Scenario Lab

When to use it

Use it after Property Intelligence when you want to see how the yearly cost of owning the land, how long you keep it, expected changes in land value, selling costs or build costs change the financial comparison.

How to use it

1. Open Analyze → Scenario Lab, Decide → Scenario Lab, or launch it from a Property Intelligence, MarketScope, Property Comparison or My Account property workflow.
2. Step 1 — Review the property. Enter an address, parcel ID or Brevard tax account. Scenario Lab retrieves the same official parcel, REK Market Intel, REK LandIntel and REK Lot Value evidence used elsewhere in PBLots. Confirm that you are working with the intended parcel and review the starting value, area-market context and property issues.
3. Step 2 — Test different assumptions. Change the numbers you want to explore. The page explains which path each number affects. These changes apply only to the Scenario Lab analysis; they do not change official records, REK Lot Value, LandIntel or MarketScope data.
4. Watch the Live Results bar while you edit. It recalculates immediately. PBLots also highlights the affected Sell, Hold or Build card and displays a short Result Updated notice. Select View updated result to jump directly to the recalculated card.
5. For Sell Now, the starting land value and selling-cost percentage affect the estimated amount remaining after a current sale. The land purchase cost is then shown separately so you can understand the amount remaining after that cost.
6. For Hold, choose how many years you might keep the land, the expected yearly change in land value and the yearly cost of continuing to own it. These inputs change the future-sale and ownership-cost calculation.
7. Step 3 — Estimate Build costs if needed. Use the Brevard Construction Cost Estimator when you do not yet have a builder quote. Enter the heated and air-conditioned living area, choose the general finish level, decide whether to use the typical Brevard site/permit estimate, and tell the estimator whether a garage is already included, not planned, or should be added separately.
8. PBLots shows a low-to-high build-cost range. “Which estimate should Scenario Lab use?” chooses only the one planning number carried into the Build comparison: Lower uses the low end, Middle uses the center and Higher uses the high end. The full range remains visible.
9. Other project costs are real costs you want to add because they are not already counted elsewhere—for example utility extensions, extra fill, a pool or a detached building. The contingency is extra budget reserved for surprises; it is not a fee or a prediction that the money will definitely be spent.
10. Select Use This Estimate in Build Scenario when you are ready. PBLots fills the home-construction and site/project cost fields. Enter loan/interest costs, expected construction time and a supportable completed-home value separately because those depend on your specific project.
11. Step 4 — Compare your options. The detailed Sell Now, Hold and Build cards are the one authoritative Scenario Lab result section. The affected card highlights after a change so you can see the cause-and-effect relationship. Sell Now and Hold show estimated amounts remaining after their listed costs. Build shows the Sell Now after-cost outcome, the Build after-cost outcome, and states which choice is ahead and by how much once Build costs and a completed-home value are entered.
12. Step 5 — Read Your Decision Summary. Scenario Lab explains the overall conclusion, the assumptions that drove it, missing or uncertain information, the rules for interpreting the numbers, what to verify next and whether the current comparison is complete enough to use for planning. If changing one number significantly changes the result, confirm that number before making a decision.