Rochester, NY, — January 19, 2010 — Pictometry International Corp. – the leading provider of aerial oblique imagery and measuring software - announced today that sales of its popular change detection solution – Pictometry ChangeFindr® – have more than tripled since the product debuted two years ago this month.
Since launching in January 2007, Pictometry ChangeFindr has been adopted by hundreds of tax assessment professionals in jurisdictions across the country as an approved method for keeping pace with demand. (The International Association of Assessing Officers amended the industry’s standard 3.3.5 in 2008 to include the use of change detection technologies.)
“For many property tax professionals, staff resources are not going to increase this year but their workload will,” said Shoreh Elhami, GIS Director for Delaware County , Ohio Auditor’s Office. “More than ever, they need a solution that can pay for itself and help them achieve their no. 1 priority which is to fairly and equitably equalize the tax burden in their jurisdiction.”
Elhami’s staff began using ChangeFindr in 2008 and recently used it to identify four new houses, 165 previously omitted new outbuildings, 138 changed structures and 52 demolished structures. “Cumulatively, those findings represent a total appraised value of $12,740,116 which translates to $230,000 in revenue for the county,” said Elhami. “Subtract the costs associated with this project -- including the cost of ChangeFindr itself – and an estimated return on our investment was more than $205,000.”
In nearby Geauga County , Director of Assessment Scott Yamamoto used ChangeFindr this year to identify more than $3.6 million dollars in omitted properties. As one of the earliest adopters of the technology, Yamamoto said his staff continues to save money using ChangeFindr year after year. “This time, we found omitted properties that didn’t have proper zoning or building permits and properties that had been razed or destroyed without permit. We were able to correct a lot of erroneous information.”
Pictometry ChangeFindr combines aerial imagery with software designed to identify and highlight property changes. This information is overlaid on orthogonal and oblique aerial imagery to create a comprehensive visual tool as well as a detailed report. ChangeFindr also features Pictometry’s Change Analysis™, software that produces a visual side-by-side comparison of property changes over time.
“Assessment professionals rely on ChangeFindr to see change, verify records, mitigate claims and communicate more effectively with constituents,” said Dante Pennacchia , Pictometry’s Chief Marketing Officer, adding “one of the biggest advantages they find is the ability to maximize staff and resources to get more done in a day without costly or time consuming travel. The savings are considerable and the uses and benefits of Pictometry ChangeFindr are endless.” To date, more than six million parcels have been imaged for ChangeFindr customers and sales are expanding to include users in Mexico and Canada .
About Pictometry
Pictometry International Corp. is a leading provider of geo-referenced, aerial image libraries and related software. Pictometry has captured over 130 million digital aerial images representing coverage in more than 80 percent of the United States population. Using its proprietary imaging process, Pictometry® captures geo-referenced, high-resolution oblique (at an angle, producing a 3-D like view) and orthogonal (straight down) Intelligent Images®, within which structures and land features can be measured. Pictometry customizes and markets these technologies for government and commercial applications, offering non-traditional software solutions to aerial imaging needs. Pictometry is a second order visualization tool that does not produce authoritative or definitive information (surveying) from its digital, aerial images. For more information on Pictometry, visit
www.pictometry.com.
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