Methodology — UnlockLand
Methodology

Every output is explainable.

UnlockLand is decision intelligence, not a black box. Behind every buildable-area estimate, yield study, feasibility score, and return figure sits a traceable chain of planning rules, stated assumptions, and cited data sources. This page explains exactly how that chain works.

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From parcel to decision

Real parcels. Real planning rules. A result you can defend.

UnlockLand Reasoning Engine · pipeline FULLY TRACED
01 Ingest data Parcel, geometry, jurisdiction 02 Interpret zoning Setbacks, FAR, height, overlays 03 Generate schemes Massing & unit-mix within envelope 04 Model feasibility Cost, revenue, risk & returns 05 Explain & cite Every output linked to rule + source INPUT REASONING OUTPUT A continuous, recorded chain — open any result and walk back to the data that produced it.

The reasoning pipeline — five recorded stages from raw parcel data to a cited, defensible result.

Principles we hold every result to

These are the commitments that make an UnlockLand output something you can defend in front of a lender, a planning officer, or an investment committee.

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How an address becomes a decision

Each step is recorded, so you can open any result and trace it back to the rule and data point that produced it.

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Planning rules we apply

UnlockLand encodes the constraints that govern what can legally and physically be built on a parcel. When a rule changes by jurisdiction or is ambiguous, we surface it rather than hide it.

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Assumptions, made visible and editable

Feasibility and returns depend on assumptions. We default to market-calibrated values, label every one, and let you override them — because your numbers should be yours.

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Where our data comes from

We combine authoritative public records with continuously refreshed market data. Each output carries the provenance of the data it relied on.

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Open any number, read its trace

This is what "explainable" looks like in practice. Click a result in the app and an explainability trace unfolds — each rule that shaped it, and the exact source it was cited from.

Explainability trace · Buildable area 123 Sample Ave · R-3 Zone
Result
Net buildable area
31,200 sf
Binding rule: FAR cap
Constraint test
FAR 1.2 × 26,000 sf lot31,200
Coverage 55% envelope42,900
Height 3 storeys envelope38,400
We apply the smallest legal envelope — here, the FAR cap binds first.
Rule → source citations
1
Floor-area ratio (FAR) = 1.2
Caps total floor area at 1.2× the lot for R-3 designations.
Zoning Bylaw §4.3.1 · Table 4-A — City Planning, 2024
2
Lot area = 26,000 sf
Resolved from the legal parcel geometry on record.
County Parcel Registry · APN 482-117-09
3
Efficiency factor = 0.82
Nets gross floor area down to saleable area for low-rise multifamily.
UnlockLand assumption · editable
1.2 × 26,000 = 31,200 sf gross → binding envelope 31,200 sf

Illustrative trace — every figure links back to the rule applied and the source it was drawn from.

How feasibility and returns are computed

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UnlockLand outputs are decision-support estimates, not appraisals, investment advice, or guarantees of permit approval. Always validate critical assumptions with qualified local professionals before committing capital. See our Terms of Service.

See the reasoning on a real address.

Run any parcel and open the explanation behind every number. No credit card required.

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