Appearance
Proposed Features
Feature backlog for MTL Rent, ranked by impact and effort. Based on competitor analysis (Zillow, Apartments.com, liv.rent, PadMapper, Rentals.ca, RentHop, Zumper) and an audit of underutilized data in the codebase.
Underutilized Data
The platform collects far more data than it surfaces:
| Data | Collected? | Surfaced? | Opportunity |
|---|---|---|---|
views counter on listings | Yes (incremented on detail view) | No | Popular/trending listings, landlord analytics |
listing_price_history | Full timeline | Only latest drop badge | Price history chart on detail |
highlightsEn / highlightsFr | Schema exists | Never used | Neighborhood hero highlights |
| Rent benchmark percentiles (p20-p80) | Computed for price rating | Not exposed | Price range visualization |
| Inquiry metadata (device, browser, referrer) | JSONB collected | Not in admin UI | Landlord analytics |
archived_at / archive_reason | Schema exists | No archive browser | Market history, landlord portfolio |
| Census demographic topics (9 topics) | In census_profiles | Only income shown | Choropleth maps, FAQ content |
| POI data (metro/train stations) | In points_of_interest | Only on listing detail | Programmatic SEO pages |
Recently Completed (from this backlog)
Walkability & Transit Scores— Done (F-028)Days on Market Badge— Done (F-029)Report / Flag Listing— Done (F-030)publishedAtnot shown
Tier 1 — Quick Wins (XS-S effort)
F-025: Neighborhood Rent Trends Dashboard
Status: Proposed · Priority: P1 · Effort: S · Feature page
We already collect daily neighborhood_stats_snapshots but never surface them. Interactive recharts LineChart on each neighborhood page showing median rent over time (per bedroom type), time range selector, stats cards.
Price History Timeline
Status: Proposed · Priority: P1 · Effort: S
listing_price_history table exists from F-024 but only shows latest price drop badge. Full timeline adds transparency — a key trust signal. Sparkline on listing detail showing all price changes. Pure frontend — data already returned by API. Competitors (Zillow, Apartments.com) all show this.
F-031: Rent Check — Am I Overpaying?
Status: Proposed · Priority: P1 · Effort: S · Feature page
Standalone rent fairness tool. Enter address (Google Places Autocomplete), bedrooms, bathrooms, optional sqft, and current rent. Returns percentile position, median/P20-P80 for comparables, visual gauge, nearby listings CTA. All data already exists (rent benchmarks, active listings, CMHC). Strong SEO/lead-gen play — no Montreal-specific competitor.
F-032: Apartments Near Metro Stations (Programmatic SEO)
Status: Proposed · Priority: P1 · Effort: S
Auto-generated landing pages for every metro/train station ("Apartments near Berri-UQAM") with nearby listings, walking distances, and neighborhood context. 68 metro stations + ~15 commuter train stations = 83+ bilingual pages (166 URLs). Targets high-intent "apartments near [station]" searches — zero competition from other Montreal platforms. Data 100% exists in points_of_interest table; Haversine distance logic already in nearby.ts.
F-033: Popular / Trending Listings
Status: Proposed · Priority: P1 · Effort: XS
Surface the views counter as "Popular" badges and add a "Most Viewed" sort option. Views are incremented on every detail page view but NEVER shown to users. Add view count to listing cards + "Popular" badge for high-view listings. Add most_viewed sort option. Trending section on homepage. Creates urgency/social proof. Quickest win — data already collected, just hidden.
F-035: Neighborhood FAQ Sections (Featured Snippets)
Status: Proposed · Priority: P1 · Effort: S
Auto-generated FAQ accordion on each neighborhood page with FAQPage JSON-LD schema markup. Template-based questions filled with live data: "What is the average rent in [neighborhood]?", "How walkable is [neighborhood]?", "What % of residents rent vs own?" 37 neighborhoods x 6-8 FAQs = 220-296 featured snippet targets, all bilingual. Data 100% exists. No new API endpoints needed.
Tier 2 — High Impact (S-M effort)
F-026: Saved Searches with Alerts
Status: Proposed · Priority: P1 · Effort: M · Feature page
#1 retention driver on rental platforms. "Save this search" button stores current filters. Periodic job runs saved searches against new listings, sends Telegram/email alerts. Dashboard page to manage saved searches.
F-027: Listing Comparison Tool
Status: Proposed · Priority: P2 · Effort: S-M · Feature page
Compare up to 4 listings side-by-side: price, size, amenities, neighborhood stats, price rating. Floating comparison bar, shareable URL, localStorage persistence.
F-034: Rent Affordability Map
Status: Proposed · Priority: P1 · Effort: S
Interactive choropleth showing rent-to-income ratios by census tract — "Can you afford to live here?" Combines Census median income (986 CTs) + neighborhood median rents. Color-coded by affordability (green = <25% of income, yellow = 25-30%, red = >30%). Builds on existing /income-map infrastructure. Target keywords: "affordable neighborhoods Montreal". Unique — no competitor combines income + rent data visually.
F-036: July 1st Moving Day Hub
Status: Proposed · Priority: P1 (seasonal — must ship before May) · Effort: S-M
Dedicated content hub for Quebec's unique July 1st Moving Day. ~200,000+ Quebecers move on July 1st — massive seasonal search spike. Content: moving checklist, timeline, tenant rights, neighborhood availability heatmap. "Available July 1st" filter using existing availableDate field. No competitor has a dedicated Moving Day hub — uniquely Quebec play.
Listing Quality Score
Status: Proposed · Priority: P2 · Effort: S-M
RentHop's HopScore (0-100) is their biggest differentiator. Score based on: photo count, description length, amenities completeness, price competitiveness, address precision, landlord verification. Badge on listing cards + detail.
Montreal Rent Report Page
Status: Proposed · Priority: P1 · Effort: S
Rentals.ca and Zumper publish monthly rent reports that drive massive SEO traffic. We have CMHC data (5,756 records, 1987-2025) + snapshots + listing data. No competitor does this for Montreal specifically. Dedicated /rent-report page with city-wide median rent, % change, top neighborhoods, trend charts.
F-039: Quebec Rent Increase Calculator
Status: Proposed · Priority: P1 · Effort: S · Feature page
Quebec has strict rent increase rules (TAL). New simplified system from Jan 2026: base percentage (3.1% for 2026, 3-year CPI average) + optional tax/insurance/renovation adjustments. No competitor offers a bilingual calculator. MVP is pure frontend — enter current rent + lease date, get max increase. Full landlord calc with tax/insurance inputs is phase 2. Strong SEO: "calculateur augmentation loyer Quebec 2026".
Dashboard Homepage Redesign
Status: Proposed · Priority: P2 · Effort: S
Current dashboard shows only "Welcome back" + email/role. Tenants: saved listings count, price drops on favorites, inquiry status. Landlords: active listing count, total views, new inquiries, days-to-first-inquiry. Quick action buttons.
F-037: Listing Archive Browser (Market History)
Status: Proposed · Priority: P2 · Effort: S
Searchable archive of rented/expired listings — "what actually rented, at what price, how long it took." Like Zillow's "Recently Sold." Schema already supports archived_at, archive_reason, rentalPrice, publishedAt for days-to-rent calculation. Filters: neighborhood, bedrooms, date range. Market transparency = trust signal. Reuses existing ListingGrid component.
F-038: Renter Affordability Calculator
Status: Proposed · Priority: P2 · Effort: S
Tool where renters input income + household size, get personalized "you can afford" listings filtered to 30% of gross income. Auto-computes budget ceiling (income * 0.30 / 12). Shows matching listings, neighborhood ranking by "bang for buck." Income context from Census distributions. Conversion funnel: enter income -> see results -> save search -> sign up for alerts (ties into F-026).
F-043: Landlord Tax Deduction Estimator
Status: Proposed · Priority: P2 · Effort: S
Pure frontend tool for landlords. Inputs: annual rental income, mortgage interest, property taxes, insurance, maintenance/repairs, utilities paid, management fees. Output: estimated CRA-eligible deductions, net rental income, marginal tax impact. Educational tool with disclaimer ("consult a tax professional"). No API needed. Target keywords: "landlord tax calculator Canada", "rental property tax deduction CRA", "déductions fiscales propriétaire locatif". Conversion: "Manage your rental properties on MTL Rent."
F-044: Rent Projection Calculator
Status: Proposed · Priority: P2 · Effort: XS
Extension of F-039 (Rent Increase Calculator). Shows rent trajectory over 3/5/10 years using historical TAL base rates (5.9% for 2025, 3.1% for 2026, etc.). Input: current rent + projection period. Output: year-by-year table + line chart showing cumulative increase. Helps tenants budget long-term. Pure frontend — uses TAL_RATES config. Target keywords: "rent projection Quebec", "how much will my rent increase over 5 years", "projection loyer Québec".
F-045: Neighborhood Comparison Tool
Status: Proposed · Priority: P2 · Effort: S-M
Pick 2-3 neighborhoods side-by-side: median rent (by bedroom type), listing count, walkability score, transit score, median income, demographics, rent-to-income ratio. Radar chart or bar comparison (recharts). All data already available via existing API endpoints (/neighborhoods, rent benchmarks, census data). Target keywords: "compare Montreal neighborhoods", "best neighborhood to rent Montreal", "Mile End vs Plateau", "meilleurs quartiers Montréal".
F-047: Rent vs Buy Calculator
Status: Proposed · Priority: P1 · Effort: S
Pure frontend calculator helping Montrealers decide whether to rent or buy. Inputs: current rent, home price, down payment %, mortgage rate, property taxes, condo fees, maintenance estimate, expected appreciation rate. Output: monthly cost comparison (renting vs owning), break-even timeline, 5/10/25 year total cost comparison with chart. Uses Quebec-specific defaults (welcome tax "droits de mutation", notary fees, CMHC insurance thresholds). No API needed — all client-side math. Target keywords: "rent vs buy Montreal", "should I buy or rent Montreal", "louer ou acheter Montréal", "calculateur achat vs location".
F-040: Roommate Cost Splitter
Status: Proposed · Priority: P2 · Effort: XS
Pure frontend tool to fairly split rent among roommates. Input: total rent, number of roommates, room sizes (master/regular/small), optional utilities. Output: per-person cost based on room size weighting. Every Montreal student and young professional sharing an apartment needs this. No API, no DB — pure client-side math. Target keywords: "split rent calculator", "roommate rent calculator Montreal", "calculateur partage loyer".
F-041: Tenant Rights Quick Guide
Status: Proposed · Priority: P1 · Effort: S
Bilingual interactive guide to Quebec rental law. Accordion sections covering: security deposits (illegal in QC!), rent increase rules (links to F-039 calculator), eviction notice periods, sublet rights, repair obligations, lease renewal rules, discrimination protections. Static content with FAQPage JSON-LD for featured snippets. Links to official TAL resources. No API needed. Target keywords: "Quebec tenant rights", "droits des locataires Québec", "can my landlord refuse sublet Quebec". Strong trust signal — positions MTL Rent as tenant-friendly.
F-042: Moving Day Budget Calculator
Status: Proposed · Priority: P1 (seasonal — ship before May) · Effort: S
Quebec's July 1st Moving Day budget estimator. Inputs: current rent (first/last month), distance, apartment size, number of boxes. Outputs: itemized cost estimate — first month deposit, moving company estimate, utility setup fees (Hydro-Québec, internet), tenant insurance, cleaning supplies. Pure frontend with configurable cost ranges. Ties into F-036 (Moving Day Hub). No API needed. Target keywords: "moving cost calculator Montreal", "déménagement budget Montréal", "July 1st moving cost Quebec".
Tier 3 — Strategic (M+ effort)
F-046: Commute Time Calculator
Status: Proposed · Priority: P2 · Effort: M
PadMapper and Apartments.com both offer this. "How far is this from my work?" is the #1 question after price. Google Maps Directions API already configured. Enter work address on listing detail, show commute by car/transit/bike/walk. Save address in localStorage for reuse. Target keywords: "commute time Montreal", "how long commute from Plateau to downtown".
Summary Table
| ID | Feature | Tier | Effort | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F-025 | Neighborhood Rent Trends Dashboard | 1 | S | P1 |
| — | Price History Timeline | 1 | S | P1 |
| F-031 | Rent Check — Am I Overpaying? | 1 | S | P1 |
| F-032 | Apartments Near Metro Stations | 1 | S | P1 |
| F-033 | Popular / Trending Listings | 1 | XS | P1 |
| F-035 | Neighborhood FAQ Sections | 1 | S | P1 |
| F-026 | Saved Searches with Alerts | 2 | M | P1 |
| F-027 | Listing Comparison Tool | 2 | S-M | P2 |
| F-034 | Rent Affordability Map | 2 | S | P1 |
| F-036 | July 1st Moving Day Hub | 2 | S-M | P1 |
| — | Listing Quality Score | 2 | S-M | P2 |
| — | Montreal Rent Report Page | 2 | S | P1 |
| F-039 | Quebec Rent Increase Calculator | 2 | S | P1 |
| — | Dashboard Homepage Redesign | 2 | S | P2 |
| F-037 | Listing Archive Browser | 2 | S | P2 |
| F-038 | Renter Affordability Calculator | 2 | S | P2 |
| F-040 | Roommate Cost Splitter | 2 | XS | P2 |
| F-041 | Tenant Rights Quick Guide | 2 | S | P1 |
| F-042 | Moving Day Budget Calculator | 2 | S | P1 |
| F-043 | Landlord Tax Deduction Estimator | 2 | S | P2 |
| F-044 | Rent Projection Calculator | 2 | XS | P2 |
| F-045 | Neighborhood Comparison Tool | 2 | S-M | P2 |
| F-046 | Commute Time Calculator | 3 | M | P2 |
| F-047 | Rent vs Buy Calculator | 2 | S | P1 |