deposits and maintenance requests, which is closer to billing software than to a listing site.
- Developers selling off-plan need unit availability, reservations and staged payment schedules.
What to settle before building
Check three things first. Is your data licensed for the use you have in mind? Does an off-the-shelf product already cover most of your workflow? If so, you may only need an integration. And who will keep listings accurate day to day, since that job doesn't go away because the software is new?
Data protection also deserves early thought. Enquiries, tenant details and identity documents are personal data, and the rules that apply depend on where your customers are.
Real estate software questions
Can a site show MLS listings without an agreement?
Generally not. MLS data is licensed, and access comes with an agreement and display rules set by each MLS. Sort that out before designing around a feed.
Is RETS still an option?
RESO describes RETS as a deprecated transport that it no longer supports. New integrations should target the RESO Web API, and any remaining RETS feed should be treated as something to replace.
Describe the business and where the data comes from
Those two answers decide most of the design. We will tell you whether custom software makes sense or an existing product would do.
We reply within one business day (IST).