Getting Started with ScopeOut

Search an Address

At the top of the screen, you'll see a search bar with the placeholder "Enter a Florida address..." Type in any Florida street address and either press Enter or click the Search button. ScopeOut uses geocoding to locate the exact coordinates and places a marker on the map.

As you type, address suggestions will appear in a dropdown below the search bar. Click a suggestion to select it, or continue typing and hit Enter. The map will fly to the address and zoom in automatically.

Read the Neighborhood Report

After searching an address, a panel slides in from the right (or bottom on mobile) displaying a neighborhood report. This report contains summary cards with key data points:

• Median Income — The median household income for the surrounding census tract, from the U.S. Census Bureau.
• Poverty Rate — The percentage of households below the federal poverty line in that tract.
• Flood Zone — The FEMA flood zone designation (e.g., AE, X, VE). Zones starting with A or V are high-risk and typically require flood insurance if you have a mortgage.
• Safety Score — A composite score from 0 to 100 based on nearby crime density and proximity to fire stations, police stations, and hospitals. Higher is safer.
• Elevation — Height above sea level in feet, sourced from USGS. Critical in Florida where even a few feet of elevation can make a big difference for flood risk.
• Flood Insurance — An estimated annual flood insurance cost tier based on your flood zone and elevation.
• Median Rent — The median rent for the area, sourced from Census and HUD Fair Market Rent data.
• Median Home Value — The median property value for the census tract.

Below the summary cards, you'll find detailed sections for Neighborhood Profile, Subsidized Housing, Elevation, Property Details, Nearest Amenities, and the Deal Calculator.

Explore Map Layers

The Layers panel on the left side of the screen (or bottom on mobile) contains 27+ toggleable data layers organized into eight categories:

Click the checkbox next to any layer to toggle it on the map. Most layers use OpenStreetMap's Overpass API to query points of interest in real time around the searched address. Crime layers display heatmap overlays based on aggregated law enforcement data. The flood zone layer queries FEMA's National Flood Hazard Layer.

Use Presets

At the top of the Layers panel, you'll see four preset buttons that activate the most relevant layers for specific use cases:

• Homebuyer — Activates Flood Zones, Schools, Violent Crime, Property Crime, Elevation, Hospitals, and Grocery Stores. Designed for buyers evaluating safety, schools, and natural hazard risk.
• Investor — Activates Rent-to-Price Ratio, HUD/Section 8 Housing, Violent Crime, and Property Crime. Paired with the Deal Calculator in the info panel, this gives you a complete investment analysis.
• Retiree — Activates Hospitals, Parks & Nature, Grocery Stores, Libraries, and Places of Worship. Focused on healthcare access, walkability, and quality-of-life amenities.
• Student — Activates Schools, Bus Routes, Bus Stops, Bike Paths, Restaurants, and Libraries. Optimized for transit access and campus-area living.

Clicking a preset clears any currently active layers and enables only the layers in that preset. Click the same preset again to deactivate all its layers.

Check the Safety Score and Amenity Access Score

After you search an address, ScopeOut calculates two composite scores:

Safety Score (0-100)

The Safety Score evaluates how safe a neighborhood is based on multiple factors. A score of 80+ indicates a very safe area, while below 40 suggests elevated risk. The score factors in:

• Violent crime density in the surrounding area
• Property crime density
• Proximity to the nearest fire station
• Proximity to the nearest police station
• Proximity to the nearest hospital

Areas with lower crime, and closer emergency services, score higher. The score is displayed in the summary cards panel and is color-coded: green (good), yellow (moderate), or red (high risk).

Amenity Access Score (0-100)

The Amenity Access Score measures how conveniently located everyday essentials are relative to the searched address. It evaluates proximity to grocery stores, hospitals, schools, parks, public transit, libraries, and restaurants. A score of 80+ means most daily needs are within a short drive or walk. A score below 40 indicates a more rural or underserved location.

Use the Deal Calculator

The Deal Calculator is built for real estate investors evaluating a potential rental property. You'll find it in the info panel under the detailed sections. Click the "Deal Calculator" header to expand it.

Enter the following inputs:

• Purchase Price — What you'd pay for the property.
• Monthly Rent — Expected or current monthly rental income. ScopeOut pre-fills this with the HUD Fair Market Rent for the area when available.
• Down Payment % — Defaults to 20%. Adjust for your financing scenario.
• Interest Rate % — The mortgage rate. Defaults to 7.0%.
• Loan Term — 30 years or 15 years.

Click Calculate to see:

• Cap Rate — Net operating income divided by purchase price. Generally, 5%+ is considered a good rental investment.
• Cash-on-Cash Return — Annual pre-tax cash flow divided by total cash invested. Measures the return on your actual out-of-pocket investment.
• Gross Rent Multiplier (GRM) — Purchase price divided by annual rent. Lower is better; under 15 is generally attractive.
• Monthly Cash Flow — Estimated monthly income after mortgage payments (principal + interest only; does not include taxes, insurance, or maintenance).

Compare Addresses Pro

ScopeOut Pro lets you compare two addresses side by side. After searching your first address, click the Compare button in the panel toolbar. You'll be prompted to search a second address. Once both are loaded, you'll see a comparison view with key metrics for each address displayed in parallel columns.

This is especially useful for choosing between two rental properties, comparing neighborhoods, or evaluating different commute scenarios.

Generate a PDF Report Pro

ScopeOut Pro users can generate a downloadable PDF neighborhood report for any searched address. Click the Report button in the panel toolbar. The PDF includes all summary data, neighborhood details, amenity distances, and key risk indicators — formatted for sharing with clients, partners, or your own records.

Check Commute Times

Click the Commute button in the top-right corner of the header. A commute panel will appear where you can enter a workplace address. Click Go and ScopeOut will calculate the driving distance and estimated travel time between your searched address and the workplace.

Pro users can also enable isochrones, which draw colored zones on the map showing how far you can drive in 15, 30, and 45 minutes from the searched address. This is useful for understanding your commute radius visually.