Neighborhood Explorer Map

GOAL

An interactive neighborhood insight machine

Working closely with a marketing team, I was tasked with sourcing and integrating third-party data sets to create a feature to include in a blog post about the home loan options offered by our client.

OBSTACLE

Integrating third-party APIs to create meaningful, interactive visualizations

I used mapbox to create an interactive map. The platform allows for the integration of various data sets that enabled me to include border lines for neighborhoods and zip codes. I used the Zillow API to get average home values for different regions. There are gaps in Zillow’s dynamic neighborhood data, so I included a fallback to home values by zip codes in some cases. Lastly, I integrated the API of spatial.ai, a dynamically updating report of social media data by regions. This project scans social media posts for keywords that correspond to various qualities (Artsy, Hipster, Foodie, Nightlife, Healthy, Nature, and Family Fun), and reports their frequency based on geographical coordinates.

SUCCESSES

A comprehensive visual reference that highlights the social qualities of Arizona’s neighborhoods and zip codes, in addition to providing their average home values

I included a color-coded interactive key. Clicking on a spatial.ai characteristic highlights regions on the map in which it scores highly.

Clicking on a neighborhood reveals the average home price, average home price fluctuation, down payment details, and an outbound link to calculate a possible mortgage.