Hello world 👋, my name is Francisco — fcoterroba on the internet — and today, almost 2 years after my last post, I’m bringing you my first real project: ViviFind.
Let me set expectations: this won’t be one of those highly technical, step-by-step tutorials where we build a project from scratch and optimize it together. This post is more personal.
As you know, this website is also my little corner on the internet, so I like to share my personal projects here.
Today I’m launching one of them — one of my dreams. ViviFind.
Before we begin, here’s a video I uploaded some time ago to my YouTube channel showing how I installed smart bulbs that can be controlled with Google Assistant or a phone. In case you haven’t seen it:
Now let’s get started 👇
How did ViviFind start?
In June 2024, months after leaving Avature and moving in with my partner, we realized we needed to change apartments — but without urgency. We wanted something better, without the pressure of checking listings every day, scheduling unnecessary viewings, or dealing with persistent agents. We felt the process could be more efficient and less stressful if a tool could do the work for us. That’s how the idea of ViviFind was born: a personal need that evolved into a real platform to help others in the same situation.
How to improve home hunting? Easy — by not hunting
As a developer, my instinct was to automate the whole process. I didn’t want to spend weeks browsing property portals or signing up everywhere to get generic emails. I wanted the ideal home to come to me, with minimal effort.
So one night, coffee in hand and laptop open, I started writing the first lines of code that would later become ViviFind. At first it was just a simple script that collected listings and filtered them by our requirements, but the more I worked on it, the more convinced I became that this could help many more people — not just us.
I turned it into a real project with a functional website, a passive search system and a simple interface. The idea is that anyone can find the right home without spending hours searching and comparing irrelevant listings.
ViviFind wasn’t born from a million-dollar idea or a massive business plan. It was born from a real need — a frustrating process that I wanted to make easier for everyone.
From script to real platform
At first, ViviFind was just a small personal project — an experiment to make our own search easier. But the more we used it, the more potential we saw. If it saved us time and effort, why not make it accessible to others?
So I got to work. I designed a simple and functional interface, optimized the search system and built a solid backend so everything runs smoothly. I didn’t want just another property portal — I wanted a tool that truly makes the process easier for users.
How does ViviFind work exactly?
Unlike other platforms where you spend hours searching and filtering, ViviFind is much more passive:
- Define what you’re looking for (area, price, type of home, features, etc.).
- ViviFind does the work for you and notifies you when a good match appears.
- You decide with clear information, without wasting time browsing countless irrelevant listings.
On the other side, sellers can upload their properties and get notified when there’s interest, reducing unnecessary messages and calls. It’s a win‑win.
Challenges and learnings
Building ViviFind has been an incredible experience — full of challenges. From search optimization to database management, always with the motto: “Clean, simple and efficient code”.
And the most rewarding part: seeing how something born from a personal need can now help more people find a home without stress or complications.
What’s next for ViviFind?
This launch is just the first step. I have a lot of ideas to keep improving:
- 🚀 Integrations with property portal APIs to widen searches.
- 📊 Real-time market analytics to support better decisions.
- 📌 Advanced tools to compare prices and neighborhoods.
Most importantly, I want ViviFind to grow with user feedback. If you’re looking for a home or have ideas to improve the platform, I’d love to hear them.
Try ViviFind today
If you’re curious, visit ViviFind.com and give it a try. Whether you’re looking for a place or selling one, this might be where you find exactly what you need.
Thanks for reading, for supporting this project, and for being part of the journey. More news soon.