Platform engineering for real estate marketplaces
High reach, regulatory obligations, many teams on one codebase: we work embedded in Germany's leading real estate platform and know this daily reality from the inside.
What we have built in this industry
What we know from this industry
What we often find
- Regulatory obligations such as the energy performance certificate
- Legacy code next to modern architecture
- High reach, no room for outages
- Many teams on one codebase
- Fast market cycles
What we make of it
- Embedded senior teams instead of outsourcing
- New products within the existing platform
- Step-by-step refactoring without halting development
- Scalable search and product infrastructure
- AI features in production on the marketplace
Senior engineers inside the marketplace leader's team
On a marketplace platform, the speed at which new features, regulatory obligations and market requirements are implemented directly decides your position in the market.
Since 2022, five of our people have been part of ImmobilienScout24's engineering organization, responsible for the Energieausweis 48 tool and contributing continuously to the React codebase.
That means legacy refactoring, product development and architecture decisions while a platform with millions of users keeps running.
The typical situation
On a live marketplace there is no greenfield. The ImmobilienScout24 codebase has grown over many years; backend and routing run on PHP and Laravel, with the React frontend on top. Every change has to weigh its effect on existing features. On top of that come obligations such as the energy performance certificate, which is often exactly the bottleneck that holds up an otherwise ready listing.
How we approach it
- Embedded, not external: We work as part of the client's product development, not as an outside vendor.
- Ownership of a product: frontend and product development of Energieausweis 48, integrated into the listing process.
- Step-by-step refactoring: TypeScript types, clearer component boundaries, fewer legacy patterns.
- Clean boundaries between Laravel routing and the React frontend through custom Webpack configurations.
At ImmobilienScout24, 5 alm engineers have been embedded since 2022. Since 2022 we have contributed continuously to frontend development. Energieausweis 48 is live in the market and under ongoing development.
Common questions from this industry
How does an external team work inside your product development?
Embedded, not as an outside vendor. At ImmobilienScout24, 5 alm engineers have been part of product development since 2022. We own the frontend and product development of Energieausweis 48. We also contribute continuously to the platform's React codebase. The engagement is one of the largest long-term team setups in the alm portfolio.
How do you modernize a codebase that has grown over years while it is running?
Step by step, without bringing development to a halt. The codebase at ImmobilienScout24 has grown over many years. Backend and routing run on PHP and Laravel, with the React frontend on top. We add TypeScript types, draw clearer component boundaries and remove legacy patterns. Custom Webpack configurations keep the boundary between Laravel routing and React clean. Every change weighs its effect on existing features, because on a live marketplace there is no greenfield.
What is Energieausweis 48?
A tool in ImmobilienScout24's listing process. The energy performance certificate (Energieausweis) is mandatory for sales and rentals in Germany and is often exactly the bottleneck that holds up an otherwise ready listing. With Energieausweis 48, sellers and landlords get the certificate directly in the listing process. We own the frontend and product development of the tool. It is live in the market and under ongoing development.