LANDCHECKER: INNOVATIVE DIGITAL TOOL SET TO REVOLUTIONISE PROPERTY MARKET

Launched this month by founders of dynamic Melbourne architecture agency Ewert Leaf, and property developer Moda Corp, Landchecker collects all relevant information about a property so people can easily perform due diligence before they invest and also keep property records up-to-date.

“People are often unaware of the planning controls that affect their home so this tool enables them to quickly check their land for any underlying constraints or opportunities,” Landchecker founder and Ewert Leaf co-director Will Leaf said.

“As architects and developers, we found we were assessing data through several different websites which became time consuming and frustrating. Landchecker aggregates this information on a single platform.”

Mr Leaf and his Landchecker co-founders, Toby Ewert and Ed Farquharson, along with technical partner Simon Holland (from innovative software developer Papercloud), chief technical officer Tim Asquith and general manager Jim Leaf, developed the tool over 18 months.

“Homebuyers often don’t understand where to find this information and currently it is found through several different websites,” Mr Leaf said. “We are helping people to access it quickly in a user-friendly, legible manner.”

For $5.99, anyone can purchase a property report for a given address and discover all the relevant planning controls, such as zones, overlays, schools, bushfire and flood-prone areas and places of cultural sensitivity.

“Landchecker will ensure people are better prepared when they meet with agents or legal representatives because they will be able to ask the right questions – for example, what impact does this heritage overlay have on the value of this property or its potential for redevelopment?’” he said.

“Property professionals can subscribe to the service and access a real-time map, which enables them to toggle on and off relevant attributes, and to white label reports to assist with generating business… We are currently integrating permit data, which will also show applications pending and approved. This will be an upgrade to our standard suite of information.”

Landchecker is expected to strike a chord with people who are curious about their property value, but have no desire to sell. And it could revolutionise buyers’ relationships with banks.

“In a society where transparency is becoming a critical part of business, we think it will become popular with financial institutions and mortgage brokers as a means of creating loyalty with customers. Would you bank with someone who didn’t tell you that your house was in a flooding overlay if they had the capacity to do so?”

A registered architect with a degree in architecture and property development, Mr Leaf understands the commercial reality of developer-driven projects. He said Landchecker reflected Ewert Leaf’s focus on problem solving to deliver fast, commercially viable and cost-effective solutions.

“Architects are always trying to innovate and make processes better,” he said. “If you value your time then this removes all the headaches around accessing planning data and allows you to use it as a tool to drive business.”

Landchecker will launch in Victoria from September 10, before rolling out nationally later this year.  

An individual report will cost $5.99.  Landchecker Pro offers sole traders a monthly subscription with unlimited report downloads and access to real-time maps for $49, while companies (per office) will pay $249, for a monthly subscription with unlimited report downloads and access to real-time maps. Businesses who sign-up to Landchecker Pro before the end of the year will automatically receive the sites planning permit upgrade, FREE when it launches in 2017. For further information, visit www.landchecker.com.au or call (03) 9686 2100.