RentHub - Rental Property Management App

A React Native mobile application built with Expo, TypeScript, Firebase Auth, and Cloud Firestore for managing rental properties. The app supports both landlords (property owners) and tenants (property seekers).

Features

For Landladies/Landlords

• Create and manage property listings
• Upload property images
• List/de-list properties
• Receive and manage rental requests
• Approve or deny rental applications
• View property details with map integration

For Tenants

• Search and browse available properties
• Filter properties by location, price, bedrooms, etc.
• View detailed property information
• Save properties to shortlist/favorites
• Send rental requests to landlords
• Track request status

Common Features

• User authentication (login/register)
• User profile management
• Real-time data synchronization
• Map integration for property locations
• Image upload and management
• Push notifications (ready for implementation)

Screenshots (Auth)

Screenshots (Tenant)

Screenshots (Landlady/Landlord)

Screenshots (Shared)

Technology Stack

• Frontend: React Native with Expo
• Language: TypeScript
• Authentication: Firebase Auth
• Database: Cloud Firestore
• Storage: Firebase Storage
• Maps: React Native Maps
• Navigation: React Navigation v6
• State Management: React Context API
• UI Components: React Native + Expo Vector Icons

Prerequisites

• Node.js (v16 or higher)
• npm or yarn
• Expo CLI
• Firebase project with Firestore and Authentication enabled
• Android Studio (for Android development) or Xcode (for iOS development)

Installation

1. Clone the repository

   git clone <repository-url>
   cd RentHub

2. Install dependencies

   npm install

3. Firebase Setup

   • Create a new Firebase project at Firebase Console

   • Enable Authentication with Email/Password provider

   • Enable Cloud Firestore

   • Enable Firebase Storage

   • Download the configuration file and create a .env.local file in the root of the project with your Firebase configuration. Example:

     API_KEY=your-api-key
     AUTH_DOMAIN=your-project.firebaseapp.com
     PROJECT_ID=your-project-id
     STORAGE_BUCKET=your-project.appspot.com
     MESSAGING_SENDER_ID=your-sender-id
     APP_ID=your-app-id
     

4. Run Application

   firebase deploy --only firestore:rules

Running the Application

1. Install dependencies

   npm install

2. Start the Expo development server

   npx expo start

   Or, to run with tunneling for external access:

   npx expo start --tunnel

3. Follow the instructions in the Expo CLI to open the app on your device or emulator.

Firebase Configuration

Firestore Collections

The app uses four main collections:

1. users - User profiles and authentication data
2. properties - Property listings created by landlords
3. rentalRequests - Rental requests from tenants to landlords
4. shortlists - Properties saved by tenants

Security Rules

The Firestore security rules ensure:

• Users can only access their own data
• Landlords can only manage their own properties
• Tenants can only create requests for listed properties
• Proper validation for all data operations

Key Features Implementation

Authentication Flow

• User registration with role selection (landlord/tenant)
• Email/password authentication via Firebase Auth
• Persistent login state with AsyncStorage
• Profile management and updates

Property Management

• CRUD operations for property listings
• Image upload to Firebase Storage
• Map integration for property locations
• Search and filtering capabilities

Request System

• Tenants can send rental requests
• Landlords can approve/deny requests
• Real-time status updates
• Request history tracking

Shortlist Feature

• Save/remove properties from favorites
• Quick access to saved properties
• Shortlist management for tenants

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Make your changes
4. Add tests if applicable
5. Submit a pull request

Support

For support and questions:

• Create an issue in the repository
• Contact the development team
• Check the documentation

Future Enhancements

• Push notifications for new requests
• In-app messaging between landlords and tenants
• Payment integration
• Property viewing scheduling
• Reviews and ratings system
• Advanced search with AI recommendations
• Multi-language support
• Dark mode theme