Why Build Real Estate App With Ruby on Rails: In-depth Justification

Table of Contents

Real Estate Market Scope & PropTech Insights

With the growing population worldwide, the demand for digital solutions in the real estate industry has grown significantly. Online property searches, virtual property tours, and digital transactions have become increasingly popular. PropTech companies (Property + Technology) that offer these solutions will likely continue to grow in the coming years.

The PropTech market is expected to grow in the coming years, with increasing demand for digital solutions, AI and automation, sustainability and energy efficiency, new business models, and more sophisticated data analytics for property valuations. However, the industry is also likely to become more competitive and consolidated, with larger companies dominating the market.

A report by ResearchAndMarkets estimates that the global PropTech market will grow at a CAGR of around 25% from 2021 to 2025. The only crucial decision for real estate business owners is to choose the ideal tech stack for their PropTech app development.

This blog covers why you should build your Real Estate app with Ruby on Rails. Also, learn about the popular PropTech apps built with Ruby on Rails and Bacancy’s successful real estate case study using RoR.

PropTech Application Backend Needs

PropTech applications are designed to help people buy, sell, rent, or manage properties using technology. The backend of your PropTech application is responsible for handling tasks such as storing and managing property data, managing user accounts and permissions, processing payments, and facilitating communication between users.

Your real estate application deals with a considerable amount of crucial data, so we suggest using Ruby on Rails for the real estate industry. Here are some standard backend requirements for a PropTech application:

Robust Database

Your PropTech application needs a reliable and scalable database to store property data, user data, and other related information. The database should be able to handle large volumes of data, be able to perform complex queries, and support data backups and restoration.

User Management

The real estate app development must include a user management system that enables users to create and manage their profiles, view properties, and make transactions. The system should allow user authentication and authorization, password management, and two-factor authentication for added security.

Payment Processing

Payment processing is an essential feature of your real estate application. The backend should have a payment processing system that allows users to make transactions securely and efficiently. The design should be able to handle multiple payment methods and provide real-time transaction status updates.

Property Management

The backend should be able to manage all aspects of the property, including its location, size, features, and images. It should also enable users to add, edit and delete properties, manage property listings, and provide a way to communicate with property owners and buyers.

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Communication

Your property app backend should include a communication system that enables users to communicate with each other, including property owners, buyers, and agents. The system should allow for real-time messaging, file sharing, and notifications.

Analytics

Your PropTech application should be able to provide insights into user behavior, property trends, and other metrics that can help users make informed decisions. The backend should provide analytical tools that enable users to track and analyze their data and generate reports.

Security

Security is a critical consideration for any PropTech application. The real estate application backend should be designed with security, including encryption, access controls, and other security measures to protect sensitive data.

Overall, your PropTech app backend should be designed with scalability, reliability, and security to ensure your users can efficiently and securely manage properties and transactions.

Building Real Estate App With Ruby on Rails: Benefits

Ruby on Rails is a popular web development framework used to build the backend of a PropTech application. Ruby on Rails is known for its ease of use, rapid development, and extensive library of pre-built modules and plugins, which can make development faster and more efficient.

Regarding building a PropTech application, Ruby on Rails for Real Estate is an ideal technology choice in some cases. However, there may be better fits for some situations. Here are some factors to consider when deciding whether to use Ruby on Rails for the PropTech application:

Cost

Ruby on Rails can be an affordable option for building a PropTech application because it is open source and has many pre-built modules and plugins. It can reduce development time and cost, making it a good choice for startups or small businesses with limited budgets.

Scalability

Scalability is a crucial consideration for any web application, especially for PropTech apps that require the ability to handle large amounts of data and traffic. Ruby on Rails’ scalability is a crucial reason for choosing it for PropTech app development. Its modular architecture, support for horizontal scaling, concurrency handling, and database performance optimization tools all contribute to creating a highly scalable application that can handle the demands of the real estate market.

However, it may be a better choice for applications requiring high performance and low latency, particularly if you expect high traffic volumes in such cases to consider other backend technologies better suited to handle large-scale applications.

Speedy Time-to-Market

Ruby on Rails offers a range of features and tools to help real estate developers quickly and efficiently develop and launch new Property applications. From faster development time to code generation and testing, Rails provides a comprehensive platform for building high-quality real estate applications with speedy time-to-market delivery.

High Return on Investments (ROI)

PropTech apps built using Ruby on Rails can provide a high ROI through faster time to market, scalability, lower development costs, robust security, and improved user experience. By leveraging the capabilities of Ruby on Rails, businesses can create high-quality PropTech apps that deliver real value to their customers, resulting in higher ROI.

Faster Response Time

Your real estate website page views will decline as your page-loading times increase. However, Ruby on Rails enables faster response times in PropTech app development through its “Convention over Configuration” principle and modular architecture. It allows developers to work more efficiently, write code more quickly, and break down an application into smaller, more manageable components. As a result, developers can modify and scale the application more efficiently, leading to faster response times and a more streamlined development process.

Integration With Other Technologies

Ruby on Rails integrates well with many different technologies, such as React, Angular, and Vue.js, making it a good choice if you plan to build your front end using one of these technologies. For instance, in India, Square Yards & Housing.com use React with Ruby on Rails, whereas in the U.S., NestAway & GrabHouse use RoR along with AngularJS.

Availability of Developers

Ruby on Rails has a large and active developer community, so it can be easy to find developers with the necessary skills and experience to build a PropTech application, Suppose. Suppose you already have a team of Ruby on Rails developers. In that case, it may be more efficient to use this technology rather than invest time and resources in learning a new backend technology.

In summary, Ruby on Rails can be an ideal backend technology for building a PropTech application in some cases, particularly if you are looking for a fast and affordable development process with a large pool of developers available. However, it may be a better choice, particularly if you need high-performance or integration with a specific frontend technology.

Bacancy Case Study: PropTech App Using RoR

Find out how we helped an Australian client top the real-estate market by boosting & revamping their real-estate app with Ruby on Rails.

iDashboard- dashboard for iProperty [Real Estate Case Study]

Overview

Bacancy helped an Australian Real Estate company, iProperty, to build its ecosystem backbone- iDashboard, a dashboard that handles listing management, contact management, marketing, and so much more for real estate brokers, agencies, and property developers.

Client Requirements

The client came to us with their existing dashboard built on RoR. They aimed to retain existing customers and attract new customers to their platform.

About the Project

iDashboard is a real estate software platform designed to help professionals manage their businesses more effectively. The platform offers various features that help agents, property managers, and agency owners streamline workflows and improve productivity.

Some of the critical features of iDashboard include lead generation and management tools, which can help agents identify and track potential buyers and sellers. The platform also offers marketing and advertising tools, including customizable templates for email campaigns and property listings.

In addition, iDashboard includes tools for managing properties, including lease management, maintenance tracking, and tenant communications. The platform also provides reporting and analytics features, which can help agents and agency owners track their performance and identify areas for improvement.

Overall, iDashboard is a comprehensive platform designed to meet the needs of real estate professionals at every stage of the property management process. Its features are designed to help agents and agencies work more efficiently, manage their data more effectively, and improve their bottom line.

How Bacancy Helped?

We were able to meet the expected requirements of the client as their system uses Ruby on Rails for the real estate apps. The framework’s modularity, scalability, and security features enabled our developers to add features to the iDashboard like self-check-ins, uploading & storing property documents with listings, inquiry management, integrating e-mail communication, and more.

Results

The client was pleased with the output, and they could meet their annual targets with a massive audience on their platform by leveraging the features and benefits.

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Top 3 Real Estate Apps Built with Ruby on Rails

Several PropTech companies use Ruby on Rails as their backend technology. Here are some examples which will encourage you to build your real estate app with Ruby on Rails:

1. Realtor.com

Realtor is one of the largest real estate listing websites in the United States. The website, owned by Move, Inc., a subsidiary of News Corp, serves as a platform for buyers, sellers, and real estate agents to connect and exchange information about properties.

Realtor.com’s backend is built on a Ruby on Rails framework, which provides a robust and scalable platform for managing large amounts of data and traffic. The website utilizes Rails’ modular architecture and built-in security features to provide a high-quality user experience for its 119.2 million users, noted in Jan 2023.

Ruby on Rails’ scalability and efficiency have enabled Realtor.com to handle the massive amounts of data and traffic that the site generates. Additionally, the framework’s speed and flexibility have allowed the site to quickly adapt to changing market conditions and customer needs.

2. Housing.com

Housing.com, one of India’s leading real estate websites, uses Ruby on Rails in its backend. The platform provides a comprehensive online marketplace for buying, selling, and renting properties across India.

RoR has enabled Housing.com to quickly iterate on new features and functionality, allowing the company to stay ahead of the competition in the fast-paced Indian real estate market. The framework’s efficiency and speed have also helped the company to improve website performance and provide a seamless user experience for its millions of users. In January 2023, the website observed 18.6 million visits.

Housing.com is a robust platform that smoothly handles the surging demands of the Indian real estate market.

3. PurpleBricks

Purplebricks is a UK-based real estate company. It operates an online estate agent business, providing a platform for buyers and sellers to connect and manage property transactions.

Ruby on Rails provides Purplebricks with a flexible and scalable platform for managing its online estate agent operations. Purplebricks quickly responds to changing market conditions and customer needs owing to RoR’s rapid development and iterations.

Ruby on Rails also provides Purplebricks with built-in security features and data management tools, ensuring that sensitive customer data is protected and managed effectively.

Overall, Ruby on Rails has played a critical role in enabling Purplebricks to become a leading player in the UK real estate market. The platform provides a high-quality user experience while maintaining the security and integrity of its 1.8 million user base.

Conclusion

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What makes Ruby on Rails a good choice for Real Estate app development?

Ruby on Rails is a popular web application framework that provides several benefits for Real Estate app development, including a modular architecture, rapid development capabilities, and an extensive library of pre-built components and plugins. It also uses the Model-View-Controller (MVC) design pattern, which helps ensure the application is organized and scalable.

How does Ruby on Rails simplify Real Estate app development?

Ruby on Rails provides tools and features that simplify Real Estate app development, such as automated testing, database migrations, and scaffolding. These features allow developers to quickly build and test new features and maintain the application over time.

Can Ruby on Rails be used for mobile and web-based Real Estate apps?

Yes, Ruby on Rails can be used to build mobile and web-based Real Estate apps. While Rails is primarily used for creating web-based applications, it can also be used with other frameworks and tools to build native mobile applications.

Are there any notable Real Estate apps that have been built using Ruby on Rails?

Several notable Real Estate apps have been built using Ruby on Rails, including Zillow, Redfin, and Trulia. These apps use Rails for its scalability, ease of development, and ability to handle complex data structures.

Are there any drawbacks to using Ruby on Rails for Real Estate app development?

While Ruby on Rails has many benefits for Real Estate app development, there are some potential drawbacks. One potential issue is that Rails applications can be slower than other frameworks when handling large volumes of data. Additionally, some developers may find the framework’s conventions and design patterns too restrictive or limiting. However, these issues can often be mitigated with careful planning and optimization.

Can your Ruby on Rails Developer help me complete my incomplete app development project?

We will be the right partner for your mid-way project transition. We understand that your previous development partner discontinued your app development mid-way through some unfortunate circumstances. In that case, our team of experienced RoR developers, under the mentorship of a reliable project manager, will take over your project. We will understand your ongoing plans and the previous process and go ahead with a mutually beneficial Agile process to meet your needs at all times. Also, we ensure our complete support and dedication towards your project development until you need us.