Merge pull request ed-donner#555 from ZnDream/clean-property-assistant-branch

Add AI Property Assistant contribution only

Author: ed-donner

week1/community-contributions/AI_Property_Assistant/README.md

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+# AI Property Rental Assistant
+
+A Python tool that scrapes UK property rental listings and uses OpenAI's GPT-4o-mini to provide personalized property recommendations based on your requirements.
+
+## What It Does
+
+- Scrapes property listings from OnTheMarket.com
+- Uses AI to analyze properties against your specific needs
+- Provides smart recommendations with reasons why properties match
+- Works for any UK location (currently configured for Durham)
+
+## Quick Start
+
+### Prerequisites
+- Python 3.7+
+- OpenAI API key ([Get one here](https://platform.openai.com/api-keys))
+
+### Installation
+
+1. **Install required packages:**
+   ```bash
+   pip install requests beautifulsoup4 openai python-dotenv ipython
+   ```
+
+2. **Set up your API key:**
+   
+   Create a `.env` file in the same directory as your script:
+   ```
+   OPENAI_API_KEY=your_openai_api_key_here
+   ```
+
+3. **Run the script:**
+   ```bash
+   python your_script_name.py
+   ```
+
+## How to Use
+
+### Basic Usage
+
+The script is pre-configured to search for student housing in Durham. Just run it and you'll get AI-powered recommendations!
+
+### Customizing Your Search
+
+**Change the location:**
+```python
+website_url = "https://www.onthemarket.com/to-rent/property/manchester/"
+```
+
+**Update your requirements:**
+```python
+user_needs = "I'm a young professional looking for a 1-bedroom flat in Manchester under £1,000/month"
+```
+
+### Example Requirements You Can Use:
+- `"Student looking for shared accommodation under £600/month"`
+- `"Family needing 3-bedroom house with garden under £1,500/month"`
+- `"Professional couple wanting modern 2-bed apartment near city center"`
+
+## Configuration
+
+### Supported Cities
+Replace `durham` in the URL with any UK city:
+- `london` - London properties
+- `manchester` - Manchester properties  
+- `birmingham` - Birmingham properties
+- `leeds` - Leeds properties
+- `bristol` - Bristol properties
+
+### AI Behavior
+The system prompt is configured for UK rentals but you can modify it in the `system_prompt` variable to:
+- Focus on specific property types
+- Emphasize certain features (parking, garden, etc.)
+- Target different tenant types (students, families, professionals)
+
+## Example Output
+
+```
+Website Title: Properties to rent in Durham - OnTheMarket
+Content Length: 15847 characters
+
+==================================================
+RENTAL RECOMMENDATIONS:
+==================================================
+
+# Property Recommendations for Durham
+
+Based on your requirements for a 2-bedroom student property under £2,000/month, here are my top recommendations:
+
+## 1. **Student House on North Road** - £1,600/month
+- **Bedrooms:** 2
+- **Perfect because:** Well within budget, popular student area
+- **Features:** Close to university, furnished, bills included
+
+## 2. **Modern Apartment City Centre** - £1,400/month  
+- **Bedrooms:** 2
+- **Perfect because:** Great location, modern amenities
+- **Features:** Parking space, balcony, near shops
+```
+
+## Requirements
+
+Create a `requirements.txt` file:
+```
+requests>=2.28.0
+beautifulsoup4>=4.11.0
+openai>=1.0.0
+python-dotenv>=0.19.0
+ipython>=8.0.0
+```
+
+Install with: `pip install -r requirements.txt`
+
+## Important Notes
+
+### API Costs
+- Uses GPT-4o-mini model (very affordable - ~$0.001 per request)
+- Monitor usage at: https://platform.openai.com/usage
+
+### Rate Limits
+- Free OpenAI accounts: 3 requests per minute
+- The script makes 1 request per run
+
+## How It Works
+
+1. **Web Scraping:** Downloads the property listing page
+2. **Text Extraction:** Cleans HTML and extracts property information  
+3. **AI Analysis:** Sends your requirements + property data to GPT-4
+4. **Smart Recommendations:** AI filters and ranks properties with explanations
+
+## Troubleshooting
+
+**"No API key found"**
+- Make sure `.env` file exists in the same folder as your script
+- Check the API key has no extra spaces
+- Verify it starts with `sk-proj-`
+
+**"Error fetching website"**
+- Check your internet connection
+- Try a different city URL
+- Some websites may temporarily block requests
+
+**No good recommendations**
+- Try adjusting your budget or requirements
+- Check if the website loaded properly (look at content length)
+- Try a different city with more properties
+
+## Possible Improvements
+
+- Make it interactive (ask for user input)
+- Support multiple property websites
+- Add price tracking over time
+- Include property images in analysis
+- Create a simple web interface
+
+## Disclaimer
+
+This tool is for educational purposes. Always verify property information directly with landlords or estate agents. Respect website terms of service.
+
+---
+
+**Need help?** Check that your `.env` file is set up correctly and you have an active internet connection. The script will tell you if there are any issues with your API key!