Leona Homes

Leona Homes: A digital service that turns rental living into an experience

The market situation at the time of the brand launch was challenging: supply was abundant and competition for residents was fierce. It was a tenant-driven market where standing out was not a choice, but a business necessity. In addition, the search for rental apartments is heavily concentrated on large portals such as Oikotie and Vuokraovi, further highlighting the need for a strong owned digital channel.

The website was seen as a central element from the very beginning. It needed to serve as the brand’s “home base” and first point of contact, shaping users’ first impressions and experiences of Leona Homes.

A collaboration combining brand, experience and technology

The collaboration began in autumn 2024 and involved close cooperation between CapMan, Bold, responsible for creating the brand, and Exove, responsible for the technical implementation. The work started with joint workshops to define the website’s role as part of the broader customer journey. The website was not an isolated solution, but one key part of a larger ecosystem that also includes the rental system, resident portal and other digital channels.

Particular attention was paid to how the website serves different target audiences – new apartment seekers, existing residents and people considering moving to a new home – and how it supports their needs at different stages of the customer journey.

The design process was divided so that Exove was responsible for the user experience, while Bold handled the visual identity and design system. This required seamless collaboration while enabling a strong and distinctive end result. The design was guided particularly by the need to stand out visually, provide smooth and fast user journeys, and ensure an excellent user experience, especially on mobile.

Technical implementation: performance and scalability

WordPress was selected as the platform for its flexibility and ease of use. The implementation placed particular emphasis on performance, search functionality and visual details. The search experience was designed to be as fast and intuitive as possible, which is why it was built using Elasticsearch and ElasticPress. This enables smooth apartment browsing and efficient filtering.

Integrations with the apartment manager Inna’s systems also played a key role. Apartment information is brought to the website in real time. The integration was critical because the actual rental process takes place in the partner’s system, while the website needs to guide users seamlessly forward without disrupting the experience.

The integrations proved to be the most demanding part of the project, as the data models and APIs evolved during the work. Despite the challenges, the result was a functional and reliable solution. The implementation also leveraged a design-system-driven approach, supporting the website’s continued development and the introduction of new features. Visual animations and effects add the finishing touches to the user experience and reinforce the brand’s distinctiveness.

A key part of the broader customer experience

The Leona Homes website primarily serves as a brand and marketing platform. Although the actual rental process takes place in a partner system, the website effectively guides users forward and supports their decision-making. At the same time, it serves several target audiences, from new apartment seekers to existing residents and people considering moving to a new home.

The website also serves as a key communication channel, bringing together housing-related content, frequently asked questions and services for residents, such as the Leona Flex concept.

A key objective is to provide all essential information in one place: apartment search, property details, resident benefits, frequently asked questions and easy access to the resident portal. The website is also actively used as a platform for brand content, including housing tips, resident stories and other content that strengthens the overall brand experience.

Results: strong engagement and valuable data

The Leona Homes digital service was launched in stages during spring 2025. Leona Homes received the brand-aligned website they were looking for, which has received positive feedback internally. Promising results were achieved early on:

• Users actively navigate directly to the website, indicating strong brand appeal and a successful user experience. Visitors spend a significant amount of time on the site and actively use the content and tools available.

• The technical solution works seamlessly, while real-time data supports both the user experience and operational efficiency.

• The analytics and dashboard solution created for Leona Homes has provided entirely new insights into users. Analytics can be used to monitor how effectively the website reaches the right target audience, which content generates interest and how efficiently users move towards the rental process.

Continuous development supports growth

Development has continued actively following the launch. The website has been expanded with features such as a search alert, making it easier to find a suitable apartment as life circumstances change. At the same time, analytics capabilities have been further developed, enabling the business to be guided more precisely based on user data. Going forward, the goal is to develop solutions that make finding the right home even smoother.

A digital service that is more than a brochure

The Leona Homes website is not simply a brochure, but a central part of the brand and customer experience. It brings marketing, service and data together into a single ecosystem.

The result is a digital platform that not only supports the business, but also helps build Leona Homes into one of Finland’s most desirable rental living brands.