Apex Properties — Luxury Real Estate Platform
Immersive luxury real estate platform with interactive maps, carousels, and advanced filtering.
Overview
Industry: Luxury Real Estate
Role: Designer & Developer
Timeline: 2.5 Weeks
Tech Stack: HTML5, CSS3, Vanilla JavaScript, Leaflet.js, CSS Grid/Flexbox, Advanced Animations
Apex Properties is a self-directed demo project designed to simulate a high-end real estate platform. The goal was to create a site where property discovery feels immersive and elegant, while ensuring advanced technical functionality such as interactive maps, filtering, and dynamic image galleries.
Objectives
- Create an immersive platform for luxury property discovery.
- Integrate interactive maps with custom markers and neighborhood filtering.
- Develop bespoke property carousels and modal image galleries.
- Build advanced filtering and search systems for seamless exploration.
- Balance luxury aesthetics with mobile usability and performance.
Process
1. Research & Strategy
- Analyzed existing luxury real estate websites and interviewed potential users to identify common frustrations in property browsing.
- Opportunities emerged around faster filtering, immersive imagery, and clear property storytelling.
2. Visual Identity & UX Design
- Palette: Dark neutrals with gold-accent accents (#121212, #1A5F7A, #D4AF37, #F8F4E3).
- Typography: Playfair Display (elegant, high-end) paired with Raleway (clean, modern).
- Layout: Spacious grid layouts, restrained overlays, and smooth transitions.
3. Technical Implementation
- Leaflet.js Maps: Custom markers, clustering, and dynamic filtering by neighborhood.
- Property Carousels: Custom JavaScript carousels with pagination and hover overlays.
- Image Gallery Modal: Thumbnail navigation, captions, and smooth transitions.
- Animations: Scroll-based reveals and navigation effects for premium atmosphere.
- Performance Optimization: Lazy loading, compressed assets, and efficient media handling.
Outcome
- Performance: 96 Lighthouse Performance score (desktop) despite rich media.
- Filtering: Real-time filter response under 100ms for seamless discovery.
- Mobile Usability: 98% Lighthouse Mobile Usability score.
- Experience: Immersive property journey from map → carousel → image gallery → virtual tour.
- Brand Identity: Minimalist gold-accented system that communicates refinement and trust.
Key Metrics & Impact
- 96 Lighthouse Performance Score (desktop)
- 98% Lighthouse Mobile Usability Score
- Real-time filter response under 100ms
Tools & Tech
- HTML5, CSS3, Vanilla JavaScript
- Leaflet.js (Interactive Maps)
- Custom JS Carousels & Modals
- CSS Grid/Flexbox
Reflection
This demo project illustrates how a luxury real estate platform can balance storytelling, usability, and advanced technical systems. By blending immersive visuals with responsive functionality, Apex Properties proves how digital property discovery can feel as refined as walking through a premium showroom.