You make a good point as far as design is concerned, whether it is a default them or custom, it really depends on the owner to bring value to the listings. Nevertheless, it is good to see someone take the time & money and put it into design. With custom designs usually follows longevity and development.
I am looking forward to the next
PR update in hopes of good things for Bay Engine as my directory is still being questioned for paid submissions, even though it has been completely indexed and is showing some traffic for listings.