UniNest
A transparent, community-centric housing platform that prioritizes cultural proximity and verified listings for students and young professionals.
MY ROLE
Conceptualization
Research
Usability testing
Design
TOOLS USED
Figma
Notion
NotebookLM
Nano Banana
DURATION
4 Months
CONTEXT
THE 2:00 AM WHATSAPP PING
Imagine you’re a student moving to New York. It’s 2:00 AM, and you’re scrolling through a chaotic WhatsApp group filled with strangers. You find a room that looks perfect, but the photos are too glossy, likely a scam. The agent hasn't replied in three days. You feel a tightening in your chest: Is this really how my New York dream starts?
This is the reality for thousands of students.
Key Metrics
In New York City, it is estimated that at least 60% to 70% of the city's 500,000+ college students are renters
Reported rental scam losses in the U.S. exceeded $145 million recently, with NYC being a top-tier hotspot.
Even with recent legislative shifts like the FARE Act, the upfront cost of moving in NYC is a massive barrier to entry (First month + Security + 15% Broker Fee)
RESEARCH
We interviewed 20+ students and young professionals to better understand bottlenecks in the current process. Based on these interviews, we gathered key insights and boiled down the issue to three major barriers causing hindrace to a seamless apartment hunting expereince.
FINDINGS
MAJOR BARRIER
The Authenticity Crisis
"Catalog photo is a big NO," Interviewee 1 told us. "I want to see the mold in the corner if it's there. I want it to be real."
The Cultural Anchor:
For Interviwee 2, a "good location" wasn't about the subway, it was about being able to walk to her synagogue. Without that community, she wasn't just moving; she was drifting.
The Shadow Economy
The "hidden fees" aren't just a financial burden; they are a betrayal of trust that makes young professionals feel exploited before they even unpack their first box.
IDEAS
As per the data collected, I came up with several design strategies that could help users move past the barriers.
STRATEGY 1
"TikTok experience"
User-generated video walkthroughs
Eliminates the "expectations vs. reality" shock by replacing airbrushed staging with user-generated, raw video walkthroughs
STRATEGY 2
Finding your housing through Filter-Based Cultural & Personal Preferences WITH LAZY LOGIN
UniNest’s community filter allows users to search by Cultural Infrastucture and other requirements, prioritizing proximity to specific religious centers, lifestyle, etc. By pairing this deep customization with a Lazy Login flow, the app allows for a friction-less onboarding experience with the goal of converting intent into discovery.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
With UniNest I aimed to shift the housing search from a high-stakes scavenger hunt to a curated experience of belonging by prioritizing Verified Trust and Community Anchors, .
Trust is the Primary Currency:
In a high-scam market, authenticity (raw video) beats aesthetics (pro photography). With User interviewes, I got to understand that pixel perfect content is not always the way to go. (Crashing up all my design process so far)
Frictionless Empathy:
Designing for the "overwhelmed" user through features like Lazy Login and Vibe-Checks proves that reducing cognitive load is the fastest path to user retention.
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