{"id":6681,"date":"2025-07-25T07:55:20","date_gmt":"2025-07-25T11:55:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/?p=6681"},"modified":"2025-07-25T08:04:25","modified_gmt":"2025-07-25T12:04:25","slug":"how-to-use-mapping-to-buy-a-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/how-to-use-mapping-to-buy-a-home\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Use Mapping to Buy a Home"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-style-rounded is-style-rounded--1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1500\" height=\"587\" src=\"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/how-to-use-mapping-to-buy-a-home.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6682\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/how-to-use-mapping-to-buy-a-home.webp 1500w, https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/how-to-use-mapping-to-buy-a-home-300x117.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/how-to-use-mapping-to-buy-a-home-1024x401.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/how-to-use-mapping-to-buy-a-home-768x301.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thinking about buying a home? Online maps can offer plenty of details about the major investment you\u2019re about to make.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let\u2019s get started, because there\u2019s much to map.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Mapping for Solid Property Values That Stand Up to Time<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <em>Realtor.com\u00ae<\/em> \u201chottest real estate markets\u201d map is a powerful trendspotting tool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As we go to press, The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/research\/reports\/hottest-markets\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Realtor.com<\/em>\u00ae market map<\/a> shows Manchester, New Hampshire, Rochester, New York and Springfield, Massachusetts with today\u2019s scorching-hot rankings. Slide the timeline back a while, and see how these real estate markets have held up over the years. This can give you a sense of property value (and property tax) appreciation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Realtor.com\u2019s<\/em> tool checks the speed of home sales and how many listings are available in various locations. It covers the country from coast to coast. Check the current situation anywhere. Track trends \u2014 month to month, year to year. You can even see how many views a listing gets, relative to national averages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The site also has a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/research\/reports\/inventory-affordability\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">housing affordability<\/a> section. Is the city you\u2019re looking at more expensive than the U.S. average, or cheaper? The tool\u2019s affordability scoring system can help buyers zero in on homes within their financial reach. It can also help sellers market their homes. Every month brings new data from the National Association of REALTORS\u00ae.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The National Map: Here Is the Lay of the Land<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-large is-style-rounded is-style-rounded--2\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"792\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/the-lay-of-the-land-792x1024.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/the-lay-of-the-land-792x1024.webp 792w, https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/the-lay-of-the-land-232x300.webp 232w, https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/the-lay-of-the-land-768x993.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/the-lay-of-the-land.webp 798w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 792px) 100vw, 792px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The U.S. Geological Survey (part of the Interior Department) offers a <a href=\"https:\/\/ngmdb.usgs.gov\/topoview\/viewer\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">topographic map<\/a> to show you the terrain. Run by the USGS National Geospatial Program (NGP), this mapping site can show you the contour lines representing an area\u2019s peaks and valleys, its hills and gullies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Topography involves mapping the land\u2019s natural and artificial features. Topographic maps include the names and shapes of forests and rivers, mountains and valleys, plains and lakes\u2026 You get the picture. They show the buildings and infrastructure placed on top of these features, too. Developers use them. So can ordinary home buyers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A topographic map can:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Show how natural and built elements could affect construction and accessibility. Sharp sloping could make access difficult in winter, for example, which could impact curb appeal (literally!) to visitors or buyers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Help find current (or situate future) roads, boundaries, sewer and water pipes, solar panels, power lines, and so forth.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Reveal the land\u2019s gradual or sharp inclines, indicating how and where the water will flow or form ponds during and after a storm.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Indicate low places where water runoff could lead to home damage over time, saturate the ground, or create an ongoing need for flood precautions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Uncover factors that impact property values as well as maintenance and insurance needs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Show where stormwater runoff can lead to tension for higher landowners due to the impact on nearby households. Help to inform decisions about what kind of drainage systems plus gardening or landscaping elements that prevent flooding.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Give you an idea of the views and sunlight exposure for a particular home, as well as the degree of privacy it offers and its relationship to surrounding properties.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Highlight possible hazards \u2014 the likelihood of erosion, landslides, or wildfires. This helps deed holders plan the placement of features to minimize dangers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This mapping tool has much more of interest, too. It can even guide you through the history of the place. Learn historical features and names, as they\u2019ve transformed through time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tools We Can Use: Risk Factor\u2122 and Flood Factor\u00ae<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Today, useful information about property risks is at our fingertips. The First Street Foundation Flood Model is one contributor to this information. We now can get instant flood risk information on any address from Risk Factor\u2122.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">FEMA might come to mind as a leading source of flood data. But the First Street Foundation is coming into the spotlight, bringing updated risk analyses to the public.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Although water inundation can happen anywhere, this is especially important for frequently flooded U.S. areas, such as the southern Gulf states, Vermont, Florida, and cities established along tidal rivers. Many of these areas aren\u2019t covered by the older FEMA flood maps, so they don\u2019t automatically get flagged as needing flood insurance. Yet they do flood. And even an inch of water in a home can cause $25,000 in structural damage, according to the National Association of REALTORS\u00ae.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Flood Factor\u00ae tool anticipates flood risks from:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Developing climate concerns, such as hurricanes and weather extremes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Stormwater runoff and storm surge risks.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Predictions for sea level change.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Flood Factor tool calculates property-specific water infiltration risks. The more general Risk Factor highlights dynamics that impact millions of deed holders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-accent-5-background-color has-background has-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40)\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/the-water-log-a-deed-holders-intro-to-storm-runoff\/\"><strong><em>Learn more about stormwater<\/em><\/strong><\/a><em><strong> runoff with Deeds.com.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Using Other Maps to Find U.S. Housing Data\u2014Or to Get the Feel of a Place&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Initial research about markets and moving is greatly supported by online mapping options. Today we can use our computers to look at neighborhoods just to get a feel for places \u2014 even if we never actually go to some of these locales in real life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You might take a look at <strong><em>Google<\/em><\/strong>. Its tools help the user map out and compare real estate markets. With Google\u2019s <em>Street View<\/em>, the experience is like browsing shops and homes. The <em>Satellite View<\/em> option shows the land features. Zoom in, and you can even assess the state of local property maintenance! And <a href=\"https:\/\/earth.google.com\/web\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Google Earth<\/em><\/a> gives you virtual tours that feel like real ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another mapping tool that may be of interest is the <strong><em>Hidden Housing<\/em><\/strong> map site. It\u2019s a privately run, subscription-based tool, geared to help ordinary people zero in on appealing spots to search for homes for sale. The site\u2019s \u201crankings\u201d section shows counties, sorted by median listing price. Additional information relates to climate, rentals, and more. There are options to receive personalized data. Check the \u201cabout\u201d section to email the developer for additional information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then have a look at <strong><em>City-Data<\/em><\/strong>. The <em>City-Data.com<\/em> mapping tools show all sorts of details for a given place: typical household incomes, popular attractions, the best ways to get there, and even the results of the latest restaurant inspections! You can compare stats for two cities at a time. There\u2019s also an online forum to chat with others about any city-related question you might like to discuss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These are just a few of the tools that can give a buyer an edge or an insight. <em>Deeds.com<\/em> is not affiliated with any of the abovementioned sites. We\u2019re just looking! And we\u2019ll look at others from time to time, so watch this space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-accent-5-background-color has-background has-small-font-size is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20)\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Supporting References<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Realtor.com<\/em>\u00ae from the National Association of REALTORS\u00ae: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/research\/reports\/hottest-markets\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Market Hotness Index<\/a>. See also: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/research\/reports\/inventory-affordability\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">REALTORS\u00ae Affordability Distribution Curve and Score<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>USGS.gov<\/em>, part of the U.S. Department of the Interior: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usgs.gov\/educational-resources\/topographic-mapping\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Educational Resources \u2013&nbsp; Topographic Mapping<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Shailu Jaswal (agent of a Compass affiliate) via <em>ShailuJaswal.com: <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shailujaswal.com\/on-the-main-line-and-beyond\/topography-101-why-it-matters-for-homebuyers-and-real-estate-investors\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Topography 101 \u2013 Why It Matters for Homebuyers and Real Estate Investors<\/a> (2024).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Deeds.com<\/em>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/safe-or-sorry-the-evolving-law-of-disclosing-flood-risk-and-how-to-look-up-your-own-homes-risk-of-flooding\/\">Safe or Sorry? The Evolving Law of Disclosing Flood Risk (and How to Look Up Your Own Home\u2019s Risk of Flooding)<\/a> (Oct. 11, 2023).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>FirstStreet.org<\/em>: <a href=\"https:\/\/help.firststreet.org\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/360048502394-Why-a-property-s-FEMA-zone-does-NOT-impact-its-Flood-Factor\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Risk Factor\u2122 \/ Flood Factor\u00ae Why a Property\u2019s FEMA Zone Does Not Impact its Flood Factor<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And as linked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>More on topics: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/no-housing-market-crash-on-the-radar-nars-2025-prediction\/\">No real estate crash expected this year<\/a><strong>; <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/and-americas-most-affordable-big-city-is\/\">Most affordable big cities<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Photo credits: Screenshot taken of <em>Realtor.com\u00ae <\/em>on Jul. 19, 2025; and Linnaea Mallette via <a href=\"https:\/\/www.publicdomainpictures.net\/en\/view-image.php?image=339689\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">PublicDomainPictures<\/a> (public domain).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Thinking about buying a home? Online maps can offer plenty of details about the major investment you\u2019re about to make. Let\u2019s get started, because there\u2019s much to map.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6682,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[131],"tags":[937,461,457,2594,324,2595,1051,2598,1330,2597,290,458,2596],"class_list":["post-6681","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-real-estate","tag-buying-a-home","tag-flood-factor","tag-flood-risk","tag-google-street-view","tag-home-buying","tag-home-value-trends","tag-housing-trends","tag-mapping-tools","tag-property-research","tag-real-estate-data","tag-realtor-com","tag-risk-factor","tag-topographic-maps"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.0 - 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