# RentCast MCP

> RentCast is an MCP Server that manages real estate data, property valuations, and market trends from any AI agent. Use it to pull complete records for US addresses, estimate rental prices using advanced models (`get_rental_valuation`), or determine a property's potential sale value (`get_sale_valuation`). It also lets you query local market trends by ZIP code and check current active listings, making deep investment analysis conversational.

## Overview
- **Category:** real-estate
- **Price:** Free
- **Tags:** property-data, rental-valuation, market-trends, real-estate-investing, property-records, avm

## Description

You need to run deep property analysis from your agent terminal without ever leaving your client connection. RentCast handles all the real estate data—valuation, market comps, ownership records—so you can get actionable intelligence instantly. This isn't just another database hook; it's a full toolkit for investment research.

### Getting Property Records and Details
If you know the property ID, use `get_property_by_id` to pull its specific record details right away. For any given US address, `get_property_details` fetches the whole file: ownership records, structural info, and tax history. You'll get a complete picture of what's sitting there.

### Running Rental Valuations
Need to know what rent you can charge? Start with `get_rental_valuation`; it gives you an estimated monthly rent price (AVM) for the specific address. To back up that number, run `get_rental_comparables`, which finds nearby rental units similar to the one you're pricing. You can also check local competition by running `list_active_listings` to see every unit currently available in the neighborhood.

### Determining Sale Value and Market Trends
To figure out a property's potential sale price, use advanced models with `get_sale_valuation`. This tool relies on real-world data from comparable sales; run `get_sale_comparables` to pull records of properties that sold recently and are similar to your target. When you need the big picture—the local market health—call `list_market_trends`. You'll get aggregate stats for any ZIP code, including average rents, occupancy rates, and median home prices.

### How It Works With Your Agent
Your agent manages these tools in sequence. For instance, you can ask it to use `get_property_details` first to check ownership records. Then, the agent pulls context with `list_market_trends`. Finally, it runs `get_sale_valuation` using all that data to generate a final market estimate. It's designed for conversational analysis: tell your AI client what you want to know, and it handles the complex data orchestration through the MCP standard.

## Tools

### get_property_by_id
Retrieves specific details about a property using only its unique ID number.

### get_rental_comparables
Finds rental properties nearby that are similar to the one being valued for rent.

### get_sale_comparables
Identifies recent sales of properties similar to the one being valued for sale.

### get_property_details
Pulls comprehensive data on any given US address, including owner and structural information.

### get_rental_valuation
Provides an estimated monthly rent price (AVM) for a specified property address.

### get_sale_valuation
Generates an estimated market sale price for a property based on comparable sales data.

### list_market_trends
Retrieves aggregate market data, like average rents and occupancy rates, based on a ZIP code.

### list_active_listings
Lists all current rental units that are available for rent in the specified area.

## Prompt Examples

**Prompt:** 
```
Get property details for 123 Main St, Los Angeles, CA.
```

**Response:** 
```
I've retrieved the records for 123 Main St. It's a Single Family home built in 1995 with 3 beds and 2 baths.
```

**Prompt:** 
```
Get the rental valuation and comparable properties for 123 Oak Street, Austin, TX 78701.
```

**Response:** 
```
Rental valuation for 123 Oak Street, Austin, TX 78701. Estimated monthly rent: $2,850. Range: $2,600-$3,100. Property: 3 bed/2 bath, 1,850 sqft, built 2008. 8 comparable rentals found within 0.5 miles. Closest comp: 145 Oak Street ($2,900/mo, 3/2, 1,900 sqft). Market trend: Austin rents up 4.2% YoY. Vacancy rate: 5.8%. Days on market average: 18. Neighborhood grade: A-. Rent-to-price ratio: 0.62% (investor-friendly).
```

**Prompt:** 
```
Show me the real estate market trends for ZIP code 78701 over the last 12 months.
```

**Response:** 
```
Market trends for ZIP 78701 (Austin, TX). Median home price: $485,000 (+6.8% YoY). Median rent: $2,450 (+4.2% YoY). Sales volume: 234 homes sold (down 12% from last year). Average days on market: 28 (up from 21). Inventory: 1.8 months supply (seller's market). Price per sqft: $312. Foreclosure rate: 0.3%. New listings this month: 45. Price reductions: 18% of listings. Most active segment: $400K-$600K range.
```

## Capabilities

### Get Property Records by Address
The agent fetches full property records for any US address, including ownership details and tax history using `get_property_details`.

### Estimate Rental Yields
It generates a real-time estimated monthly rent (AVM) and finds comparable rental properties near the target location via `get_rental_valuation` and `get_rental_comparables`.

### Determine Sale Value
The server runs advanced models to give a property's estimated market sale value, pulling data from comparable sales using `get_sale_valuation` and `get_sale_comparables`.

### Analyze Local Market Health
You get aggregate data on average rents, occupancy rates, and median home prices for any given ZIP code by running `list_market_trends`.

### Monitor Local Inventory
The agent pulls a list of all currently active rental listings to show you local competition and supply levels using `list_active_listings`.

## Use Cases

### Valuing an inherited property.
An estate needs pricing. Instead of hiring three appraisers, you ask your agent to run `get_property_details` first. Next, you use `list_market_trends` for the neighborhood context. Finally, you call both `get_sale_valuation` and `get_rental_valuation` so the executor gets two clear numbers: what it's worth today, and what it could earn monthly.

### Checking a potential investment address.
You found an address you like. First, run `get_property_details` to check for owner history. Then, run `get_rental_valuation`. If the rent looks good, cross-reference it by running `get_rental_comparables` to ensure there aren't three times as many similar units nearby.

### Assessing a new neighborhood's viability.
You’re scouting an area. You start with the ZIP code and run `list_market_trends`. If the data looks solid (high occupancy, rising rents), you then use `get_property_details` on specific addresses to see which ones fit the trend.

### Quickly pricing a listing.
A client needs a quick price check. You ask your agent for two things: 1) The sale value using `get_sale_valuation` and its comps (`get_sale_comparables`), and 2) the active rental listings in that area via `list_active_listings`. This gives them immediate market depth.

## Benefits

- Stop guessing the market value. Running `get_sale_valuation` gives you a data-backed estimate, not just a gut feeling.
- Get real-time income checks. The `get_rental_valuation` tool quickly estimates monthly rent and provides comparable rentals using `get_rental_comparables` for context.
- Context matters. Before running any valuation, run `list_market_trends` on the ZIP code to see if average rents or home prices are trending up or down across the board.
- Know your competition. Use `list_active_listings` to pull a list of current rentals in the area. This shows you what's available right now and helps justify your pricing.
- Full picture view. Combine `get_property_details` (for structure/owner info) with market data (`list_market_trends`) to build a full investment profile before recommending anything.

## How It Works

The bottom line is: you start with general data gathering and end with a highly specific financial number for either rent or sale price.

1. First, tell your AI agent what you're analyzing (e.g., an address or ZIP code). The agent uses tools like `get_property_details` and `list_market_trends` to gather background context.
2. Next, specify the goal: Are you valuing it for rent or sale? If rent, run `get_rental_comparables`; if sale, run `get_sale_comparables`. This narrows the focus.
3. Finally, the agent executes the specialized valuation tool (`get_rental_valuation` or `get_sale_valuation`) to deliver a specific estimate based on the gathered data.

## Frequently Asked Questions

**How does the get_property_details tool work?**
The agent pulls comprehensive records for any US address, including owner info and tax history. This gives you a baseline of physical and legal data before starting any financial analysis.

**Should I use get_rental_valuation or list_market_trends?**
Use both. `list_market_trends` provides the neighborhood context (the big picture), while `get_rental_valuation` gives you a specific, actionable estimate for one single address.

**What is better: get_sale_comparables or list_active_listings?**
They track different things. Use `get_sale_comparables` when you need to know what properties *actually sold* for recently. Use `list_active_listings` when you want to see what's *currently on the market*.

**Can I get property data by ID or address?**
You can do both. If you know the unique ID, use `get_property_by_id`. If you only have a street address, use `get_property_details`.

**Does RentCast handle property tax records?**
Yes, the `get_property_details` tool fetches complete records for any US address, which includes owner information and structural details like tax history.

**What credentials do I need to successfully run the `get_property_details` tool?**
You must provide a valid RentCast API key. After connecting your key, your agent validates access and confirms the connection before executing any data calls.

**If I use `list_market_trends` for an invalid ZIP code, what error message should my AI client expect?**
The tool returns a specific 'Invalid Location' error object. Your agent can then prompt you to check the ZIP code format or try a broader regional search.

**Are there rate limits when running `get_rental_valuation` across many properties?**
There are tiered usage quotas managed by your API key. Exceeding these limits will return a 429 'Too Many Requests' status, requiring an exponential backoff wait.

**Can I get a rental price estimate for a property using my AI agent?**
Yes! Use the `get_rental_valuation` tool. Provide the full property address to retrieve an automated estimate based on local comps.