Searching Properties by Land Use Code
The Property Search API supports filtering by standardizedLandUseCode for precise property type classification.
Why Use Land Use Codes?
When searching for specific property types, you might encounter ambiguity with propertyTypeDetail values that appear in multiple categories.
Example Problem:
Searching for propertyTypeDetail: "Vacant Land" returns properties from BOTH Residential and Commercial categories because "Vacant Land" exists in both:
Residential Vacant Land (code: R43)
Commercial Vacant Land (code: C60)
Solution:
Use standardizedLandUseCode for unambiguous filtering:
{
"searchCriteria": {
"query": "Phoenix, AZ",
"general": {
"standardizedLandUseCode": {
"equals": "C60"
}
}
}
}
How Land Use Codes Work
Land use codes are alphanumeric identifiers that uniquely classify property types:
Code | Category | Property Type |
R2 | Residential | Single Family |
R7 | Residential | Condo |
R43 | Residential | Vacant Land |
C60 | Commercial | Vacant Land |
C51 | Commercial | Office Building |
Each code maps to exactly one property type, eliminating the need to combine propertyTypeCategory and propertyTypeDetail filters.
API Examples
Search for Single Family Homes
{
"searchCriteria": {
"query": "85021",
"general": {
"standardizedLandUseCode": {
"equals": "R2"
}
}
}
}
Search for Multiple Property Types
Use inList to match multiple codes:
{
"searchCriteria": {
"query": "Maricopa County, AZ",
"general": {
"standardizedLandUseCode": {
"inList": ["R2", "R7", "R43"]
}
}
}
}
Combine with Other Filters
Land use codes work with all other search criteria:
{
"searchCriteria": {
"query": "Phoenix, AZ",
"general": {
"standardizedLandUseCode": {
"equals": "R2"
}
},
"valuation": {
"estimatedValue": {
"min": 200000,
"max": 500000
}
},
"quickList": "high-equity"
}
}
Finding Land Use Codes
The standardizedLandUseCode is returned in the general object of property responses:
{
"general": {
"standardizedLandUseCode": "R2",
"propertyTypeCategory": "Residential",
"propertyTypeDetail": "Single Family"
}
}
To find the code for a specific property type:
1. Use Property Lookup to retrieve a sample property of that type
2. Check the general.standardizedLandUseCode value in the response
3. Use that code in your Property Search requests
Best Practices
Use codes for precision - When filtering for specific property types, land use codes provide exact matches without category ambiguity.
Combine with location - Always include a location in your query parameter for optimal performance.
Check the response - The standardizedLandUseCode is included in search results, so you can verify your filter is working correctly.
Reference
For a complete list of standardized land use codes, see our Land Use Code Reference.