This guide walks you through connecting ApartmentIQ Explore Pro(+) as a custom connector and connecting to ChatGPT and Claude directly. Once set up, you'll be able to query real-time multifamily market data, property-level metrics, forecasts, rent rolls, and more all using plain English.

Here's what this guide covers:

• What is MCP?
• What you'll need before you start (account and subscription requirements)
• The single piece of information required to set up the connection
• Step-by-step instructions for adding the custom connector or directly in ChatGPT/Claude 

Whether you're a researcher, asset manager, or analyst, this integration lets you bring ApartmentIQ's data directly into your conversations, no API keys, no manual exports, no switching tabs.

What Is MCP?

MCP, or Model Context Protocol, is an open standard that lets AI assistants connect securely to external tools and data sources. In short, it gives your AI assistant the ability to retrieve real information from the apps you already use, directly inside the conversation.

ApartmentIQ's MCP server uses this standard to give direct, read-only access to your Explore Pro(+) data. Instead of exporting a report, copying figures into a spreadsheet, or toggling between tabs, you simply ask a question and get an answer drawn from live ApartmentIQ data.

Once connected, the MCP can:

• Search markets and properties by name, location, or criteria
• Pull current and historical performance data, including occupancy, rent trends, and effective rents
• Retrieve rent and sales comps for specific properties
• Fetch market forecasts and written market narratives
• Access rent rolls and operating expense data at the property level
• List and explore properties within any market

Before You Start

Before adding the connector, make sure you have the following:

• An ApartmentIQ account you can sign in to at data.apartmentiq.io.
• An active Explore Pro or Explore Pro+ subscription on your ApartmentIQ account.
   

Connecting to the ApartmentIQ MCP

There are 2 ways to connect to the ApartmentIQ MCP Server: 

1. Connect through the Anthropic Connector or ChatGPT Plugin directory
2. Using a custom connector 

Method 1: Connect through the Anthropic or ChatGPT directory

In ChatGPT, click on Plugins. Search for ApartmentIQ, and click “Install Plugin” on the ApartmentIQ plugin page.

In Claude, click on “Connectors” and then “Browse”. Search for ApartmentIQ and connect with us immediately. 

 

Method 2: Connect using a Custom Connector 

All you need to connect is the server URL below. No API key, client ID, or custom scopes are required for providers like Copilot and others, they handle authentication automatically when you sign in.

Server URL

https://data.apartmentiq.io/apartmentiq/mcp

Adding The Connector

Follow these steps to add ApartmentIQ as a custom connector in:

1. In your AI provider, open Settings, then navigate to Connectors.
2. Click Add Custom Connector.
3. Give it a name you'll recognize for example: ApartmentIQ Explore.
4. Paste the Server URL from above into the Server URL field.
5. Leave the connector type set to the default (remote / HTTP). Do not add any headers or credentials.
6. Click Add. 
7. Setup is complete.
     

Example Questions You Can Ask

Once connected, you can ask Claude things like:

• "What's the current occupancy trend for Class A apartments in Atlanta?"
• "Show me rent comps for [property name]."
• "What's the 12-month rent growth forecast for the Austin market?"
• "List all properties in the Denver market with more than 200 units."
• "What are the operating expenses for [property name]?"
  
   

Want to dive even deeper?

• “Give me a live pulse-check artifact on the Tampa, Houston, and Nashville multifamily markets. Use ApartmentIQ to pull current rents, occupancy, vacancy, concessions, supply pipeline, and forecasts. Three market cards side by side with the key metrics and YoY changes, a short takeaway on each (what's happening with supply, who's outperforming, what cap rates are signaling), and a forecast chart at the bottom comparing rent growth across all three. Make it look clean (light mode, no clutter) and have it refresh the data each time I open it."

FAQ: MCP

Have questions? Contact the ApartmentIQ Support Team