NAR, National Association of Realtors – Design and Development of Payment Portal

Elen Muradian

Last updated on July 2, 2025 | 12 min read

Modernizing legacy systems can be complex, but it’s often essential for progress. That’s why the National Association of Realtors turned to DevsData LLC to reimagine their decade-old payment infrastructure. The result: A smarter, faster, and more intuitive system built to support smoother communication and financial workflows for millions of members.

Client Profile

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) is the largest trade association in the United States, representing more than 1.5 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries. Founded in 1908, the organization includes a network of local and state associations that work in tandem to support real estate professionals through advocacy, education, policy development, and operational services. NAR employs over 4000 people and reports an annual revenue of $69.2 million.

To manage the internal operations of this vast and complex network, NAR developed the Realtors Payment System—a centralized platform designed to streamline tasks such as invoicing, member management, and communication between associations and their members. Over the years, this system became a critical tool in the day-to-day functioning of local associations, supporting a wide range of administrative and financial processes.

Despite its foundational role, the Realtors Payment System had not undergone a significant update in over a decade. As the needs of associations and members evolved, and user expectations around digital experiences increased, the platform began to show signs of strain. Navigation had become cumbersome, the architecture was outdated, and completing simple tasks required unnecessary effort. Over the years, significant technical debt had accumulated, stemming from legacy code, patchwork fixes, and a lack of modern development practices, which further hindered scalability and maintainability. These issues impacted the overall efficiency of the system and risked undermining the user experience for both staff and members.

Recognizing the need for a major overhaul, NAR sought a technology partner capable of rethinking the system from the ground up. The goal was not just to modernize the interface, but to reimagine how associations interact with the platform, making every action faster, more intuitive, and more aligned with how users actually work. This initiative was part of a broader digital transformation effort aimed at bringing NAR’s core systems in line with modern standards and user expectations.

Highlights:

• Represents over 1.5 million real estate professionals across the US.
• Operates a custom-built internal system for payments, member data, and communication.
• Needed to upgrade a 10-year-old legacy system to meet modern user expectations.

Challenge: Outdated Architecture, Complex System, High Standards

After more than a decade in operation, the Realtors Payment System had become increasingly difficult to navigate and maintain. Its outdated information architecture no longer aligned with modern workflows, making even simple administrative tasks time-consuming and inefficient for users. With over 100 interconnected screens and numerous edge cases to consider, the system had grown into a tangle of legacy components that slowed operations across local associations. Like many organizations focused on growth and margin, NAR had prioritized scaling over system refinement, leading to the gradual accumulation of technical debt that ultimately hindered long-term agility and maintainability.

NAR’s internal teams had clear expectations: The new system needed to be intuitive, scalable, and visually consistent across all modules. This wasn’t just a design refresh; it was a ground-up rebuild. The project required a full rethinking of user flows, complete redevelopment of the visual design system, and the creation of reusable components that would allow for future scalability. Beyond aesthetics, there were real stakes: The system supported essential billing and communication tools for hundreds of local association offices nationwide.

Adding to the complexity, the client needed to move fast. DevsData LLC was tasked with assembling a cross-functional team—designers, frontend developers, and project managers—capable of delivering results on an accelerated timeline.

Within just a few weeks, a full team was onboarded and aligned with NAR’s technical leadership. The collaboration quickly evolved into a long-term partnership, with DevsData LLC not only redesigning the interface but also proposing strategic improvements to the underlying logic of the system.

Goals

The primary objective was to rebuild a decade-old real estate payment and invoicing platform used by local associations and their members across the United States. The client aimed to streamline core operations, improve platform usability, and ensure consistency with the organization’s modernized brand identity. At the heart of the project was a clear user-centered goal: Shorten and simplify the user journey, minimizing confusion while maintaining full system functionality.

A key design challenge involved aligning the platform with the latest NAR brand standards while preserving compatibility with a legacy backend. The solution needed to be flexible, scalable, and intuitive—capable of serving both tech-savvy and non-technical users alike. DevsData LLC was selected not only for its technical design expertise but also for its ability to modernize complex systems without disrupting day-to-day operations.

Our Approach

We began by mapping out the existing information architecture and identifying structural pain points that contributed to user inefficiencies. Leveraging our prior experience with SaaS platform redesigns, we proposed a modular structure, separating complex tools into logically distinct sections and streamlining naming conventions to reduce cognitive load. These decisions were driven by data from past projects, common UX heuristics, and observed patterns of user frustration.

Simultaneously, we initiated the design phase, aligning visual choices with the Realtors Brandbook and ensuring full consistency with the client’s updated identity. Our design team adapted an existing NAR Design System, originally built for another product, and expanded it with customized components, deeper color variants, and revised typography for improved legibility. Every visual update served a functional purpose: To reduce friction, speed up navigation, and make the platform more pleasant to use.

On the technology side, we recommended a modern full-stack approach reflecting best practices for similar platforms: a frontend built in React with TypeScript for component reusability and maintainability; backend APIs using .NET Core (C#) hosted on Azure for enterprise stability and scalability; SQL Server or Azure SQL for relational data; and Redis or Azure Cache for high‑performance caching. A modular monolith or lightweight microservices architecture (Docker + Kubernetes) would allow independent deployment of critical services, reducing future technical debt. We also proposed integrating DevOps pipelines via Azure DevOps or GitHub Actions, implementing CI/CD processes and environment management consistent with Power Platform best practices.

Execution and Delivery

To initiate the project, DevsData LLC rapidly assembled a multidisciplinary team combining UX research, interface design, and frontend development expertise. Rather than approaching the redesign as a series of isolated screens, the team prioritized structural consistency and functional clarity across the entire user experience. Global elements such as navigation bars, headers, and footers were reworked to support a more intuitive layout logic, while content-heavy views were optimized for legibility using a customized typographic system based on the Roboto font.

Instead of relying on static mockups, the team focused on building a dynamic, modular design framework from the outset. A robust component library was created with responsive behaviors and usage guidelines, streamlining the transition from design to development. Regular checkpoints with the client’s internal teams ensured shared understanding and rapid feedback loops, helping reduce friction and maintain momentum. This approach laid the groundwork for sustainable scalability and eased future feature integration across the broader platform.

In parallel, we implemented a structured project management framework based on agile methodologies, allowing for iterative releases and continuous reprioritization as new insights emerged. Emphasis was placed on proactive change management—each design or workflow shift was documented, explained, and communicated in advance to internal stakeholders to ensure alignment and reduce disruption. Transparency, documentation, and collaborative backlog grooming sessions helped the client feel in control throughout the transformation process.

Outcome

Over the course of the collaboration, DevsData LLC delivered a complete redesign of the Realtors Payment System, transforming a decade-old platform into a streamlined, user-focused product that aligns with the organization’s current branding and usability standards. The redesigned system included over 100 high-fidelity screens with detailed interactions and clickable prototypes, enabling fast and accurate implementation by the client’s development team.

In addition to the UI overhaul, we provided a scalable Design System built for long-term use. It included reusable components, clearly defined layout rules, and design principles that could guide future development and ensure consistency across upcoming modules. The flexibility of the system allowed internal teams to iterate without compromising visual or functional coherence.

Thanks to the tight alignment between our designers and the client’s teams, the final deliverables improved both the speed and confidence of implementation. Stakeholders reported a significantly smoother development process, increased clarity in user flows, and positive feedback from association members who tested early builds of the revamped platform.

Highlights:

• 100+ fully interactive screens delivered with responsive variants and clear documentation.
• Custom Design System created for seamless future scaling and feature integration.
• Visual overhaul fully aligned with the latest Realtors Brandbook and accessibility best practices.

What’s Next?

Following the platform redesign, DevsData LLC continues to support the client as a long-term design and strategy partner. With the Design System now in active use, our team remains available to consult on future feature rollouts, assist with usability testing, and expand the current library of components as the platform evolves.

Next phases of collaboration are expected to include interface design for mobile-first tools, accessibility audits, and refinement of cross-platform consistency across other internal products. The relationship has grown from a single-system redesign into a broader engagement focused on digital modernization throughout the organization’s ecosystem.

To connect with DevsData LLC, email them at general@devsdata.com or visit their website at www.devsdata.com.