CityEE — real estate agency where trust converts into inquiry in 1 action
Real estate is one of the highest-price, lowest-trust markets. Users decide in seconds whether to stay or leave for another agency. CityEE had to help visitors quickly understand three things: who to trust, how the deal works, how to get in touch. We built the platform following AJTBD and trust-skeleton principles: one primary CTA per screen, process visibility, contacts visible from the hero, mobile-first optimized.
Case overview
- Project
- CityEE — real estate agency in Tallinn
- Niche
- Real estate agency (buying, selling, renting, consulting)
- Market
- Private clients and investors operating in Tallinn and surrounding areas
- Users
- People who want to sell / buy / rent an apartment or house, needing professional support
- Problem
- Low trust on first screen + unclear process = visitor leaves
- Goal
- Increase trust from the hero + clarify the process = boost inquiry speed
- Solution
- Trust-first + AJTBD scenario (sell/rent/consult) + mobile optimization + one CTA per screen
- Outcome
- Services become clearer, contact path shorter, inquiry count grows
Context
Real estate is a field of high stakes and long decision cycles. Users don't want to experiment — they look for signs of professionalism, transparency, and trust. If those are missing, they leave for a competitor who shows the process and contacts immediately. CityEE needs a structure that doesn't sell with emotions, but helps quickly assess: who you're dealing with, how the work happens, and how you can contact them.
Problem
Low sector transparency + high risks (buying real estate is a decades-long decision) + fears of scammers and amateurs break trust before the user reads the offer. If the page has no contacts, process, or team signals, the user reads it as a signal "not ready for open cooperation." Additionally: real estate portals are oversaturated, so differentiation is needed not by price, but by service clarity and support.
Goal
Strengthen trust from the hero (contacts, who, process hints) + increase conversion by making the inquiry path as simple as possible (one primary CTA per screen, low friction) + show services not as features, but as scenarios (sell/rent/consult) + optimize for mobile users (most traffic comes from phones).
Strategy
We did an AJTBD rebuild: user Job ("sell apartment faster and safer") → task ("make inquiry") → outcome ("get estimate + team contact"). Trust skeleton: name + phones + WhatsApp + address + hours, always visible in header. One primary CTA per screen (hero = "Request consultation", not "Request estimate + Request sale + Write..."). Mobile-optimized (buttons ≥44 px, condensed text, no dropdowns).
UX Decision Logic
01 · Trust on the first screen
Many real estate sites hide contacts, phone, or WhatsApp in the footer. In CityEE, they're visible in the header: phone, WhatsApp, address, working hours. Hero doesn't sell with emotions ("best service!"), but shows value proposition: "Fast evaluation. Safe deal. Support from point A to point Z." One primary CTA: "Request consultation". Secondary CTA: "View services". Also, no timers, "today only" badges, or other dark patterns — real estate is too serious a category for such manipulations.
02 · Mobile-first entry
Most real estate inquiries come from phones (users compare offers on the go, in parking lots, at the doctor). CityEE mobile-hero: larger buttons (≥44×44 px), clear input fields, no clutter. Uses one hero button "Request consultation" + second button "View services". Hamburger menu opens without delay, text is readable without zooming. This means not a mobile "version" (where features are left behind for desktop), but mobile-first design.
03 · Form without friction
A real estate form shouldn't be a questionnaire: 10 required fields ("what's your current residence, loan balance, family size"). CityEE form: name + phone + message (optional). Minimum friction, maximum clarity. If the user needs consultation, they give 2 fields and get a call. Also, no multi-step wizard ("1 / 5 steps"), as it increases abandonment. Form opens in a modal or separate page — depending on the route.
04 · Social proof as competence signal
Trust doesn't come only from promises, but also from evidence. At CityEE: gallery of completed deals (apartments/houses the team sold). Each card: photo + address + price + sale time. This gives the user a signal that the team works with real estate, not just "consulting in Excel tables". Also, no fake reviews ("5 stars, anonymous client") — only verifiable cases.
05 · Services as scenarios
Many real estate sites make the "Services" section a list of features ("appraisal, document preparation, marketing photos"). CityEE uses scenarios: "Sell", "Rent", "Consult". Each scenario → brief description → "Choose" button. This makes the user's choice more intuitive (they can't formulate "I need marketing photos", they think "I want to sell an apartment"). Also — each scenario leads to one form or subsection.
06 · Transparent cooperation steps
One of the biggest real estate pain points is process ambiguity. Users fear: "What happens after I send the inquiry? When do I pay? What if I change my mind?" At CityEE: cooperation map (6 steps): Inquiry → Appraisal → Contract → Marketing photos → Property listing → Deal. Each step includes a brief description (2 lines) + time (e.g., "Appraisal — 1–2 days"). This reduces anxiety and increases readiness to contact.
Lead submission in seconds — right from Apple Watch
Minimal form allows leaving contact without a smartphone and extra steps. Solution reduces entry barrier and captures hot interest at the moment of decision.
What we did
- AJTBD rebuild ("sell apartment" → inquiry → outcome)
- Trust structure: contacts in header, hours, WhatsApp, address
- Simplified inquiry path: one CTA per screen, minimal fields
- Services as scenarios (sell/rent/consult)
- Cooperation map (6 steps, time, clarity)
- Mobile-optimized (larger buttons, clear text, no dropdowns)
What we did NOT do
- No hype text ("best service on the market!")
- No hidden contacts in footer section
- No multi-step form (10 required fields)
- No CTA bombing ("order + write + call + order again")
- No dark patterns (timers, "today only", fake reviews)
Results
For users
- User understands the service from 1 hero screen
- Finding contact is without scrolling (header)
- Sending inquiry takes under 30 seconds
- Process clarity reduces anxiety in high-risk category
"In real estate, conversion starts with trust, and trust starts with structure."
ADME services in this case
CityEE is an example of ADME's structured approach to lead generation. We use the same principles in other projects:
Key problems we solve
- Strengthening trust on the first screen
- Faster path to contact (fewer steps)
- Services as clear scenarios (sell/rent/consult)
- Conversion without aggressive CTAs
- Mobile-first inquiries
Why this is a reference
CityEE proves that in high-stakes services (real estate, finance, healthcare), conversion starts with trust and structure, not bright headlines and pushy CTAs. We didn't just "make a design" — we repackaged the process based on the user's Jobs-to-be-Done. Result: users find the right scenario faster, understand the work stages, and are ready to leave contact.
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