Streamlining Real Estate Transactions with Storyblok

• Headquarters: Berlin, Germany
• Technology Stack: React

McMakler represents the new generation and shift in real estate transactions in Germany. The firm strives to create a hassle-free property transaction process for buyers and sellers. Using Storyblok, McMakler achieved a 95% cut in development time compared to their previous monolithic setup. Storyblok has enabled McMakler to build a database and decision tree framework (using dynamic forms) on their website. With this, visitors can make informed choices for their real estate endeavors.

Section titled Monolithic challenges that restricted innovation Monolithic challenges that restricted innovation

Before Storyblok, McMakler was using WordPress, which came with multiple challenges. Over time, the collective voice within McMakler decided it was time for a change to a new system.

Specifically, one that could manage the challenges they faced, including:

• Monolithic architecture: This created a build-up of frustrations and issues in the system.
• PHP setup: Preventing them from growth due to continuous upkeep and friction in development tasks caused by the monolithic system.
• Restriction of developmental innovation: Developers were frustrated by the limitations of the monolithic system, which required a workaround solution for each new build. It also restricted any new ideas to revamp and optimize the site.
• Static workflows: Static processes, no component reuse, and workarounds significantly slowed down time-to-market.

As a result, McMakler's technical team chose Storyblok as their headless CMS to overcome these challenges.

Why Storyblok: A solution that fits all

McMakler uses Storyblok to create dynamic site elements and generate leads through dynamic forms, which has helped them improve their user experience more efficiently. Storyblok also helped to scale its content operations and enhance its user experience by:

• Using Storyblok's dynamic forms as a lead generation point: For homeowners to enter data on how much their property is worth and aid them along their selling or purchasing process.
• Streamlining developer-dependent internal processes: Making them easy for marketers to handle independently.
• Connecting vertical integrations: Within the dynamic decision tree to accommodate the specific needs of someone engaging with the website (such as an energy certification for a particular type of housing, with data pulled from Storyblok to a catered landing page).
• Reusability across content types: Including vertical integrations to apply across the website, making it easy to standardize content and branding.

Processes that previously took 8 to 10 weeks of development and testing now take only 3 days - a 95% cut in development time.

Section titled Using Storyblok as a decision-tree framework Using Storyblok as a decision-tree framework

McMakler has developed a decision-tree framework that uses data from dynamic forms to understand the user's intent. This system customizes the form elements and further questions based on the user's responses and presents the relevant product offerings accordingly.

The company also provides vertical integrations catering to the users' specific needs. These integrations can be reused for different verticals and exist in a dedicated space. For example, in the case of financing and accounting, McMakler pulls the requested data for a specific vertical and hosts it on a designated website.

McMakler uses vertical websites to find the best components and information that resonate with their audience. The company combines these to create the best form and UX/UI design for their component library. This library can build on, reuse, and dynamically optimize its components and websites.

Section titled Managing Germany’s real-estate landscape with Storyblok Managing Germany’s real-estate landscape with Storyblok

McMakler switched from a monolithic setup with multiple limitations to Storyblok and achieved significant results. This included a 95% reduction in development time and the creation of a dynamic decision-tree framework.

By adopting a new headless CMS, McMakler could transform and simplify its internal processes while striving for a more secure, performance-driven, and scalable website. Switching to Storyblok increased satisfaction among its development, marketing, UX/UI teams, and users.