12 geo-risk layers
Each property is evaluated against 12 proximity and exposure factors. All use exponential decay scoring (impact decreases with distance) except noise (stepped thresholds) and cul-de-sac (binary bonus).
Underwriting • Insurance • Due Diligence
Geo-risk underwriting overlays
A property's value doesn't exist in isolation. Flood zones, environmental contamination, highway noise, and infrastructure proximity all affect real-world value. AVMLens quantifies these factors and adjusts the consensus valuation accordingly.
The problem
Traditional AVMs ignore location risk entirely. A $350K house next to a Superfund site gets the same valuation as one a mile away. Underwriters catch this manually — if they catch it at all. That doesn't scale.
FEMA flood zone
NFHL classification (A, AE, V, X) with risk rating and insurance cost implications
EPA Superfund (NPL)
National Priorities List sites — contamination proximity with exponential decay
EPA TRI sites
Toxic Release Inventory — active industrial chemical release facilities
EPA Brownfields
ACRES brownfield sites — former industrial land with potential contamination
Highway proximity
Distance to major highways — noise and air quality impact within 0.5 miles
Railroad proximity
Distance to rail lines — noise, vibration, and crossing hazard
Transmission lines
High-voltage power line proximity — visual impact and EMF concerns
Cell towers
Proximity to cellular infrastructure — visual impact on property values
Airport noise
FAA noise contour zones — stepped thresholds at 65, 70, 75 dB DNL
Sewage facilities
Wastewater treatment plant proximity — odor and property value impact
Cul-de-sac bonus
Properties on cul-de-sacs get a positive adjustment (lower traffic, higher desirability)
Noise composite
Combined noise exposure from all sources — highway, rail, airport
How scoring works
- Each factor produces a percentage adjustment (positive or negative) based on distance and severity.
- Factors are summed into a total geo adjustment percentage.
- Risk-adjusted value = consensus AVM × (1 + total geo adjustment / 100).
- The PDF report shows each factor with distance, score, and data source for audit trail.
Data sources
- FEMA NFHL: National Flood Hazard Layer (official flood zone designations)
- EPA FRS ArcGIS: Superfund NPL, TRI, Brownfields via EPA Facility Registry Service
- EPA ECHO: NPDES wastewater discharge permits
- HIFLD: Homeland Infrastructure Foundation-Level Data (cell towers, transmission lines, airports)
- US Census TIGER: Road and railroad centerlines
Who uses this
- Underwriters who need location risk quantified before approving loans.
- Insurance carriers evaluating environmental and flood exposure across portfolios.
- Due diligence firms providing risk assessments to institutional buyers.
- Appraisers looking for data-backed adjustments to support their opinions of value.
See the geo layers in action
Run a single address to see all 12 factors, or upload a CSV to see geo adjustments across a portfolio. The sample PDF report shows exactly what the output looks like.