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FIG 01 · Real Estate App Development

Real estate apps built on today’s MLS data and today’s rules

Property search, agent, rental and property management apps for brokerages, proptech startups and property managers, on RESO feeds and built for how deals work now.

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Couple viewing an empty apartment while checking a property listing app on a phone

FIG 02 · Quick answer

What does a real estate app development company do?

Elgrith is a real estate app development company building property search, agent, rental and property management apps for iOS, Android and the web. We connect MLS data through the RESO Web API, follow IDX display rules, add written buyer-agreement steps required since August 2024, and support UK material information and India RERA fields for teams selling across markets.

Web API and Data Dictionary feeds, not legacy RETS
RESO
Projects delivered since 2015
1,000+
Clients across the USA, UK and India
250+
Your code, repository and IP
100%

FIG 03 · Why it matters

The data standard and the rules both changed. Most apps didn’t.

From RESO, the National Association of REALTORS® and Andhra Pradesh RERA, read on 23 Oct 2026.

FIG 04 · MLS data

IDX, VOW, broker feeds and the RESO Web API

IDX, VOW and broker feeds are permissions: what you may show, and to whom. The RESO Web API is how the data arrives. Your MLS’s rules decide the first; your engineering decides the second.

IDX vs VOW vs broker back-office feed
IDXVOWBroker or back-office feed
What it allowsPublic display of other brokers’ active listings on a participant’s site or appListings for registered consumers who have a relationship with the broker, behind a sign-inData for the broker’s own back office, analytics or agent tools
Who shows itMLS participants and their agentsMLS participants, for their own registered customersInternal users; not for public display
Display rulesSet by the MLS’s IDX policy: attribution, refresh, fields shownSet by the MLS’s VOW policy: registration, terms of use, fields shownSet by the licence agreement
How data arrivesRESO Web API, from the MLS or an aggregator such as MLS Grid, Trestle or BridgeRESO Web API, usually the same feed with different permissionsRESO Web API or a vendor export

Every MLS sets its own rules and fees, and each feed has a licence; we read yours before we design screens. RETS: RESO “discontinued certifying” it in 2018, so new builds use the RESO Web API (reso.org, data updated 21 Oct 2026).

Marketing a brokerage? Real estate websites, SEO and CRM

FIG 05 · What you get

Real estate apps and software we build

Apps for buyers, renters, agents and property managers, plus real estate software development for brokerages: the back office that keeps deals, documents and agents moving.

White card house model beside a phone map with property pins and a set of brass keys
Real Estate App Development · built in-house

01

Property search and listings

Map and list search, saved searches, alerts and listing pages fed by your MLS or your own inventory.

02

Geospatial search

Draw-on-map search, school and commute layers and nearby amenities, on Google Maps Platform or Mapbox.

03

Agent apps

Leads, showings, client notes, documents and e-signatures in the agent’s pocket.

04

Rental and tenant portals

Applications, leases, rent payments and maintenance requests for renters and landlords.

05

Investor dashboards

Portfolios, yields, valuations and documents for investors and asset managers.

06

Transaction management

Real estate software development for brokerages: deal stages, checklists, documents, e-sign and compliance review.

07

Media and virtual tours

Photo galleries, video, floor plans and 3D tour embeds that load fast on a phone.

08

Lead routing to your CRM

Enquiries routed to the right agent and synced to your CRM, with source tracking.

Deliverables

11

deliverables, in writing

Included in every build, written into your fixed quote before work starts.

FIG 06 · Who it serves

Apps for every side of the deal

One platform can serve buyers, agents, brokerages and property managers. What changes is the data each one may see and the steps each one must follow.

  • Buyers and renters

    Features
    Search, saved homes, alerts, tour requests and applications
    Data
    IDX listings shown under your MLS’s display rules

  • Agents

    Features
    Leads, showings, buyer agreements, documents and messages
    Data
    Listings plus the agent’s own clients and deals
    CRM Development

  • Brokerages

    Features
    Transaction management, compliance review, agent onboarding and reporting
    Data
    Back-office feed, deals and commissions

  • Property managers and landlords

    Features
    Tenant portals, rent, maintenance and owner statements
    Data
    Your own units, leases and ledgers
    Web Portal Development

FIG 07 · MLS data

MLS data done right

MLS data is the hardest part of a US real estate app, and the part most quotes skip. We plan the feed, the licence and the display rules before the first screen.

05principles

  • RESO Web API and Data Dictionary 2.0

    Listings pulled through the RESO Web API and mapped to Data Dictionary field names, so a second MLS is a configuration, not a rewrite.

  • Moving off RETS

    Still on a RETS feed? We migrate to the RESO Web API, field by field, and check the counts match before switching.

  • Aggregators, named factually

    Many MLSs deliver through an aggregator such as MLS Grid, Trestle or Bridge. We work with the one your MLS uses; we hold no partner status with any of them.

  • Display rules

    Attribution, required fields, refresh timing and opt-outs built to your MLS’s IDX or VOW policy.

  • Licences as a budget line

    Feed fees and licence terms differ by MLS and aggregator; read any terms on uses beyond display, such as analytics or AI, before you build.

FIG 08 · Post-settlement

Built for post-settlement workflows

NAR says its MLS policy changes went into effect on 17 Aug 2024 (checked 23 Oct 2026). Apps built before then often still show the old fields and skip the new steps. Your broker and counsel set the policy; we build it in.

04principles

  • No compensation fields on MLS listings

    Offers of compensation can no longer be communicated on an MLS, so listing screens and feeds don’t carry or display them.

  • Written buyer agreements

    An e-sign step for the written agreement between the buyer and their agent, placed in the flow before a tour is booked.

  • An audit trail

    Who signed what, when and on which version, stored with the deal for broker review.

  • Rules you can change

    Agreement templates and required steps set by the brokerage in an admin panel, not hard-coded, because local rules and MLS policies differ.

FIG 09 · Fair housing

Fair Housing-aware search, ads and screening

The Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 3604(c)) makes it unlawful to publish housing ads or statements that indicate a preference, limitation or discrimination based on a protected characteristic. That reaches search filters, listing copy, ad targeting and tenant screening. General guidance, not legal advice.

04principles

  • Neutral search filters

    Filters on the property, never on who lives nearby or who may apply, with no proxies for protected characteristics.

  • Listing copy checks

    Flags for wording that describes people rather than the property, before a listing goes live.

  • Ad audiences

    Housing ad targeting set up without protected-characteristic proxies, and reviewed by your marketing lead and counsel.

  • Consistent screening

    Tenant screening criteria applied the same way to every applicant, with the decision and reason logged.

FIG 10 · Property management

Property management software development

For landlords and property managers, the app is the office: rent, repairs, owners and leases in one place.

05principles

  • Rent via ACH and card

    Recurring rent, late fees and receipts, through a payment provider that supports ACH.

    Payment gateway integration

  • Maintenance requests

    Tenants report issues with photos; vendors get work orders; everyone sees the status.

  • Owner reporting

    Statements, income and expenses per property, with documents owners can download.

  • Screening integrations

    Applications connected to the screening provider you choose, with consent captured in the flow.

  • Leases and renewals

    Lease templates, e-signatures and renewal reminders, with every version stored.

FIG 11 · UK and India

Selling in the UK or India?

The same platform can serve other markets if the listing model allows market-specific fields from the start.

03principles

  • UK material information

    Fields for the material information UK listings are expected to show, organised to the guidance your agency follows, with portal feeds kept in sync.

  • India RERA registration numbers

    RERA project registration numbers shown on listings and ads; AP RERA calls this “compulsory” on websites and advertisements (updated 19 Oct 2026).

  • Languages and currencies

    Local formats, currencies and languages per market, from one back end.

FIG 12 · Cost

What drives real estate app development cost

We don’t publish prices; every app is scoped and quoted in writing. These are the items that move the budget most.

05principles

  • Data feeds

    How many MLSs or sources, the feed licences and the mapping work for each.

  • Maps and search

    Map search, layers and geocoding, plus their usage costs as traffic grows.

  • Payments

    Rent, deposits or fees, and the provider and checks each one needs.

  • Apps and portals

    Which apps you need (buyer, agent, tenant, owner) and on which platforms.

  • Read the cost guide

    What drives the budget for a real estate app in 2026, item by item.

    Real estate app development cost

Start small

Prove it on one market first

The fastest route to a working real estate app is one MLS or one portfolio, the core search or rent flow and real users. Our MVP team builds exactly that, then grows it with you.

MVP development

FIG 13 · Process · 6 steps

Data and rules first, then screens

A free call, a fixed written quote, then sprints with weekly demos, starting with the feed and the rules your app must follow. You own the code and IP.

Book a call
  1. Step 01

    Free call

    Tell us who the app is for, which markets and which data you have access to. We ask about feeds, licences and workflows, not just screens.

  2. Step 02

    Data and rules review

    Your MLS feeds and licences, display rules, post-settlement steps and any UK or India requirements, written down before design.

  3. Step 03

    Fixed written quote

    A written scope and a fixed quote, with what each release delivers, before any work starts.

  4. Step 04

    Sprints with weekly demos

    Design and build in sprints, with a demo every week on real listings from your feed.

  5. Step 05

    Launch

    App Store and Google Play release, web launch and MLS compliance review where your MLS requires it.

  6. Step 06

    Support and change

    New feeds, rule changes and features, covered under terms agreed in your written scope.

FIG 14 · What you get

Everything included

Written into your fixed quote, so you know exactly what you are paying for before work starts.

11items

  • Written scope and fixed quote
  • Data-feed and licence plan
  • UX and UI design
  • iOS and Android apps
  • Web app or portal
  • RESO Web API integration
  • Admin panel for listings, agents and rules
  • E-sign and document flows
  • Payments set up if in scope
  • App Store and Google Play submission
  • IP assignment: code and data are yours

FIG 15 · Tech & tools

The tools behind the work

Proven, well-supported tools, chosen for your project and set up in accounts your business owns.

  • RESO Web API
  • RESO Data Dictionary
  • Next.js
  • React Native
  • Flutter
  • Swift
  • Kotlin
  • Node.js
  • PostgreSQL
  • PostGIS
  • Elasticsearch
  • Google Maps Platform
  • Mapbox
  • Stripe
  • ACH
  • E-signature APIs

FIG 16 · Who it’s for

Real estate apps for brokerages, startups and property managers.

A platform you own, on today’s data standards, built around your market’s rules.

3 audiences

Brokerages

Your own search app and back office.

Branded search apps on your MLS feed, agent tools and transaction management, so your agents and clients stay in your platform.

  • IDX search under your MLS rules
  • Agent app
  • Buyer agreements and e-sign
  • Transaction management

FIG 17 · Working with us from the USA and UK

Built in New Delhi. Run on your hours.

Every project gets a point of contact in New York or London and an engineering team in New Delhi. Here is how today’s working days line up, live.

Three ways to work together

  1. 01

    Fixed-scope project

    A written scope, one fixed price and a dated plan. Suits websites, apps and MVPs.

  2. 02

    Dedicated team

    Designers and engineers on your roadmap every month, billed monthly.

  3. 03

    White label

    For US and UK agencies: our work, your brand, unbranded deliverables.

Every engagement

  • Fixed quote in USD, GBP or INR after a free 30-minute call
  • NDA before discovery. You own all code, designs and content
  • A working demo every sprint, not status slides
  • Reply within one business day, calls inside your hours
Book a call

Calls on ET or UK hours

FIG 18 · Decide

White-label IDX platform vs custom real estate app

A white-label IDX platform is quick; a custom app is yours. This is how they compare.

White-label IDX platform vs custom real estate app
White-label IDX platformCustom real estate app
Time to launchFast: configure and brandLonger: designed and built for you
FeaturesWhat the platform offersWhat your agents and clients need
Data and codeThe platform’s product; data under its termsYour code; data under your MLS licence
Best forA standard search site, quicklyA product, a brand experience or workflows no platform covers

Some teams start on a white-label site and move to a custom app when the product becomes the business. We design the data model for that move.

Building a web app first? Web app development

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Straight answers about Real Estate App Development with Elgrith.

We don’t publish prices, because cost depends on the data feeds and licences, maps and search, payments, and which apps and portals you need. After a free call you get a written scope and a fixed quote. Our real estate app development cost guide explains each driver.

FIG 19 · Related

Keep exploring

All services

Free 30-minute call

Build a real estate app on today’s data and rules.

Tell us your market, your data access and who the app is for. After a free call you get a written scope and a fixed quote.

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connect@elgrith.com+91 96039 20001Start a project

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