RoomEase

Most students move off campus after first year, but the information they need is spread across many platforms. With no reliable central source, students struggle to compare options or decide with confidence, and a basic transition becomes overwhelming.

How might we make securing off-campus housing after first year simpler and less stressful for students?

Researching housing in Ontario’s university towns, we found listings that felt overwhelming, vague profiles and no way to tell who or what was a good fit. Bamboo Housing had no roommate matching. Places4Students had an outdated interface and reviews no one trusted.

Our own survey backed it up: more than 70% of students reported using over 20 sites before finding housing.

A list and map toggle for comparing locations, advanced filters for lease length, new listings and amenities, and detailed listings with landlord info, reviews and direct messaging. Roommate profiles share lifestyle habits, preferences and budgets up front. Rent price history sets current rent against historical trends so students can spot a fair market rate.

I built a UI kit with colours, typography, buttons and reusable components so fifteen-plus screens stayed cohesive. It was also how I learned to build a design system.

Several people were working on the visual design at once, and different styles meant inconsistency. Next time I would hold design critiques early rather than redesigning at the last minute, and fix one need at a time instead of everything at once.