Our commitment
Fair housing at LookBeforeYouMove
LookBeforeYouMove helps people research neighborhoods based on what they tell us matters and on source-cited public and licensed data. We built the product to support fair, criteria-based research and to avoid the practices the Fair Housing Act exists to prevent.
People choose the places and priorities. LBYM does not decide what kind of neighborhood is right for them.
The LBYM Score and Match Score stay separate, and the basis for each result is visible.
We do not share identity or contact information with an agent or business unless the user chooses to connect.
Related pages: Our Data, Privacy Policy, and Terms of Use.
What fair housing law protects
The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, and disability, and many state and local laws add classes such as source of income and sexual orientation. One thing the law specifically forbids is steering, channeling people toward or away from neighborhoods based on a protected characteristic. Because location tools can influence housing choices, we hold ours to that standard.
How the product supports fair housing practices
In plain English, the product should help people research a place without nudging them toward or away from a community based on who they are.
We never ask for, or infer, protected characteristics
Our location and Match Scores are a function of two things only: the documented location data and the research priorities you choose. We don't collect your race, religion, family status, disability, or other protected traits, and we don't infer them.
Consumers direct the research
Consumers choose every location and priority they want to examine. The Match Score is framed around those explicit priorities, not assumptions about who the consumer is, and its basis is visible.
We score places, not people
Our scores describe neighborhoods, not individuals. They are not consumer reports, and they are not intended for tenant screening, lending, or employment decisions about any person.
The basis is always visible
Every score and verdict shows the data and the priorities it's built from. Where data is missing, we say so rather than guessing, so the reasoning can always be checked.
We handle schools and safety data with care
School ratings and crime data can act as proxies for protected classes. We present them as objective data tied to a priority you chose to weigh, never as a coded signal about what “kind” of neighborhood is right for you.
Advertising is labeled and not conditioned on who you are
Agent and business placements are labeled “Ad,” including trial placements. Visibility is based on geography and product rules, not a consumer's protected characteristics.
We keep location types distinct
City results show a broader city average, ZIP results show ZIP-level data, and exact address searches in the dashboard use the searched location for the pin, nearby places, and Life List checks. We do not present a city average as if it were a property-specific fact.
Where our data comes from, and its limits
Our scores are built from public and licensed sources, the U.S. Census, state crime programs (Texas DPS, Florida FDLE) and the FBI, the U.S. Department of Education (NCES), FEMA and NOAA, the FCC, and open mapping data, among others. We're transparent about every one: Our Data gives a source-by-source breakdown, including how current each dataset is and its known limitations.
Public data is never perfect, it can be out of date, incomplete, or contain errors, and coverage varies by area. A neighborhood score is an estimate meant to inform your research, not a guarantee about any specific address, and it is no substitute for visiting in person, speaking with local professionals, and doing your own due diligence.
How the product works today
Today, LookBeforeYouMove supports research across Texas, Idaho, Florida. A user can start with a city page for the broad picture, a ZIP page for ZIP-specific context, or the dashboard for exact address research. The LBYM Score stays separate from the Match Score. The first summarizes available location data, and the second reflects only the priorities the user actively chose.
Ads and partner placements do not change a score. We also do not share a user's identity or contact information with an agent or business unless the user takes an overt action to connect with that specific provider. Business connections receive move-intent only. They do not receive your Life List or selected lifestyle priorities. Agent connections may also include your selected lifestyle priorities, excluding schools, safety, places of worship, and other protected-class proxies.
Related commitments
Fair housing sits alongside our other commitments: we never share your contact information with an agent or business until you explicitly choose to connect with that specific provider. Agent connections may also include your selected lifestyle priorities, excluding schools, safety, places of worship, and other protected-class proxies. We keep advertising honest and clearly disclosed; and we work to keep the site accessible to people with disabilities. You can read more about how we handle your information in our Privacy Policy.
For agents & brokerages
You can use and share LookBeforeYouMove research with your clients. It's built to support fair, criteria-based conversations grounded in what your client says they want and in public data, not in assumptions about who they are. If you or your brokerage's compliance team have questions about how a particular feature works, we welcome them.