Abstract

For most students, the search for a sublease is less of a hunt and more of a minefield, where 'great deals' are usually scams and 'available' listings are often just shady dead ends. ApartMate was developed to bridge this gap, providing a student-centered platform designed to simplify subleasing, roommate discovery, and short-term housing. The project addressed challenges related to affordability, safety, and lifestyle compatibility through a secure, verified system for connecting students based on preferences, lease duration, and proximity to campus. Trust and accessibility are prioritized through university-verified authentication and a scalable backend. Developed using React for cross-platform support and PostgreSQL for secure data management, the project established system requirements and implemented a functional prototype to demonstrate feasibility. The results demonstrate a practical, scalable solution that supports efficient housing connections while emphasizing usability, data security, and student needs