Week 6 - Location Decision - Gainesville

Gainesville Housing Location

The assignment was to analyze the prescribed data to ascertain the preferred location for housing for the couple interest in relocating to Gainesville, Florida. The wife, a cardiologist expressed a desire to locate near the NFRMC. The husband, a college professor, conveyed his desire to be near the university. The additional criteria offered was a certain level of affluency to the neighborhood and a 40-49 year old demographic. First I created a base map of Alachua County Florida depicting managed public lands.



Next a map depicting the four separate criteria was created. Four views were created showing the distance from the hospital, distance from the university, census block by home values, and census blocks showing the greatest concentrations of 40-49 year old occupants.









The third was a map that used two different weighting factors to analyze the criteria and produce an output to demonstrate areas that best fit the criteria. The first view shows three significant areas using a weighting of 25% weight on each of the preferences. The second view was adjusted to show an increased importance to relative distance to the work place. The second view showed a shift in the recommended location.

The pros of using this criterion for selection allow the end user to minimize a search area from accommodating housing. This allows the user to save time by dismissing areas that don’t fit their preferences.
The cons of this method are more subtle. Condominiums and apartments complexes could skew the numbers. Also, eliminating areas of town by this method prevent a purchaser from finding those potential gems that are in less obvious locations.