Introducing Analyze: From Exploration to Informed Decisions

I can't believe it's been eight months since my last update. I published my last blog post back in February, and a lot has happened between now and then.

Life got busy, really busy. I sold my previous house, bought a new one, went on a month-long vacation, and switched jobs. It was a lot to take in. But through all of this, I kept working on PickYourPlace, and I'm thrilled to finally share what I've been building.

A few days ago, I released a new feature called Analyze, and I wanted to share the story behind it; why I built it, how I used it myself, and what it means for the future of PickYourPlace.

Beyond Just Listings

Through this process of buying a new home, I thought a lot about how tools like PickYourPlace can help people make better decisions. More specifically, I wanted to enable a more informed decision-making process with comprehensive data points.

Don't get me wrong; the standard listing information is important. Square footage, number of bedrooms, number of bathrooms; these factors shape the space you're going to live in with your family. But I think we can do better. We can use more data points and consider factors that we typically rely on through word-of-mouth, things we hear from a realtor, or anecdotes from friends and family. Sometimes that information isn't accurate, or accurate enough.

The Decision-Making Journey

Here's how I think about the home search process:

We start with some aspirations and ideas. We do some research. Based on where we are in life, our age, family structure, income, values around community and culture, we explore a few options. Then we analyze them a bit more deeply. We go ask around, search the web, dig a bit deeper.

Once we've found a few good candidates, we want to compare them against each other to see how they stack up in our evaluation framework. We have criteria. We can weight them based on what's important to us. After that, we have a weighted list of places we consider as our next neighborhood and next home.

We may have further questions, so we zoom in a bit more on that short list; maybe chat with someone knowledgeable or an AI that has context about these properties. And then we make a decision.

So the journey looks like this: Explore → Analyze → Compare → Chat → Decide

From Explore to Analyze

PickYourPlace started with the Explore module, giving you a variety of options through a map-based interface. You can click around, search for different properties, and get relevant information under four different lenses:

1. Property Value: Is this neighborhood or home aligned with my budget?
2. Safety: Is it safe for me and my family to live here?
3. Access to Amenities: Can I get around easily to coffee shops, schools, or wherever fits my lifestyle?
4. Census & Demographics: Is this a community where I can see my family thrive? Does it align with my values and culture?

These lenses help you answer the fundamental questions about any potential home. But after exploring, there was a missing piece. Based on feedback from users and my own experience comparing different neighborhoods and properties, I realized I needed a reporting feature; something digestible that could be generated in a few clicks.

That's why I created the Analyze module.

Introducing the Analyze Module

With Analyze, you can pick a location and select the metrics you care about, Property Value, Safety, Access to Amenities, Census & Demographics. Each metric answers fundamental questions about whether a property is right for you:

Is this aligned with my budget?

The Property Value metric goes beyond just the listing price. It shows you assessed values, historical trends, property features, zoning implications, and neighborhood development patterns.

In a Basic report, you'll see: "Current property value is $565,500, which is up 3% from last year. Built in 1944 with a lot size of 3,580 ft²."

Standard report adds context: "This property's current assessment is 13% above the neighborhood average ($502,132) but 9% below the city average ($623,947)."

Premium report provides investment insights: "Highest and best use analysis suggests rowhouse development maximizes property value. A 3,580 sq ft lot could accommodate 2-3 rowhouse units, potentially generating $800,000-$1,200,000 in total value... Projected 8-12% annual appreciation through 2028."

Is it safe for me and my family?

The Safety metric covers crime statistics, street lighting, traffic incidents, flood risk, and emergency service access—giving you a complete picture of community safety.

Basic report tells you: "11% decrease in overall crime from previous year. 14 traffic incidents reported in the past year (-52% from previous year). 15 emergency services within a 10-minute drive."

Standard report adds perspective: "Sunnyside's overall crime rate of 30.02 per 1,000 residents is 143% higher than Calgary's city average of 12.35, though the community has achieved a remarkable 50% reduction over five years. Street lighting coverage of 238.77 lights per 1,000 residents is 229% above Calgary's 72.60 average."

Premium report provides actionable insights: "Sunnyside ranks as a moderate-to-high crime area within Calgary, with property crimes driving elevated statistics despite strong infrastructure and emergency response capabilities... Families with children score 82/100 for safety given zero pedestrian/cyclist traffic incidents, 94th percentile street lighting, and 3-minute emergency response times."

Can I get around easily to the places that matter?

The Access to Amenities metric shows you exactly what's reachable within 15 minutes by walking, biking, driving, and public transit,from grocery stores to restaurants to recreation facilities.

Basic report gives you the counts: "9 grocery stores within 15-minute walking distance. 47 restaurants & cafes within 15-minute walking distance. 1 school within 15-minute walking distance."

Standard report adds comparison: "Walking provides exceptional advantage for essential daily needs with 24 services, 85% above city average and matching Sunnyside's walkable urban character. Biking delivers outstanding access to 210 essential services, 146% above the city average."

Premium report provides lifestyle analysis: "Overall accessibility score of 78 out of 100, ranking 82nd percentile in Calgary... Cycling enthusiasts & bike commuters: Overall rating 10 out of 10. Biking accessibility exceeds convenience needs with 1,158 total amenities (156% above city average)."

Does this community align with my values and lifestyle?

The Census & Demographics metric reveals who lives in the neighborhood, family composition, income levels, education, cultural diversity, and commuting patterns.

Basic report shows the data: "41.9% of residents are married with 2.3 average household size. 54.5% home ownership rate with 'single-detached' being the most common housing type. Median income of $52,400."

Standard report adds context: "The age distribution shows 18.4% children (0-14) versus 9.8% in community, indicating strong family presence. 61.2% family households versus 41.3% community average, with only 34.3% single-person households compared to 51.2% in community."

Premium report provides comprehensive assessment: "The demographic profile reveals a family-oriented enclave within a predominantly rental community. Growing families with children thrive here, benefiting from larger homes (45.2% with 3+ bedrooms vs 19.2% in community), family-oriented neighbors, and strong homeownership stability... Overall census score of 73 out of 100, ranking 68th percentile in the city."

Three Report Tiers to Match Your Needs

Depending on how deep you want to get into the details, you can choose from three different report tiers:

Basic Reports: The Foundation

Basic reports give you all the essential data in a clean, organized format, perfect for getting a quick snapshot of any property:

It includes:

• Executive Summary: Key highlights for each section at a glance
• Property Value: Current assessed value, year-over-year changes, property features (type, year built, lot size), zoning designation, and renovation history
• Safety: Overall crime statistics with year-over-year trends, street lighting coverage, traffic incident counts, flood risk assessment, and emergency service locations within 10 minutes
• Access to Amenities: Counts of amenities accessible within 15 minutes by walking, biking, driving, and public transit—organized into categories like Essential Daily Needs, Shopping & Retail, Lifestyle & Entertainment, Recreation & Outdoors, Mobility & Transportation, and Community Services
• Census & Demographics: Population density, age distribution, household composition, housing types, income levels, employment patterns, cultural makeup, and commuting modes

What you get in a Basic report:

• Clear highlights calling out the most important numbers
• Data tables showing exact counts and figures
• Simple year-over-year comparisons
• Clean presentation of facts

Basic reports provide the foundation, all the raw data you need to understand a property's characteristics. Perfect for initial research when you're evaluating multiple properties.

Standard Reports: Adding Context

Standard reports take the same data and add the context you need to understand what the numbers really mean:

It includes everything in a Basic report, plus:

• Comparative Analysis: How the property stacks up against neighborhood and city averages with percentage differences clearly called out (e.g., "This property's crime rate is 143% higher than Calgary's city average" or "Walking accessibility provides 24 essential services, 85% above city average")
• Trend Interpretation: What patterns in the data reveal about the property and area (e.g., "Five-year crime trend shows 50% decline, indicating improving conditions")
• Key Insights: Bullet points highlighting the most important findings in each section
• Development Pattern Analysis: Understanding what building permits and neighborhood growth mean for future property values
• Lifestyle Compatibility: How the location works for different groups (families, young professionals, retirees, etc.)
• Risk Assessments: Identifying both strengths and potential concerns based on the data

What makes it different: Instead of just seeing "127 incidents," you understand that this represents "30.02 per 1,000 residents, 143% higher than Calgary's city average." Instead of just a list of amenities, you learn that "walking provides exceptional advantage for essential daily needs with 24 services—85% above city average."

Standard reports help you understand not just the numbers, but what they mean relative to other properties and neighborhoods. Great when you're narrowing down your shortlist.

Premium Reports: Advanced Analysis & Strategic Insight

Premium reports provide the comprehensive analysis and forward-looking insights you need for confident decision-making:

It includes everything in a Standard report, plus:

• Executive Summaries: Professional-level overviews at the start of each section synthesizing all the key information
• Investment Analysis: Detailed assessment of property's investment potential, including highest and best use recommendations, ROI projections for different strategies (renovation vs. redevelopment), and market positioning
• Comprehensive Risk Assessment: Detailed evaluation of strengths and vulnerabilities across all metrics, with specific recommendations for each demographic group
• Market Cycle Analysis: Understanding where the property sits in the value cycle with historical context (e.g., "Property recovered from 2017-2022 decline, now stabilizing after 30% surge in 2023")
• Strategic Recommendations: Specific, actionable advice tailored to your situation—whether you're buying to live, invest, or develop
• Lifestyle Assessment by Demographics: Detailed analysis of how the property works for families, young professionals, seniors, car-free households, and more—with ratings out of 10
• Accessibility Scoring: Overall scores and component ratings showing exactly where the property excels or falls short
• Future Outlook: Forward-looking analysis of what to expect over the next 12-24 months across crime trends, development activity, and market conditions

Example insights you'll get:

• "Highest and best use analysis suggests rowhouse development maximizes property value. A 3,580 sq ft lot could accommodate 2-3 rowhouse units, potentially generating $800,000-$1,200,000 in total value"
• "Projected 8-12% annual appreciation through 2028, driven by neighborhood maturation, infill scarcity, and inner-city location premium"
• "Walking accessibility exceeds active lifestyle needs with 187 total amenities (183% above city average). Overall rating for cycling enthusiasts: 10 out of 10"

Premium reports are designed for serious home searchers who want to make data-driven decisions with confidence. Each report is structured and digestible, with sections divided logically. Charts, tables, and maps bring the data to life. Every section comes with an executive summary highlighting what stands out, then dives into the details with comparisons between your target property, the community average, and city-wide metrics.

See It In Action

Want to see exactly what each report tier looks like? I've created sample reports for a property at 604 Memorial Drive NW in Sunnyside, Calgary, AB, so you can explore the differences yourself:

• Basic Report - All the essential data
• Standard Report - Data plus context and comparisons
• Premium Report - Complete analysis with projections and recommendations

Here's a taste of what you'll find in each tier, using the same property:

Basic Report tells you:

Current property value is $565,500, which is up 3% from last year. Built in 1944 with a lot size of 3,580 ft². 11% decrease in overall crime from previous year. 9 grocery stores within 15-minute walking distance.

Standard Report adds context:

This property's current assessment is 13% above the neighborhood average ($502,132) but 9% below the city average ($623,947). Sunnyside's overall crime rate of 30.02 per 1,000 residents is 143% higher than Calgary's city average of 12.35, though the community has achieved a remarkable 50% reduction over five years.

Premium Report provides strategic insights:

Highest and best use analysis suggests rowhouse development maximizes property value under R-CG zoning. A 3,580 sq ft lot could accommodate 2-3 rowhouse units, potentially generating $800,000-$1,200,000 in total value... Projected 8-12% annual appreciation through 2028, driven by neighborhood maturation, infill scarcity, and inner-city location premium.

Check out the sample reports to see the full depth of analysis at each level.

How to Use Analyze

Getting started with Analyze is straightforward:

1. Explore Sample Reports: When you visit the Analyze tab, you'll see three sample reports for a single address—Basic, Standard, and Premium—so you can see exactly what information each tier provides.
2. Sign Up: Creating reports requires a free account. You can use social logins (Google, Microsoft) or sign in with just your email using a magic link or one-time passcode.
3. Get Free Credits: When you sign up, you receive 5 free credits to create your first reports.
4. Create Your Reports: Select any address, choose the metrics you care about, pick your report tier, and generate your report.
5. Track Your Usage: A simple dashboard shows your credit history, spending versus purchases, and all your transactions in one place.

Credit-Based Pricing

I've implemented a flexible credit-based system that gives you control over how deep you want to go with each property:

• Basic Reports: 2 credits per metric
• Standard Reports: 4 credits per metric
• Premium Reports: 8 credits per metric

Since reports can include 1-4 metrics (Property Value, Safety, Access to Amenities, Census & Demographics), a full Premium report with all four metrics would cost 32 credits, while a Basic report focusing on just Safety would cost only 2 credits.

Credit Packages

Starter Pack: $19.99 → 20 Credits

• Perfect for first-time users
• Enough for a complete Basic report or multiple single-metric reports

Power Pack: $49.99 → 60 Credits (20% bonus)

• Best for active home searchers
• Enough for 6 Standard reports or a mix of report types

Comprehensive Pack: $99.99 → 150 Credits (50% bonus)

• Maximum value for extensive research
• Mix and match report types as your search evolves

Credits are valid for 12 months, so you can use them at your own pace without pressure.

My Own Experience

As a beta user of the Analyze feature, I used it extensively during my own home search this year, and it fundamentally changed how I evaluated properties. Instead of manually comparing properties across spreadsheets, trying to remember which neighborhood had better access to trails, which one had seen more development activity, which had the better safety trends, I had all that information in one structured report.

I could compare properties apples-to-apples and make decisions based on comprehensive data rather than gut feeling or incomplete information. The Premium reports, in particular, gave me insights I would never have uncovered on my own; like understanding whether a property was a better renovation candidate or redevelopment opportunity, or seeing how a neighborhood's accessibility compared not just to the city average, but to other similar inner-city communities.

The feature saved me countless hours and gave me the confidence to make an informed decision about what is, for most of us, one of the biggest financial decisions we'll ever make.

What's Next

After Analyze, the next module I'll be adding is Compare where you can pick multiple properties and generate a single report that compares them side-by-side. This will make it even easier to evaluate your shortlist and see how different options stack up.

Eventually, I'll add a Chat module where you can have a conversation with an AI that has full context about your selected properties and all the data PickYourPlace provides. Ask questions, explore trade-offs, get personalized recommendations, all within the context of your specific search.

I'm super excited to release this new feature and to see how it helps you in your home search journey. I'll be writing more about the Analyze feature soon, including how I used it to find and purchase my new home.

Your Feedback Matters

I'm really looking forward to hearing from you. If you find Analyze useful, if you see opportunities for enhancement, or if there are features missing that would make your decision-making process better, please let me know. Your feedback has shaped PickYourPlace from the beginning, and it will continue to guide its evolution.

Finding the right home is one of the biggest decisions we make. My goal is to make that decision less stressful and more informed. With real data, clear insights, and tools that meet you where you are in your search process, I believe we can all make better choices about where we call home.