Most homebuyers get to know the individuals who dwell subsequent door after they transfer in. But a brand new actual property app permits future homebuyers to be taught a possible neighbor’s political leanings earlier than they make what, for many individuals, is the largest buy of their life.
“The goal of Oyssey [the app] is to democratize information for consumers of their residence search expertise … to get you, as a potential purchaser, a really feel for the realm and neighborhood,” says Darian Kelly, co-founder of Oyssey. “It’s to get you to the understanding of, after I transfer right here, these are the kind of those who I is perhaps inviting over for dinner. The sort of those who I can be elevating my little one alongside.”
The Oyssey information is pulled from sources like election outcomes, marketing campaign contributions and knowledge from advertising and marketing analysis corporations.
The app has solely launched in Florida and New York up to now, however its founders say they anticipate to take it nationwide later this yr. Realtors subscribe to Oyssey after which give their homebuyer shoppers entry to the service.
For the preliminary launch, the platform breaks down political affiliation block by block, however Kelly says potential homebuyers will ultimately have the ability to search for whether or not their potential new neighbor is a registered Democrat or Republican.
Ben McCartney, an assistant professor of commerce on the University of Virginia, co-authored a examine printed in 2024 that discovered that 1 of each 100 strikes is politically motivated, and that the individuals more than likely to relocate because of this are typically much less concerned in politics.
“They don’t desire politics to be a part of their on a regular basis life, however then they get a brand new neighbor, and that new neighbor just isn’t solely very politically vocal, but in addition affiliated with the alternative get together, and there is the place we see the strongest tensions come up,” McCartney says.
The examine discovered that present residents are barely extra more likely to transfer away in the event that they get new neighbors with completely different political opinions than if the brand new neighbor is affiliated with the identical political get together.
“So, political polarization is not only a social media phenomenon however is affecting actual financial selections, as nicely,” McCartney says.
The examine discovered the numbers of Democrats and Republicans who needed to maneuver away from neighbors with completely different political opinions to be roughly even. That’s why an app like Oyssey is sensible to McCartney.
“People do appear to care concerning the political identities of their new neighbors, so I’m not shocked that some firm is now promoting that data, or offering that data, to would-be consumers,” he says. “And I are typically supportive of insurance policies that make it simpler for individuals to make knowledgeable selections.”
The Oyssey platform additionally offers different information referring to high quality of life for the person homebuyer, reminiscent of the place to search out essentially the most canine parks.
“Where is the realm with essentially the most registered canines all through their state or county?” Kelly says. “And we are able to attempt to get an thought and work out the place do the canines dwell, as a result of as a pet proprietor, that’s the place I need to be.”
He dismisses any suggestion that Oyssey may contribute to deepening America’s political divide.
“I really get upset by the query. … I feel the query makes the belief that you just should not be the motive force, you should not be the author of your personal story,” Kelly says.
“We imagine that we’re giving individuals the info and the data to regulate their very own future and do what they may with that data. The information already exists.”
Oyssey’s said objective is to make that public data simpler to search out.