Real Estate: Home
Research resources for real estate
Purpose of Research Guide
This guide curates research and information sources for business. Use the side menu to navigate to relevant sources.
Want guidance?
- Email a business research consultant/librarian:
Nancy Lovas, Davis Library: nancy64@email.unc.edu
Kenan Flagler Research Librarian: Researchtools@kenan-flagler.unc.edu - Schedule a consultation appointment with a business librarian.
Search for Articles: UNC Databases
- Business Source PremierCovers scholarly articles for all business subjects: marketing, management, economics, finance, accounting, international business, and more. Also includes financial data, MarketLine company profiles, Harvard Business Review articles, SWOT analyses, and more.
- ABI/INFORM CollectionArticles from academic journals, trade publications, market and industry research reports, general business magazines. Topics covered include leadership, management, economics, banking, finance, accounting, international business and economics.
- FactivaContains major global newspapers, business newspapers and magazines, trade and industry journals, prominent newswires, and network broadcast transcripts. In the Companies/Markets tab, there are global company reports, limited industry reports, and market data. The results pages allow robust filtering, and there is live chat help.
- Academic Search PremierFind information on academic areas of business, social sciences, humanities, general academic, general science, education and multi-cultural topics; resource provides access to major popular and scholarly journals with many full-text articles.
- EconLitAccess research articles, citations, and abstracts on economics, accounting, capital markets, econometrics, economic forecasting, government regulations, labor economics, monetary theory, urban economics, and more. Major index to economic literature from the American Economic Association.
- Nexis UniCovers general, regional, and international news, company and financial information, legal information (including law reviews, case law and legal rulings), and other topics such as biographical information. Many files are full-text.
- Entrepreneurial Studies SourceMagazines, academic journals and reference works on entrepreneurial topics, as well as case studies, thousands of company profiles, and 600 videos with transcripts and related articles from the Harvard Seminar Series and Vator.TV.
- Social Science Research NetworkSSRN is devoted to the rapid worldwide dissemination of social science research and is composed of several specialized research networks in each of the social sciences. Authors often post articles and book chapters in SSRN before they are published in a scholarly journal. Papers are frequently available on SSRN for download without charge and without a subscription.
- ProQuest Business Market Research CollectionContains company records and analysis of major global and regional economic and political developments.
Open Access or Commercial Mapping Sources
- NC OneMap GeoSpatial Portala free public service providing comprehensive discovery of North Carolina’s essential geospatial data.
- Google MapsMaps and satellite images, can layer business by selected types. Can also get point to point directions .
- U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Geospatial ProgramA listing of maps available from the U.S. Geological Service. Maps are mainly topographic.
- U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Geologic Map DatabaseA catalog of more than 100,000 maps from the US Geological Survey and the Association of American State Geographers. Some online availability.
- National Resources Conservation Service Soils (USDA)Maps and surveys of soil content from U.S. Department of Agriculture.
- National Geodetic Survey (NOAA)Aerial photograph survey near airports and coastal regions. Maps and charts for transportation and navigation, standards for geodetic systems. From National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
- NOAA Satellite and Information ServiceA central location for finding information about NOAA environmental satellites (GOES and POES).
- Flood Maps Online (paid)This is NOT a free service. Users must buy each state individually.
Subscription Mapping Resources
The resources below are good for finding maps of a geographic area, plotting information on a map, or for finding economic and demographic information searching by geographic area. Geographic areas can include state, county, city, MSA, area code, zip code, census tracts, census blocks and more.
- SimplyAnalyticsCreate maps, tables, and rankings from over 30,000 demographic, consumer spending, and psychographic variables. Covers the U.S. from states to neighborhood levels. Create your own optional account to save your searches and favorite variables and locations.
Data analysis and mapping tool with U.S. demographic, housing, employment, business, consumer spending, marketing data from government sources, EASI Analytics, Nielsen Scarborough, and SimmonsLOCAL Consumer Insights. Export data in spreadsheet or shapefile format, and export maps as images.
Note:Access is limited to 5 concurrent users. - StatistaContains statistics, infographics, industry and market research reports and publicly-available data for over 25 countries on all topics. Download statistics and charts in Excel, PowerPoint, or PDF.
Note: UNC Chapel Hill currently has full access to Statista with the exception of the Global Consumer Survey and Market Studies. - Esri Business Analyst OnlineAccess demographic, business, and consumer data for market analysis, including consumer lifestyle and buying behavior.
Note: To use Business Analyst Online, you will need to create an Organizational ArcGIS Online Account. To create an account:
1. "Sign in"
2. "Your ArcGIS organization's URL" (under ArcGIS login): unc.maps.arcgis.com
3. Click "Continue" then "UNC Chapel Hill SSO"
4. Sign in with your Onyen
For help creating an account or accessing Business Analyst, please contact one of our librarians. - PolicyMapAccess social, economic, health and demographic data about U.S. communities and markets in this online mapping tool. View data on map, in table or chart format, and download via the sidebar menu. Reports provide a summary snapshot of an area: Community Profile, Community Health Profile, Rental Housing Report, and Housing Mortgage Report.
- Sage DataAccess data on economics, crime, health, population, energy, the environment, and more in a single interface. Manipulate data; create charts, graphs, tables, maps. Data come from U.S. and international sources. For help, see the user guide.
- Data Axle Reference SolutionsContains directory information for millions of U.S. and Canadian businesses and consumers (white pages). Use Consumers/Lifestyles data for market research and customer discovery. Search by company name, geographic area, industry codes (NAICS/SIC), sales volume, etc. Create custom lists of up to 250 records that you can download to Excel.
Note: Users are not permitted access from IP addresses outside of the United States. Download limit is 250 records. - Social ExplorerProvides web-based access to United States Census data from 1790 to the present, and to other U.S. and international data, with the ability to make tables and interactive maps easily or export data for analysis. Data include the most commonly used variables and geographies.
Housing Statistics (U.S. Government)
- Quick Facts (Census Bureau)Compare quick facts on population by age, race, and gender, housing, education, health, economy, transportation, income and poverty, numbers of businesses for up to 3 geographic areas defined by state county, city, town, or zip code.
- data.census.govData.census.gov is the primary way to access data from most U.S. Census Bureau surveys and programs. Search for data tables from the American Community Survey, Decennial Census, Economics Census, annual Population Estimates, annual economic surveys, and more. Visit the Census Academy site to learn more about using this tool.
- Census of Housing (Census Bureau)Data on the size, age and type of American homes; home values, rents and mortgages, the housing and construction industry, and more.
- American Housing Survey (HUD)Data available includes: national and metropolitan data on residential vacancies, number of rooms, rents, mobile homes, median value of home and occupancy demographics. From Department of Housing and Urban Development, Census Bureau
- Business & Industry: Construction (Census Bureau)A Guide to Data Sources and surveys for the “Construction” industry from the U.S. Census Bureau. Data and surveys include Building permits, New residential construction, Manufactured housing, Construction price indexes, Characteriostics of new housing and more.
- Historical Housing TablesHistorical information on select housing issues including Crowding, Gross Rents, Home Values, and more. Tables cover 1940 to 2000
- Income & Poverty (Census Bureau)Statistics on income and poverty over time and by geographic areas.
- Reference Maps (Census Bureau)Look at the “Reference Maps section for maps with selected boundaries and orienting features such as roads, rivers and lakes. Chose a state then select a “geography type” for which you want the boundaries displayed on the map. Geography types include: cities, counties, congressional districts, and more.
- TIGER: Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and ReferencingTIGER products are spatial extracts from the Census Bureau’s MAF/TIGER database, containing features such as roads, railroads, rivers, as well as legal and statistical geographic areas. The Census Bureau offers several file types and an online mapping application.
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development PortalAgency webpage linking to programs, regulations, and statistics.
- Federal Housing AdministrationThe Federal Housing Administration, generally known as “FHA”, provides mortgage insurance on loans made by FHA-approved lenders throughout the United States and its territories.
- HUD LibraryBrowse publications and data by topic.
- HUD ProgramsStart page for HUD program offices including Housing, Labor Standards and Enforcement, Fair Housing/Equal Opportunity and much more.
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)Disaster, disaster preparedness, and disaster recovery information from the Department of Homeland Security.
- FEMA Flood Map CenterOfficial public source for flood hazard information produced in support of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Use the MSC to find your official flood map, access a range of other flood hazard products, and take advantage of tools for better understanding flood risk.
- FEMA Reports and DataDisaster and disaster preparedness information from FEMA and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
- FEMA Data VisualizationData visualization tools that allow users to explore FEMA data including disaster declarations, housing assistance, flood risk and cost, and fire incidents, though maps, charts, and graphs.
- Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC)Interagency body empowered to prescribe uniform principles, standards, and report forms for the federal examination of financial institutions, including fair lending laws and regulations.
- FFIEC Home Mortgage Disclosure ActPublic loan data is collected that can be used to assist in determining whether financial institutions are serving the housing needs of their communities, public officials in distributing public-sector investments so as to attract private investment to areas where it is needed and in identifying possible discriminatory lending patterns
- FFIEC Community Reinvestment ActFind statistics, ratings examinations, and regulations and interpretations.
- FFIEC GeocodeFind brief population, income, and housing statistics for the Census Tract that a specific address is in and see location of the addresses on a map.
- U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS)U.S. tax laws, rules, regulations, statistics, publications, and forms. Each state will also have their own laws, rules, regulations, statistics, publications, and forms. Every state will also have their own laws, rules, regulations, statistics, publications, and forms.
Property Listings
The resources below all have listings of properties for sale or lease.
All are open access or fee based resources for which UNC-CH does not have a subscription.
- 42 FloorsPrevious 30 days of commercial, office, retail, medical industrial, “live/work” real estate listings for more than 50 major markets around the United States. There “submarkets” available for most of the “major” markets. Data available includes street address, descriptions of the property, and listing agent and firm.
- LoopNetSearch listings of commercial property available for sale or lease. Available property types includes; multifamily, retail, industrial, office, land, agricultural, hospitality, health care, senior housing, sports & entertainment, and residential income properties.
- SquareFootListings of commercial and class A and B office space available for lease in 12 metropolitan areas: New York NY, Houston, TX, Dallas TX, Austin TX, Los Angeles CA, San Diego CA, Washington DC, Chicago IL, Phoenix AZ, Charlotte NC, Atlanta GA, and Baltimore MD. Search tools allow users to limit by size (based on number of employees), budget, and time frame of lease (how long you want the lease to run) and when you want to move in. Includes a interesting “commute calculator” that lets users click on a map to note where employees work and it will estimate commute times to selected office location.
This resource REQUIRES users submit an email address and phone number to retrieve data. - TruliaReal time or near real time real residential real estate listings will also let users find information about the area around a specific property.
- ZillowReal time or near real time real residential real estate listings will also let users find information about the area around a specific property.
- Colliers International Market ReportsContains commercial property listings. Also has free quarterly reports on economic activity especially on commercial property industry. Includes reports on city, national and international markets.
- Marcus & Millichap GroupNews and reports on real estate industry must register to see full text. Also has searchable investment property listings.
- Real Estate ExchangeSite is geared towards and facilitates property owners who want to “exchange” property. There are listing of properties available for exchange and a collection of articles on the mechanics and strategies of real estate exchanges.
- JLL (formerly Jones Lang LaSalle)JLL has listing of property for sale or lease. There are also reports and news about real estate industry viewable only after registration.
- Real Capital MarketsMain free feature is commercial property listings. Per their description: “Real Capital Markets (RCM) provides principals, exclusive listing brokers, mortgage bankers, and equity sources the most productive and cost effective way to acquire, dispose, finance and capitalize commercial real estate.” There is not much else free and you must be “qualified investor” and you have to register.
- RealityTraca source of property listings for property under foreclosure.
Mortgage Market
These organizations help to make the primary and secondary mortgage markets function more smoothly and efficiently by purchasing or insuring mortgages initiated by other lenders.
All are open access or fee based resources for which UNC-CH does not have a subscription.
- Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA or Fannie Mae)Online tools, rules, guidelines, and secondary mortgage services.
- Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC or Freddie Mac)Corporate services and information on residential secondary mortgage market information and earnings.
- Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA or Ginnie Mae)“For 50 years Ginnie Mae has provided liquidity and stability, serving as the principal financing arm for government mortgage loans and ensuring that mortgage lenders have the necessary funds to provide loans to customers.”
Professional and Trade Associations
The resources below are Professional and Trade Associations, advisory firms, or think tank type organizations and are a highly recommended source of are good for analytical reports and news on the real estate industry. One way to find these types of organizations is to use your favorite search engine and add the term “association” or “think tank” to an industry name. However some associations will only give information and statistics to their members.
All are open access or fee based resources for which UNC-CH does not have a subscription.
- National Association of RealtorsMajor association for realtors and source for industry news, regulations, statistics, etc.
- NAR Commercial Research: quarterly and annual reports for commercial real estate industry.
- NAR Housing Statistics
- National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREI)Most news and statistics are free.
- National Real Estate InvestorNews for the real estate investor and links to stories in other publications.
- National Association of Home BuildersNews, advice, statistics, and industry reports for home builders and consumers.
- Bluebook InternationalProvides a series of reports covering residential replacement cost estimates, risk analysis and other property valuation information. Some information is free, some is paid.
- CBRE Econometric AdvisorsNews, reports, tools and services for commercial real estate firms and for finding and managing commercial real estate most material you must register and/or pay for.
- Craftsman National Appraisel EstimatorValuation software to produce estimates of home construction, renovation, and replacement cost estimates including materials, design, quality, size, shape, heating, cooling, and geographic area.
This is NOT a free resource . - Cushman & Wakefield InsightsResearch and insights from global real estate firm
- Dodge Data and AnalyticsNews, reports, tools and services for the construction industry. Most material is behind a paywall.
- Integra Realty ResourcesReports, news, and services related to real estate. Some material is free, most behind a paywall.
- Urban Land InstituteOrganization dedicated to the interdisciplinary study of real estate, and land use issues and policies around the world.
- SITUS Real Estate Research CorporationOffers property valuation services
- Korpacz Realty Advisor IncReal estate advisory firm with industry articles and publications. Primary service is providing real estate advisory services for a fee.
- PWC Real Estate PublicationsLibrary of reports on the real estate industry. Some free, some behind a paywall.
- MetroStudyWritten and video news on the real estate industry. Some material free, some behind a paywall.
Additional Professional and Trade Associations
Additional Resources
- S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller home Price IndicesLeading measures of home prices and tracking changes in prices in 20 metro areas. Along with press releases related to the indices.
- Moody'sCredit ratings and reports. Some free, most paywalled.
Business Research Consultant
Nancy Lovas
Contact:
Davis Library
Subjects: Accounting, Banking, Business, Company Information, Country Economics, Country Information, Economic Data/Statistics, Economics, Economics Literature, Entrepreneur/Small Business Information, Global Business, Industry Information, Investment Information, Marketing, Patents, POLI: Political Science, Political Science
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