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We have spoken before about our technological innovations and how they help us complete our jobs at Lexur Appraisal. While we’re knowledgeable in all of the technology we use, many of our readers (and possible clients) may not be. To understand what we do better, get yourself acquainted with GIS.

Geographic Information System, also known simply as GIS, is a computer system we use to complete our appraisal, maintenance and consulting services. Based on that definition alone, it doesn’t tell you much about what this computer system does. Simply put, GIS can capture, analyze, manage and understand all types of geographical and spatial data, which is helpful in the appraisal business. No, this computer system isn’t just Google Earth where you view your house or see if the swing set in the park has been torn down; GIS can do much more than that.

For appraisal purposes, GIS is used in particular to map out geographic areas. But the maps aren’t the only thing included when capturing the data. The geographical or spatial data that is captured with a geographic information system helps us (and others who use GIS) to understand what is happening in a certain geographic area and to understand what could possibly happen in that area. In an essence, using GIS to map out a location that we are to appraise helps us make more informed decisions about that location. But as there are numerous different applications for GIS and different industries that use the software, the analysis methods of the collected data can differ.

It may seem odd to some people, appraisers using GIS. While it is a software program surveyors can typically be seen using, the software does have a wide range of applications. GIS can be used in crime mapping, transportation engineering, remote sensing and public participation. The last of these applications can be used for community development, natural resource management, and sometimes the spatial data GIS captures is even used to analyze community problems, such as finding code violations in buildings that were captured and examined as data or how to improve those abandoned buildings around town.

When appraising a building or a plot of land, gathering geographic and spatial information is beneficial because it helps discover what is currently going on in that location and what could happen in that location. Though “appraisal” is in our name, we do more than just appraise buildings at Lexur Appraisal. Geographic information systems map out an area and give data on that area, but can also help us see what direction the world is heading.