We couldn’t have gotten RealEstateAPI to where it is today without Lemon.io, unless we completely burnt out our CTO. I’ve already recommended them.
- Drowning CTO
- 1
- Week to get started
- 1
- Months of collaboration
- 12
RealEstateAPI is a data architecture that gives developers fast, easy access to property data. Historically, founders trying to build in proptech, lending, or home services only had two options when integrating property data:
- Get a bulk data license from a big box data aggregator, which is prohibitively expensive and complicated to manage.
- Use an aggregator’s API. These are cheaper, but they aren’t designed for app development.
Vince Harris, RealEstateAPI’s CEO and cofounder, set out to remove those barriers, designing a big data as a service platform built specifically for developers. Not surprisingly, RealEstateAPI caught on quickly, powering everything from map-based search tools to automated underwriting models, with nationwide coverage of over 159 million properties.
While this was a welcome success, it came at a cost. Vince’s cofounder, the company’s CTO, was drowning in work to support the product’s rapid growth. After hearing about Lemon.io on Jason Calacanis’s podcast, This Week in Startups, Vince decided to reach out.
A partner who could fully own the data work
By the time Vince and his cofounder started looking for help, they were already underwater.
“The challenge was a bandwidth issue,” Vince explains. “My CTO was doing everything, frankly, and he needed someone to step in and own the data engineering piece so he could focus on building out other areas of the product and keep RealEstateAPI’s momentum going.”
The team couldn’t afford to go through a long hiring process. Lemon.io had a reputation for moving fast, and from the very first interaction, they delivered.
Interpersonally, Lemon.io was very responsive. They also had great tech. Their online portal let us explore CVs, see specific skills, and review case studies of past work. I could even favorite candidates to keep track of who I liked most.
The portal included a lightly gamified feature that showed which developers had recently received offers and were in high demand.
“Being able to see that someone was actively being recruited elsewhere, that was huge,” Vince says. “It gave us confidence we were looking at top talent.”
The portal made browsing for candidates easy, but what saved the most time was Lemon.io’s upfront vetting.
“Normally, you’re stuck weeding through 30 resumes trying to find the right people,” Vince points out. “But Lemon.io presented us a shortlist of three qualified candidates.”
To confirm fit, they gave each engineer a practicum that mimicked the kind of work they’d be doing at RealEstateAPI. The Lemon.io engineer they hired outperformed the rest.
Interpersonally, Lemon was very responsive. They also had great tech – their online portal let us explore CVs, see specific skills, and review case studies of past work. I could even favorite candidates to keep track of who I liked most.
Immediate data engineering relief (and lasting value)
Originally, RealEstateAPI hoped to bring the engineer on through their HR system. When that didn’t work, Lemon.io stepped in.
“It made more sense for Lemon.io to manage it, so they did. And it’s been very smooth since,” Vincent says.
Lemon.io’s hire didn’t just ease the CTO’s load, she quickly became an integral part of the team. Within days of joining, she was:
- Attending morning standups
- Making feature suggestions
- Contributing to high-priority data projects
Day to day, she runs the data warehouse and manages all the company’s data pipelines – work that underpins the entire RealEstateAPI platform.
Our Lemon.io resource is phenomenal. She has really become a part of our team. She does not feel like a contractor who is temporary. She’s been with us for over a year now, and we can’t see us separating from her any time soon.
Coming back for more talent as RealEstate API continues to grow
Lemon.io wasn’t just a quick fix. They’ve become an indispensable thought partner and trusted advisor that handles mission-critical work and gives the CTO room to breathe.
They’ve already requested more resources from Lemon.io to support their next phase of expansion.
That repeat business isn’t a coincidence: Lemon.io isn’t the kind of hiring platform that places an engineer and disappears.
“Lemon.io checks in periodically in a way that’s not pushy, but helpful,” Vince shares. “They’re clearly tracking our growth and reaching out when it makes sense. They ask the right questions about what roles we might need in the future.”
To him, Lemon.io feels like a partner who actually pays attention.
Lemon.io operates with integrity, like we do, and that’s what we respect and enjoy about them. They’ve built a solid machine we can count on, and we’re continuing to go to them for more talent.
Looking for a data engineering team you can count on? Start your project today.
Divine devs thatget things done
Eugene boasts a remarkable 18 years of experience as a Full-Stack Web Developer, designing, building, and leading complex applications across aviation, real estate, mobile, entertainment, and sports platforms, with some well-known companies like Boeing. His expertise spans various technologies, including .NET, Java, Angular, Vue, and React, allowing him to tackle complex projects with ease. As a seasoned Team Lead, Eugene is eager to share his knowledge and mentor junior developers. His passion for programming is unwavering, as he continually strives for self-improvement.
Roman, a Senior Full Stack engineer, brings a robust academic background and extensive professional experience to the table. Specializing in Angular and Nest.js, he has a proven track record in enterprise, freelance, and volunteering projects, making him a valuable addition to any team. With a willingness to take on architectural decisions and a passion for sharing knowledge, Roman's expertise in frontend and backend development, combined with his friendly demeanor, make him an excellent candidate for senior-level roles.
Jorge is a seasoned Full Stack Developer with deep expertise in .NET, C#, and modern JavaScript frameworks including React and Vue.js. He has a strong track record of designing and building scalable, secure web applications across diverse domains such as healthcare, entertainment, fintech, and ERP systems. Jorge thrives on solving complex problems, contributing to architectural decisions, and collaborating in cross-functional Agile teams. He brings solid experience with cloud platforms, microservices, RESTful APIs, and automated testing, and is continuously driven by a strong interest in AI and its real-world impact.
Petr is a seasoned software developer with over 10 years of experience. He possesses strong expertise in JavaScript, TypeScript, Node.js, and Angular and has recently acquired skills in Flutter, React, and Next.js. Petr is known for his excellent problem-solving and time management skills, extensive research experience, and self-education.
Anatolii's extensive knowledge enables him to understand the app development process from writing the first line of code to releasing the app on the App Store. He is proficient in debugging, optimizing, and delivering high-quality apps on time. Even after ten years of experience, he remains passionate about learning new techniques, with Swift UI being one of his recent areas of interest.
Meet Oleh — a Full-Stack Developer with a great understanding of .NET and a couple of years of experience with React and Angular across domains like agritech, edtech, IDEs and telecommunication. Additionally, his background includes working with high-load systems and microservices, along with good knowledge of developing and designing various databases. Considering his high-level soft skills, Oleh is a pleasant person to work with! Hurry up and hire him before your competitors do!
Meet Daniel - a strong senior Android engineer and architect with more than 10 years in the field. He has mastered his skills both in giants like Airbnb or Reddit and in newborn startups. In both settings, Daniel demonstrated strong coding skills and leadership abilities. The cherry on top is that Daniel also knows how to prepare the project plan and what market-based issues it might have, so your project is in good hands!
Rafael is a Senior Front-End Developer with over 10 years of production experience and especially deep expertise in JavaScript. A web enthusiast, he's focused on implementing web apps using the best practices, empowering his skills in performance and testing techniques.
Oleksandr has over 10 years of experience in the IT field, making him well-versed in handling complex tasks as a Team Lead. His strong technical background and exceptional practical skills, particularly in Angular and Node.js, set him apart. Oleksandr also brings a pleasant personality to his work.
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We're looking for the right developers, that perfectly suit your team
A four-step vetting process
Our proprietary process includes professional and personal tests, live interviews, and multiple background checks.
Price-quality match
The majority of developers are from Eastern Europe, where startups can stretch their budget to do more with less.
Miraculous 48-hour matching
Two days (or less) to find you a perfect developer for your startup's needs.
98% satisfaction rate
That's the percentage of clients who hired the very first dev they were offered from the platform.
Zero-risk dev replacement
You don't wait for direction. You jump in headfirst, racking up quick wins, calling out improvements, and pushing for architectural decisions that set clients up for scale.
Full-time contributors
You're looking for work you can sink your teeth into, and can commit 20 hours or more a week to see it through.
Case studies More case studies
Fitness
For non-technical founder engineering is a black box. I’ve learned how important it is to have someone in my corner who can really be a partner to me. Lemon has really shown up. They weren’t just a matching tool. They really understood what I was looking for and found me someone I could trust.
AI
With Lemon.io, we had relevant senior candidates within a week — smoother and more cost-efficient than any other channel we'd tried. Their team delivered several vetted profiles within 24 hours.
Marketplace
Everybody we’ve gotten has been incredibly qualified and super passionate. Passion is rare among contractors, but here, we’ve seen a lot of passion for the technologies.
Rocket hiring ride
Top-notch developers within 48 hours, hand-picked for your team.
