Open Book: Yash Desai
Hear about how Yash witnessed firsthand the complexities of a traditional real estate transaction and how he hopes to build software to make it more seamless for Opendoor customers.
Open Book is a series of interviews where you get to meet our Opendoor team members.
What do you do at Opendoor?
At Opendoor, I am a software engineer on the buyer team. The buyer team is focused on helping our customers find their dream home by offering them the ability to schedule tours and make offers with the power of their smartphones. Specifically within the buyer team, I have worked on engineering projects ranging from MLS ingest pipelines and infrastructure improvements to user facing improvements on property detail pages.
There are many technology-driven companies out there. Why Opendoor?
Technology has changed the way many different industries operate, and real estate is one that can dramatically be improved through these technological improvements. The stakes are high when you are possibly supporting one of the largest transactions someone will make in their lifetime. However, the ability to create software that can simplify and make the end process feel more simple and straightforward makes the job rewarding. Once you become exposed to the real estate lingo and nuances, you soon realize that there are many improvements to be made. Everything from just a clearer flow explaining each step to new initiatives such as cash backed offers can dramatically improve a customer’s experience and end up with them closing on their dream home!
Furthermore, we have the opportunity to build tools for our internal Opendoor agents and operators to use so that they can work more effectively. There is a constant feedback loop when creating applications for our in-house customers and it is great to be able to see the improvements your work has on the overall operation and see that benefit flow down to the end customer.
At the end of the day, Opendoor gives engineers the ability to turn ideas into software which will allow end users to not just use an application but actually drive their largest transaction.
Can you share a bit more about your vision for the Buyer business and what aspects you’re most excited about?
Although I personally have not bought a home yet, my parents recently sold our childhood home and moved to a new house using the traditional real estate process. We were able to sell and buy the home and match up timelines but it was a long, stressful journey. It involved setting up the home for numerous showings, trying to line up the transactions as close as possible to allow overlap with the two escrows, and making sure an offer actually goes through to completion, all while having to physically pack up and move (the struggle is real). Seeing the process firsthand, I can now relate much better to the frustrations millions of Americans face as they try to move homes.
I am excited for what the Buyer team will be working on this year to solve the pain points I witnessed, making both buying and selling easier. Opendoor allows you to reserve your next home using Opendoor’s cash which is a game changer for our buyer’s in seller’s markets. This feature along with many others will definitely provide peace of mind to Opendoor customers that they will be able to move into their dream house on their terms.
So, outside of Opendoor and work, what are some things that bring you joy? How do you like to spend your free time?
I spend probably too much time following the NBA. According to my Spotify Wrapped, I listened to 10,000 minutes of podcasts in 2020 — and 4 of the top 5 were basketball podcasts. I am a big Laker fan, so looking forward to another championship this year.
Besides that, I used to run cross country in high school, and in this past year have started to really enjoy running again. I’m training to be able to complete a marathon in 2021 and have loved just exploring by taking new trails and roads around the area.
How do you want to grow in 2021?
In 2021, I want to continue to explore the real estate industry by getting started investing in real estate. I feel that working at Opendoor has given me a great introduction into the steps of a real estate transaction. With this extra knowledge I hope to become a customer myself and use Opendoor to understand and iterate on the customer experience.
I also hope to continue to grow as a Software Engineer by exploring topics on building scalable data pipelines and services, which will be useful as the Buyer product continues to grow and expand to new markets.
Other entries in the Open Book series:
P.S. If you liked what you read and are interested in learning more, check out our jobs page! We’re always hiring.
