Palm Beach & Maui Use 3D Modelling for More Precise Property Assessments

HOUSTON, TX, GIS-CAMA Conference – March 19, 2018 – Hawaii’s Maui County and Palm Beach County, Florida join a growing number of counties that have adopted Esri Canada’s Assessment Analyst 3D, a powerful geospatial 3D assessment analysis solution. This technology allows appraisers to conduct detailed valuations of condominiums, commercial buildings and individual units using 3D geoprocessing and analytics from their desktop.

According to Scott Teruya the County Assessor for Maui County and Region 1 Representative to the Executive Board of IAAO:  Using the Assessment Analyst 3D will allow the County to “transform our data into 3D models for data verification, valuation accuracy, and thematic mapping purposes.  Being able to view our data spatially will minimize errors, increase uniformity, and reduce complaints.  This project aims to achieve the division's annual program goal of achieving efficiencies, while it also has a strong return on investment”.

When determining assessed values, these County appraisers compare timely real estate sales transactions with comparable properties. They also consider a property’s location, age, condition, size and view. Having a current, accurate inventory base is vital to the process, but discrepancies between the assessed value and the sale price can arise and it is impractical to physically inspect every single unit in a building for inventory verification.

Palm Beach will be using Assessment Analyst 3D to appraise 2,000 condominiums for any changes or renovations which may have happened since they were last assessed and this will allow them to also understand the true value of the many condos on the Palm Beach waterfront. Local appraisers hope to be fully operational with the software by next month.

Complex 3D models of strata buildings allow appraisers to visually analyze the effects of some key drivers of value, such as view and floor height, on a unit-to-unit basis without the need for onsite inspections, without even having to leave the office. Appraisers can also use this tool to audit and correct data discrepancies, leading to more precise assessments.

“Integrating 3D visualization and spatial analysis into property assessment workflows increases the accuracy of valuations and facilitates the discovery of missing or incorrect property data. Maui and Palm Beach have joined Pinellas County and others in revolutionizing property assessment practices throughout the industry and taking it to a whole new level,," said Michael Lomax, Director of Assessment for Esri Canada.

Assessment Analyst 3D is based on Esri’s ArcGIS technology, the world’s leading geographic information system (GIS) platform used by more than 350,000 organizations. It is part of the Assessment Analyst Suite, an integrated suite of components that allows appraisers to create defendable assessments underpinned by well-organized, accurate data.

For more information Esri Canada’s Assessment Analyst solutions visit: esri.ca/assessmentanalyst.

About Palm Beach County
Palm Beach County stretches from Florida’s Atlantic coast into the state’s rural center and includes the northern edge of the Everglades national park. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,320,134, making it the third-most populous county in Florida. The largest city and county seat is West Palm Beach. Palm Beach County is one of the three counties in South Florida which make up the Miami metropolitan area.

About Maui County
Maui County is in Hawaii and consists of the islands of Maui, Lanai, Molokai (except for a portion of Molokai that comprises Kalawao County), Kahoolawe, and Molokini. As of the 2010 census, the population was 154,834. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,398 square miles, of which 51.6% is water. The highest point in the county is the peak of Haleakalā at 10,023 feet, a shield volcano on the eastern side of the island of Maui.

About Esri Canada
Founded in 1984, Esri Canada provides geographic information system (GIS) solutions that empower people in business, government and education to make informed and timely decisions by leveraging the power of mapping and spatial analytics. These solutions enable organizations to better manage their resources, plan their future and collaborate within and beyond their organization. Esri Canada’s products and services help advance successful digital transformation. The company serves over 10,000 organizations from 16 offices across Canada and is based in Toronto. In 2015, Esri Canada became a Gold Standard winner of Canada’s Best Managed companies and in 2016 was named one of Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Cultures. More information can be found at esri.ca. Follow Esri Canada on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn.

###

For media inquiries, please contact:
Esri Canada: press@esri.ca