Subletta is a web platform created to make subletting safer, simpler, and more transparent for students and young adults. The project was completed as an 8-month senior capstone project.
Most rental platforms aren’t built for subletting.
They’re often generic, high-risk, and leave young adults feeling uncertain and overwhelmed as they navigate short-term housing. We saw an opportunity to fill this gap by creating a platform tailored specifically to the unique needs of subletting.
high level project goals
Develop a functioning, responsive MVP (minimum viable product) with an intuitive, user-friendly design
Ensure a transparent and secure process for all users
Research and address real needs with features that build on trust and confidence
my contribution
Leading a cross-functional team from 0 → 1
As Project Manager, I led weekly standups and guided the team from discovery to launch. I facilitated workshops, scoped the MVP, and created roadmaps balancing feasibility with user needs. I also conducted interviews and affinity mapping, collaborated on task flows and wireframes, and supported front-end QA for a smooth launch.
Jira Roadmap
Weekly meetings and workshops
The solution
Subletta
Subletta is a web platform created to make subletting safer, simpler, and more transparent for students and young adults. The platform focuses on trust, usability, and support, providing intuitive tools and resources to help both sublessors and subtenants navigate the subletting process.
"My roommate still hasn't found someone to fill her apartment..."
It started when close friends and family kept running into the same struggle: finding or leasing a sublet. What felt like a personal frustration quickly revealed itself as a much bigger issue.
design approach
The design journey
Our team followed a design thinking framework with an iterative, user-centered approach, moving from low to high-fidelity designs through testing and refinement.
In the Empathy phase, surveys, interviews, and competitive analysis revealed key pain points and opportunities. These insights guided our wireframes and ideation, and continuous testing and feedback allowed us to refine designs at each stage, ensuring the final product effectively addressed user needs.
user surveys + Interviews
Meeting the key players
In our surveys and interviews, we focused on people with subletting experience to better understand their needs. We identified two key roles: the sublessor and the subtenant, each with distinct goals which shaped how our solution had to serve both sides.
competitive analysis
Rentals ≠ Sublets
Our competitive analysis revealed that:
Mainstream platforms (Facebook, Reddit) are popular but lack subletting-specific features and safeguards.
Dedicated subletting sites (HousingPanda, Sublet.com) better support subletting but struggle with credibility and reach
This reveals a clear gap for a trusted, user-friendly subletting platform that Subletta aims to fill.
key findings
The main problems we want to tackle
From our conversations with previous sublessors and subtenants, three major issues stood out:
1. lack of trust
2. Search limitations
3. Subletting unfamiliarity
our SOlutions
Three problems we want to address
We targeted these key findings by implementing solutions:
Lack of trust → Verified Users
Search limitations → Catered results
Subletting unfamiliarity → Guided approach
Verified users
Growing confidence in real people
One of the biggest fears users shared was being scammed. To make trust visible, we introduced verification badges that confirm identity through photo ID, student email, or other methods. These badges appear on profiles and listings, so users can instantly see who’s verified.
'Create an account' wireframes
We built verification into the account creation flow so it wouldn’t be optional, while still allowing users to add extra methods later. This small design decision set the tone: Subletta is built on trust.
Catered results
Filtering for the perfect match
Subletting isn’t one-size-fits-all. People care about lease length, roommates, price, and location differently depending on their situation. Our two-way search lets users look for either sublets or subtenants, tailored to their goals.
We started with filters based on survey preferences, but through usability testing we learned users prioritized details like lease length over price more often than expected. We re-ordered the filter hierarchy to match real behavior, making search faster and more intuitive.
guided approach
Integrated assistance
Many first-time subletters admitted they felt overwhelmed by the process. To reduce uncertainty, we added tooltips and explainer pop-ups that clarified tricky details without interrupting the flow.
Onboarding became more than just sign-up, it became a guided journey, with goal-oriented copy that explained what to do next and why it mattered. Instead of feeling lost, users felt supported.
We designed a brand identity to evoke warmth and a sense of home, then I validated it through a survey with 27 users. The top adjectives they used to describe our moodboard were warm, inviting, and friendly.
impact & feedback
“I'm not familiar with any other site that is specifically for subletting. So I feel like [Subletta] would be super useful.”
Our MVP testing received positive feedback and a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 20, showing users would recommend our solution. This validation highlights how our research and iterative design strengthened trust, transparency, and the overall subletting experience.
Users also described the design as visually appealing and familiar, often comparing the UI to platforms like Airbnb, which reinforced the usability and approachability of our interface.
Next steps
What we would do with more time...
We launched a desktop-only MVP, but with more time we would build a mobile experience to support users actively searching for sublets on any device. Beyond the core features, we’d expand to cover the full subletting process with contract and payment management, while also enhancing security and performance through AI-powered scam detection and chatbot support.
Takeaways
My reflection
This project taught me that leadership is as much about alignment as vision. Keeping the bigger picture in mind helped me break down complex challenges into achievable goals, and through clear communication with designers and developers, I turned research insights into features that shaped user needs into a cohesive product vision.
Huge shoutout to the Subletta team for their creativity, collaboration, and dedication in bringing this project to life!
