Pillar field notes
Practical guides to sourcing land, screening sites, and deciding what to investigate next.
Land sourcing
3 min read
Choose a product and plan around the deliverable you need: parcel data in another system, a research workspace, or a shareable property map.
Read guide: Regrid and Land id: how to compare parcel data and property mapping toolsSite screening
4 min read
Find NYC occupancy records, distinguish a CO from a TCO or completion letter, and document questions about a proposed tenant's use.
Read guide: How to check an NYC certificate of occupancy before leasing spaceSite screening
4 min read
Check elevation datums before comparing a survey with flood records. Includes a labeled conversion example and a copyable site-review worksheet.
Read guide: NGVD 29 vs. NAVD 88: comparing elevations in site researchOwner outreach
3 min read
Keep properties, owner entities, and people connected without treating every parcel as a separate prospect. Includes a copyable list structure.
Read guide: How to build a property prospecting list a broker can actually workSite screening
5 min read
Compare neighborhood demographics without overstating small differences. Check ACS periods, margins of error and geography with a worked example and worksheet.
Read guide: Comparing ACS demographics for site selection: keep the margin of errorSite screening
3 min read
Trace the full route from the highway to the loading area, check official restrictions, and prepare a route-specific verification list.
Read guide: How to screen an industrial site's truck access before a site visitSite screening
5 min read
A higher traffic count does not settle a retail site comparison. Check count dates, direction, peak hours, and driveway access with this worked example.
Read guide: Reading AADT traffic counts before choosing a retail siteLand sourcing
5 min read
Separate authorized units from construction and delivery. Use a worked example and project worksheet to avoid double-counting future housing supply.
Read guide: Building permits vs. housing starts: how to read a local supply pipelineLand sourcing
14 min read
Compare seven land acquisition tools, then test parcel research, owner outreach, land CRM handoffs and total cost with the same candidate.
Read guide: Choosing land acquisition software: parcel maps, outreach, and the CRMSite screening
6 min read
Understand deeded and calculated acreage, check conflicting parcel records, and use a worksheet to document the difference before advancing a site.
Read guide: Deeded Acres vs. GIS Acres: Why Your Property Shows Two Different SizesSite screening
7 min read
A land due diligence checklist for the desktop stage: check parcel identity, zoning, mapped constraints, access, and utilities, then assign follow-up.
Read guide: Land due diligence checklist: start with a desktop site screenLand sourcing
7 min read
A homebuilder land sourcing workflow and round-review worksheet: define the buy box, count distinct opportunities, and investigate unresolved evidence.
Read guide: How to find off-market development land: a repeatable sourcing workflow