HokieHomes

Inspiration

Finding housing near Virginia Tech is stressful and time-consuming for students. Listings are scattered across different websites, prices are unclear, and students often need guidance on choosing suitable apartments or townhouses. We wanted to create a centralized, interactive platform that makes finding housing easier, faster, and more reliable.

What it does

HokieHomes helps Virginia Tech students quickly find on and off-campus apartments and townhouses. Students can:

Browse live rental listings with property details and estimated values.
Filter by bedrooms, bathrooms, property type, and price range.
Chat with an AI assistant for personalized advice.
Message landlords or potential roommates directly.

How we built it

We built the frontend using React and React Router for navigation, and Leaflet.js for interactive maps. For the AI agent, we used Databricks to build and train the assistant using OpenAI API , and also ran SQL queries on Databricks to filter the property dataset. We also used real-time property listings and value estimates, which were integrated through the RentCast API.

Challenges we ran into

Integrating multiple APIs (RentCast and Databricks chatbot) while maintaining real-time updates.
Handling user authentication and secure messaging between students and landlords.
Filtering large datasets to display only relevant off-campus rentals near campus.
Time constraints

Accomplishments that we're proud of

A functional, interactive platform where students can browse live listings, estimate property values, and communicate directly with landlords and peers.
Seamless integration of an AI assistant to provide tailored guidance.
Successfully combining mapping, messaging, and property data into one cohesive application.

What we learned

Experience with modern web development tools like React, Vite, and Javascript.
How to integrate third-party APIs for real-time data and AI-driven features.
Managing project dependencies and environment variables in a complex web app.
Designing user interfaces that are both functional and intuitive for students.

What's next for HokieHomes

Expanding the AI assistant for smarter recommendations based on student preferences.
Adding more filtering options (price range, pet policies, utilities, and nearby bus stops).
Introducing a rating system for landlords and roommates.
Launching a mobile app version for easier access on the go.