Have you ever used a real estate app before? Perhaps to find a new home, an apartment, or simply check out prices? If you have used Property Finder before, you know how simple and easy it can be to browse homes, check property prices, and even view real estate agents' contacts from your phone or computer. By 2025, apps such as Property Finder Dubai have evolved to play a major part in people's property searches in countries like the UAE, especially cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
But have you actually thought about how long creating such an app might take? Well, making a real estate marketplace app is rather a big undertaking, and as with any large undertaking, there are numerous detailed pieces. Whether you're considering developing an app for the first time or you're simply curious about how these apps are made, we've broken it down step by step about what it takes to create a real estate app and its costs in 2025.
In this blog, we will discuss the workings of real estate apps, the features they should have, and perhaps the most significant cost of creating an app like Property Finder UAE. So, let us get the ball rolling!
What is a Real Estate Marketplace App?
Before we dive into expenditure, let's understand what real estate marketplace applications are and why they should matter at all. It is an application to show real estate property, like Property Finder, where property sellers, buyers, and renters come together on one platform. With such applications, users will be able to search properties, view photos, get too many details, and make connections to agents, even directly from within the app. It's like going into a real estate agency but much more convenient since you can do it anytime and anywhere using your smartphone.
Real Estate Apps can have some of the following features:
Property Listings:
One of the most useful features of a real estate application is its property listings. They show the available properties with clear pictures, prices, and detailed descriptions. Users can browse listings to identify homes or apartments that fit their needs. Property information, including property size, amenities it has, and location, is included to help users make informed decisions before investigating agents or contacting owners for further information.
Search Filters:
Search filter of the user preference for real estate-related things, which can include: location; price range; number of bedrooms; size of the property, and so on. Definitely, these filters will save time in getting to the great property as required because they quickly reduce the search results available, thus landing a potential perfect investment or home. It saves a whole lot of time because the user is only given properties receiving their needs.
Contacting Agents:
Within a real estate app, the main essential capability allows users to contact agents or property owners directly through built-in contact methods. Agents can be reached by users using chat and email services or by phone calls to ask questions and schedule property viewings. Users benefit from this aspect because it eliminates the need to leave the app for finding real estate professionals. This app functionality accelerates communication between the buyer, seller, and agent, thus streamlining overall business transactions.
Maps Integration:
Maps Integration is the feature that mostly helps the user to see the exact position of properties on the map. By showing on a map, users will better understand the area, nearby amenities available, and how users can get to their homes. It will also let users zoom in and explore different neighbourhoods before they would want to consider living there. Having this in a real estate app gives a clear view of property locations concerning the whole surrounding.
These are only a few of the features that make up a typical real estate application. Now that we understand what it is defined as within real estate technology, let's discuss the cost of creating it.
Cost of Building an App Like Property Finder in 2025 for Real Estate Marketplace
Building such an app like Property Finder in 2025 can be a bit expensive, depending on the features included and the level of complexity. Generally, these are the few main factors that affect the cost of app development:
App Features
1. Design and UI
2. Platform (iOS or Android or both)
3. Development Team
4. App Maintenance
All of these affect the final cost of the project. Let's break down the factors to give you a snapshot of how much it could potentially cost.
1. App Features
Your app's features will be the most touchy cost driver. A real estate app with only a few listings and a basic search feature may be cheaper to develop. However, the costs increase with advanced features such as maps, chat functionality, and various other personalisation experiences.
Some of the key features that should be included in a real estate app like Property Finder Abu Dhabi are:
Property Listings: The user needs to see this detailed information for each property such as a photo, price, size, and amenities.
Search Filters: Users can also filter property searches based on price criteria, location covered, size of the property, type of property, etc.
Maps Integration: Must show properties on a map, which is the necessary feature. Helps the user, as he knows where the property is concerning the other nearby amenities.
User Profiles: Saves the user's favourite properties, provides price change alerts, and keeps a record of a user's search history.
Messaging/Chat: Allow users to message agents or property owners within the app.
Payment Gateway Integration: If the app further deals with transactions such as rental payments, deposits, etc., it will make the development process rather complex.
Each requires time and resources for development, which will increase the overall price.
2. Design and User Interface (UI)
UI Design for Real Estate AppsUI design is one of the critical facets of an application, particularly real estate apps. The interface should be clear and easy to understand, attracting and keeping users pending on the app. While developing the UI, the developer also needs to consider whether it is visually appealing and accessible to users.
The sleeker and more tailor-made the interface, the more expensive the development process will become. Simple designs usually do not cost much, but they will never have the same impact as a highly professional and visually appealing design.
3. Platform (iOS, Android, or Both)
Another factor affecting prices when developing an app is which platform you want to build your app for. The two distinct boundaries are:
- iOS
- Android
Building your application for iOS and Android platforms simultaneously proves more expensive but presents increased opportunities when reaching broader audiences. These two versions will incur higher costs because they'll be entirely separate apps.
In 2025, many real estate apps will be available for both platforms, so building for both is usually a good idea.
4. Development Team
The development team you hire will also impact the cost. You can hire a team of freelance developers, an app development agency, or a full-time in-house team to work on your project. Each option has its pros and cons:
Freelancers: While converting individual freelancers may cost a bit less, it could also mean much more difficult management and coordination.
App Development Agency: The app development agency, which specialises in real estate app development for hire, makes sure that the project is taken care of professionally. Though this may cost more, it means a complete package of services for design, development, and maintenance.
In-house Team: This option would be the costliest, as it entails hiring permanent staff. However, full control over the in-house team leads to total control of the developing process.
The hiring expense of a development team would rely on expertise, geographical location, and hourly rate.
5. App Maintenance
The app does not stop after it goes live. User retention will be sustained by continuous application development in which developers address faults along with carrying out new feature implementations and releasing software updates. Extensions in time require organisations to establish funding budgets for software maintenance expenses.
Usually, about 15-20% of the in-house development cost should be reserved for annual maintenance.
What Are The Charges?
Now that we have explained the parameters, all that remains is to do the math. On average, the prices for building a real estate marketplace app like Property Finder in 2025 will be between $30,000 and $200,000, depending on features, designs, platforms, and the development team.
The following is a general outline of what can be expected:
- Basic App (Simple Listings and Search): Between $30,000 and $50,000
- Moderate App (Advanced Features like Maps, Messaging): $50,000 - $100,000
- Complex App (Full Customization with Payment Integration, Advanced UI/UX): $100,000 - $200,000
DXB APPS: Create the Best Real Estate Apps in the UAE
At DXB Apps, we extensively specialise in custom real estate Mobile App Development Dubai. The largest Mobile App Development Company, we lovingly grasp the unique needs that real estate businesses in the UAE have and, thus, manufacture high-quality, high-performing, user-friendly applications that help brands to score success.
Whether you are looking for a real estate Mobile App Development Abu Dhabi, or any other city in the UAE, we can take care of everything for you. Our team has wide-ranging experience with real estate applications and is tailored to your requirements.
We also offer support and maintenance services to keep your app running at optimum performance long after launch. With our app development company’s expertise, your app will be outshone with trust in a competitive UAE market.
Conclusion
Building a real estate app like the Property Finder app is an exciting but complex project in 2025. Much of what you want in an app depends on accurate feature picks and the perfect development team. Cost ranges from a low of $30,000 to as high as $200,000, depending on your goals and how complex an app you want to develop.
Proper features, design, and a little booster support can make the app a strong contender in the UAE real estate market. Expert developers like DXB Apps can turn your vision into reality by creating an app that serves the needs of both the property buyer and seller.
FAQs
1. What features should an app like Property Finder have for real estate?
A real estate application's basic features should include property listings, search filters, map integration, user profiles, messaging, and payment gateway features.
2. How long would it take to build a real estate app?
In general, the real estate app development process might take 3-6 months based on its complexity and number of features.
3. Is it possible to develop a real estate app with a small budget?
A fundamental real estate application can be developed through budget restrictions, although extensive features require greater financial resources.
