BuildabilityThree checks before you commit capital
Title and comps stay with your usual providers.
Zoning
Is the property zoned for your intended use, and what could you renovate, add, or develop?
Environmental risks
Flood zone, wildfire hazard, soil limits and radon, each from its federal source. Contamination is not screened: a Phase I ESA is the check for that.
Buildability
Setbacks, height and FAR where we have read the city’s code (see the Zoning Atlas).
What the full report adds, $99 per parcel: the parcel record (owner, APN), the zoning standards and envelope where the code has been read, valuation and comparable sales.
Screen an investment property in 20 seconds
Enter the property address.
Any U.S. property. Residential, commercial, or vacant land.
Get instant risk screening.
Geo checks nine factors against live data from 7 federal agencies: zoning, flood, seismic, soil, radon, wildfire, utilities, terrain, and lot geometry.
Review the flags and the verdict.
The risk score, environmental flags, zoning verdict, and a plain-English summary of what to watch for before committing capital.
Three due diligence failures, screened before the wire
Not after the money moved.
Missed wetlands. A mapped wetland on the lot triggers Clean Water Act §404 permitting. The Score caps on it.
Overlooked zoning restrictions. Restrictions that prevent your intended use or development, discovered after the money moved.
Ignored flood designations. A Special Flood Hazard Area makes flood insurance mandatory with a federally backed mortgage, on the deal you just closed.
Questions
What is property due diligence?
The process of investigating a property before purchase or investment: zoning compliance, environmental risks (flood, wildfire, contamination), buildability constraints (setbacks, height limits, FAR), title issues, and financial viability. Buildability automates the zoning and site-hazard portion using live data from 7 federal agencies; contamination is not screened, and a Phase I ESA is the check for it.
What should I check before buying an investment property?
(1) Zoning: is the property zoned for your intended use? (2) Environmental risks: flood zone, wildfire, radon, contamination. (3) Buildability: can you renovate, add units, or develop? (4) Comps: what are similar properties selling or renting for? (5) Title and liens. Buildability handles items 1–3 from government data, except contamination, which is not screened.
How much does property due diligence cost?
Consultant due diligence is quoted per engagement. Buildability provides zoning analysis, hazard screening, and buildability scoring for one report per property: $99, down to $79 at volume, and reports never expire. The free Score gives you an instant risk assessment at no cost.
How do I check if a property has environmental risks?
Buildability reads FEMA flood maps, the USFS wildfire hazard map, USDA soils, the USFWS wetlands inventory, USGS seismic design maps and the EPA radon map automatically. It does not screen for contamination. The free check runs on any address; the full report ($99) cites the federal dataset behind each finding.
Can I use this for commercial property due diligence?
Yes. Buildability analyzes any U.S. parcel including commercial, residential, mixed-use, and vacant land. For commercial properties, the full report includes the district’s dimensional standards and the envelope fitted to the lot, where we have read the city’s code.
What is a Phase I environmental assessment and do I need one?
A Phase I ESA (Environmental Site Assessment) investigates potential contamination from current or historical land use. It is typically required by lenders for commercial transactions. Buildability does not screen for contamination (no Superfund, brownfield or Envirofacts read). Order a Phase I when the use or history of the site raises the question.
How many properties can I screen at once?
The free tool screens one property at a time. Bulk scoring takes up to 500 addresses a run, free on every account. Reports drop automatically from $99 to $79 each at volume, and nothing expires. See pricing for details.
What due diligence mistakes cost investors the most?
The ones found after closing: a zoning restriction that blocks the intended use, a flood designation that makes insurance mandatory, or contamination from a past use. Buildability screens the zoning and flood questions. Contamination is not screened; a Phase I ESA is the check for it.
How fast can I complete due diligence with Buildability?
Buildability delivers zoning, environmental, and buildability analysis in 20 seconds per property.
Is Buildability a replacement for a title search?
No. Title searches, lien checks, and survey verification require separate providers. Buildability handles the property intelligence portion of due diligence; title companies handle the legal ownership portion.
Screen it before the wire.
Nine factors for any U.S. address. Zoning, flood, seismic, soil, radon, wildfire, utilities, terrain, and lot geometry.
Score an address