get_rent_estimates

Instructions

Implementation Reference

• src/index.ts:516-648 (handler)

  Primary MCP server tool registration and handler for 'get_rent_estimates'. Validates input parameters using RentEstimateSchema, builds API request params, calls rentcastAPI.getRentEstimates(), processes the response data including comparables, formats a comprehensive user-friendly output with estimates, ranges, and suggestions.

  server.tool(
    "get_rent_estimates",
    "Get long-term rent estimates with comparable rental properties. This tool helps you estimate monthly rental prices for properties based on location, property characteristics, and market data.",
    RentEstimateSchema.shape,
    async (params: z.infer<typeof RentEstimateSchema>) => {
      try {
        // Validate parameters using Zod schema
        const validatedParams = RentEstimateSchema.parse(params);
        
        // Build search parameters for rent estimates
        const searchParams: Record<string, any> = {};
        
        if (validatedParams.propertyId) searchParams.propertyId = validatedParams.propertyId;
        if (validatedParams.address) searchParams.address = validatedParams.address;
        if (validatedParams.latitude) searchParams.latitude = validatedParams.latitude;
        if (validatedParams.longitude) searchParams.longitude = validatedParams.longitude;
        if (validatedParams.propertyType) searchParams.propertyType = validatedParams.propertyType;
        if (validatedParams.bedrooms) searchParams.bedrooms = validatedParams.bedrooms;
        if (validatedParams.bathrooms) searchParams.bathrooms = validatedParams.bathrooms;
        if (validatedParams.squareFootage) searchParams.squareFootage = validatedParams.squareFootage;
  
        // Additional validation to ensure we have required parameters
        if (!searchParams.propertyId && !searchParams.address && (!searchParams.latitude || !searchParams.longitude)) {
          return createErrorResponse(
            "❌ **Missing Required Parameters for Rent Estimates**\n\n" +
            "💡 **You must provide ONE of the following options:**\n\n" +
            "**Option 1: Property Address**\n" +
            "• `address`: Full property address (e.g., '1011 W 23rd St, Apt 101, Austin, TX 78705')\n\n" +
            "**Option 2: GPS Coordinates**\n" +
            "• `latitude`: Property latitude (e.g., 30.287007)\n" +
            "• `longitude`: Property longitude (e.g., -97.748941)\n\n" +
            "**Option 3: Property ID**\n" +
            "• `propertyId`: Unique identifier from Rentcast database\n\n" +
            "🔍 **Optional Parameters (improve accuracy):**\n" +
            "• `propertyType`: Apartment, House, Condo, etc.\n" +
            "• `bedrooms`: Number of bedrooms\n" +
            "• `bathrooms`: Number of bathrooms\n" +
            "• `squareFootage`: Property size in sq ft\n\n" +
            "📋 **Example Usage:**\n" +
            "```json\n" +
            "{\n" +
            '  "address": "1011 W 23rd St, Apt 101, Austin, TX 78705",\n' +
            '  "propertyType": "Apartment",\n' +
            '  "bedrooms": 1,\n' +
            '  "bathrooms": 1,\n' +
            '  "squareFootage": 450\n' +
            "}\n" +
            "```"
          );
        }
  
        const result = await rentcastAPI.getRentEstimates(searchParams);
  
        if (!result.success) {
          return createErrorResponse("Error getting rent estimates", result.error);
        }
  
        const rentData = result.data as RentEstimateResponse;
        if (!rentData) {
          return createErrorResponse("No rent estimate data found");
        }
        
  
  
        // Format the response
        let resultText = `🏠 **Rent Estimate Results**\n\n`;
        
        // Add usage tips
        resultText += `💡 **Tool Usage Tips:**\n`;
        resultText += `• Use this tool to estimate monthly rental prices for properties\n`;
        resultText += `• Provide more details (bedrooms, bathrooms, square footage) for better accuracy\n`;
        resultText += `• Results include comparable properties for market analysis\n\n`;
        
        // Property identification
        if (rentData.address) {
          resultText += `📍 **Property:** ${rentData.address}\n`;
        }
        if (rentData.propertyType) {
          resultText += `🏠 **Type:** ${rentData.propertyType}\n`;
        }
        if (rentData.bedrooms !== undefined) {
          resultText += `🛏️ **Bedrooms:** ${rentData.bedrooms}\n`;
        }
        if (rentData.bathrooms !== undefined) {
          resultText += `🚿 **Bathrooms:** ${rentData.bathrooms}\n`;
        }
        if (rentData.squareFootage) {
          resultText += `📐 **Square Footage:** ${rentData.squareFootage.toLocaleString()} sqft\n`;
        }
        
        resultText += `\n💰 **Estimated Monthly Rent:** `;
        if (rentData.rent) {
          resultText += `$${Number(rentData.rent).toLocaleString()}/month`;
          
          // Add rent range if available
          if (rentData.rentRangeLow && rentData.rentRangeHigh) {
            resultText += `\n📊 **Rent Range:** $${Number(rentData.rentRangeLow).toLocaleString()} - $${Number(rentData.rentRangeHigh).toLocaleString()}/month`;
          }
        } else {
          resultText += `N/A`;
        }
        
        // Add comparables if available
        if (rentData.comparables && rentData.comparables.length > 0) {
          resultText += `\n\n🏘️ **Comparable Properties:**\n`;
          rentData.comparables.slice(0, 5).forEach((comp, index) => {
            resultText += `\n${index + 1}. **${comp.address}**\n`;
            resultText += `   💰 Rent: $${Number(comp.rent).toLocaleString()}/month`;
            if (comp.bedrooms !== undefined) resultText += ` | 🛏️ ${comp.bedrooms} bed`;
            if (comp.bathrooms !== undefined) resultText += ` | 🚿 ${comp.bathrooms} bath`;
            if (comp.squareFootage) resultText += ` | 📐 ${comp.squareFootage.toLocaleString()} sqft`;
            if (comp.distance) resultText += ` | 📍 ${comp.distance.toFixed(1)} miles away`;
          });
        }
        
        // Add helpful footer
        resultText += `\n\n🔍 **Need More Data?**\n`;
        resultText += `• Use \`get_property_details\` to get comprehensive property information\n`;
        resultText += `• Use \`get_rental_listings\` to see actual rental listings in the area\n`;
        resultText += `• Use \`analyze_market\` to understand rental market trends\n\n`;
  
        
        return createSuccessResponse(resultText);
  
      } catch (error) {
        if (error instanceof z.ZodError) {
          const errorDetails = error.errors.map(e => `${e.path.join('.')}: ${e.message}`).join(', ');
          return createErrorResponse(`Invalid parameters: ${errorDetails}`);
        }
        return createErrorResponse("Failed to get rent estimates", error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'Unknown error');
      }
    }
  );

• src/services/rentcast-api.ts:150-167 (handler)

  Core service method implementing the Rentcast API call for long-term rent estimates. Makes authenticated GET request to '/avm/rent/long-term' endpoint with provided property parameters and returns ApiCallResult.

  async getRentEstimates(
    params: {
      propertyId?: string;
      address?: string;
      latitude?: number;
      longitude?: number;
      propertyType?: string;
      bedrooms?: number;
      bathrooms?: number;
      squareFootage?: number;
    } = {},
  ): Promise<ApiCallResult> {
    const result = await this.makeRequest<RentcastAVM>(
      "/avm/rent/long-term",
      params,
    );
    return result;
  }

• src/types/index.ts:450-462 (schema)

  Zod schema defining input parameters for the get_rent_estimates tool, including optional fields for property identification (propertyId, address, lat/lng) and characteristics (type, beds, baths, sqft) with descriptions.

  export const RentEstimateSchema = z.object({
    // Required parameters (at least one)
    propertyId: z.string().optional().describe("Unique property identifier from Rentcast database (e.g., '12345')"),
    address: z.string().optional().describe("Full property address (e.g., '1011 W 23rd St, Apt 101, Austin, TX 78705')"),
    latitude: z.number().optional().describe("Property latitude coordinate (e.g., 30.287007)"),
    longitude: z.number().optional().describe("Property longitude coordinate (e.g., -97.748941)"),
    
    // Optional parameters for better accuracy
    propertyType: z.string().optional().describe("Type of property (e.g., 'Apartment', 'House', 'Condo', 'Townhouse')"),
    bedrooms: z.number().optional().describe("Number of bedrooms (e.g., 1, 2, 3)"),
    bathrooms: z.number().optional().describe("Number of bathrooms (e.g., 1, 1.5, 2)"),
    squareFootage: z.number().optional().describe("Property size in square feet (e.g., 450, 1200, 2000)"),
  });

• src/types/index.ts:467-489 (schema)

  TypeScript interface defining the expected response structure from the rent estimate API call, including estimated rent, range, comparables array, and echoed input parameters.

  export interface RentEstimateResponse {
    rent?: number;
    rentRangeLow?: number;
    rentRangeHigh?: number;
    comparables?: Array<{
      address: string;
      rent: number;
      bedrooms?: number;
      bathrooms?: number;
      squareFootage?: number;
      propertyType?: string;
      distance?: number;
    }>;
    propertyId?: string;
    address?: string;
    latitude?: number;
    longitude?: number;
    propertyType?: string;
    bedrooms?: number;
    bathrooms?: number;
    squareFootage?: number;
  }