About the Project
Our project, "SquatDown," has goal to assist people by giving real-time info on foreclosure bids. This help users find properties with low current bid amounts, showing lower chance for squatting risk.
Inspiration
The idea started because many homes are left empty from foreclosures, while at the same time, more people need a place to stay. We wanted to close this gap by making a tool where squatters can find good properties nearby, changing vacant houses into shelters for those who need them.
What We Learned
During the progress of this project, we learned many things about how complicated real estate and foreclosure markets can be. We also got practical experience with using mapping APIs, managing live data, and understanding legal and ethical issues related to squatting and property foreclosures.
How We Built It
We built "SquatDown" using a full stack of modern technologies:
Frontend: React together with TypeScript and Tailwind CSS, which help create a responsive and lively user interface.
Backend: Node.js to handle API requests and data processing.
Map Integration: Use Google Maps API for offering an interactive map. It will show properties and help users locate points of interest in different areas.
At first, we wanted to use the Property Radar API for getting detailed information on foreclosures, like how many bids are placed on such properties. But sadly, we faced an issue because our application for using the API got delayed. As a workaround, we used mock data to demonstrate the project's concept and functionality.
Challenges We Faced
One big problem we faced was waiting for the approval of Property Radar API. Because it took time, we had to change our plan fast and use fake data instead to show how the API works. Also, adding the map to show live updates based on how users interact was not easy. Even with these hard parts, we managed to make a working model that shows what our idea can do.
Future Vision
When we get access to Property Radar API, our main aim is use live data completely to show real-time information about foreclosure properties and their bid status. This will be useful for people searching homes and might help lower the number of empty houses in communities.
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