Interview project to redesign a website for a property [on hold]
I'm applying for a UI/UX position at a company that makes software for landlords, apartments, property managers, etc. After the interview the hiring manager gave me a project to work on. These are the instructions:
As an exercise I would like for you to create an updated look and feel of this properties website. The only requirements are for you to keep their existing logo. But feel free to change up the layout structure along with typography, color scheme etc. If you can work on the landing / home page design and integrate this page using bootstrap to create the HTML / CSS and email me the jpg and your HTML / CSS files.
This is the jpeg she attached.
I'm about 90% done.
What specific things could I improve to make the UI/UX better? I'm asking as a self taught coder who focuses more on the development side than the design side of things.
Is it normal to be given a project as a part of the interview process? Would you consider that to be free work?