iQHOME Changelog
A versioned record of visible iQHOME improvements, focused on report clarity, map usability, hazard coverage across Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton, Tauranga, Rotorua, Dunedin, Queenstown & Wanaka, and other supported cities, and the overall experience of checking a property before you buy.
User-facing changes only.
This changelog tracks product changes that matter to home buyers, agents, and anyone evaluating iQHOME as a practical hazard screening tool. Entries are written in terms of report clarity, map coverage, council data accuracy, and mobile usability.
Initial public beta
iQHOME launched as a mobile-first hazard screening tool for Auckland home buyers, turning council GIS layers into plain-English reports for a specific address or map pin.
- Address search with LINZ geocoding for Auckland properties
- Plain-English hazard summaries with strong disclaimers (not a LIM or legal advice)
- Shareable report links for comparing properties and open homes
- FAQ, how-it-works, and hazard guide content pages
Full Auckland Council hazard layer coverage
Expanded interactive map coverage to all eight Auckland Council hazard layers used in GeoMaps, with improved nearby-area fetching and pin-level polygon highlighting.
- Flood plains, overland flow, flood prone areas, and flood hazard zones
- Coastal storm inundation, tsunami evacuation zones, liquefaction, and shallow landslide susceptibility
- Pin-first display: hazards at the property pin shown before nearby context
- Layer legends and council-aligned symbology on liquefaction and other bands
- Improved flood prone and overland flow map coverage near property boundaries
Interactive map UX and Hazard Guide
Made hazard layers easier to identify on mobile and desktop without scrolling or guessing what each icon means.
- Collapsible Hazard Guide above the map with icons and plain-English layer descriptions
- Windy-style rail labels beside layer icons so each hazard type is named on the map
- Report navigation with shareable link button and home return
- Satellite and street basemap toggle on the report map
- Zoom, recenter, and draggable pin controls for checking nearby locations
Mobile full-screen map mode
Added a dedicated full-screen map experience on mobile so buyers can explore hazard layers without losing context.
- Top-left expand control opens the map full screen on phones
- Hazard Guide and layer buttons stay accessible in full-screen mode
- Same control transforms to a close button and returns you to your exact scroll position on the report
- Map resizes correctly when entering and exiting full screen on iOS Safari
Address autocomplete
Homepage search now suggests Auckland Council addresses as you type, so buyers pick the exact property before generating a report.
- Suggestions appear as you type, including unit addresses like 906/18 Beach Road and 1/54 Seaview Terrace
- Near-instant lookup using Auckland Council address records
- Google-style dropdown with location pins, pointer cursor, and clear hover highlight
- Keyboard navigation with arrow keys and Enter to select
- Selected addresses use the council pin directly for more accurate hazard checks
- Dropdown closes cleanly when you click Check Address, with no duplicate address row
- Free-text search still works if you do not pick from the list
LINZ BaseMaps satellite imagery
Satellite map mode now uses official New Zealand aerial imagery from LINZ BaseMaps, giving buyers a sharper, more current view of the property and surrounding land.
- Report map and homepage explore map satellite mode powered by LINZ BaseMaps NZ aerial tiles
- Street and place labels overlaid on satellite imagery for easier orientation
- Faster tile loading compared with the previous global satellite provider
- Street map mode unchanged. Toggle between street and satellite in the bottom-left of the map
Wellington & Christchurch reports, multi-city homepage
Wellington and Christchurch join Auckland with full council hazard reports. The homepage is now built for all three cities, with clearer messaging that layer coverage differs by region.
- Wellington region pack: eight live layers from WCC and Greater Wellington Regional Council: regional flood exposure, storm surge, tsunami evacuation, shallow landslide susceptibility, liquefaction, rural wildfire, earthquake groundshaking, and earthquake-induced slope failure
- Interactive Wellington report map with GWRC-aligned legends, storm-surge symbology, and rural wildfire overlay
- Christchurch region pack: six live CCC layers: liquefaction, tsunami evacuation, river & stormwater flood, coastal inundation, tsunami inundation, and slope & rockfall hazard
- Interactive Christchurch report map with layer legends, rail labels, and council-aligned styling for all six layers
- Coastal inundation map display restored with high-detail overlay and scenario fallback
- Homepage city picker for Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch with centred card layout
- Permanent three-city hero line and coverage orb showing layer counts (8, 8, and 6) with a simple fade-in on load
- What iQHOME checks for you: hazard catalog updated for every live layer across all three cities, with city tags on each card
- Data you can trust: Wellington and Christchurch council source cards added (replacing “coming soon”)
- How it works step 01 now starts with Select your city before address, location, or map pin
- Uniform hazard icons across regions: tsunami evacuation, coastal inundation, river flood, slope, and tsunami inundation each have distinct icons (no more duplicate water-drop fallbacks)
- Plain-English copy noting that official council layer availability varies by city
Report hazard icons and Wellington & Christchurch polish
Reports now use a dedicated set of hazard icons so each layer is easier to recognise on the map, in the layer menu, and on hazard summary cards. Wellington and Christchurch reporting also received further fine tuning for clearer results and map display.
- New report icons: distinct artwork for each hazard type (flood, coastal, tsunami, liquefaction, landslide, wildfire, earthquake, and related layers) so buyers can scan layers faster without relying on abbreviations alone
- Icons applied consistently across the report map rail, layer grid, Hazard Guide, and hazard result cards
- Wellington: improved storm surge and rural wildfire map overlays, GWRC-aligned legends, and clearer plain-English summaries for regional flood, coastal, and earthquake layers
- Christchurch: refined river & stormwater flood, coastal inundation, and tsunami inundation map display, with more reliable high-detail overlays and council-aligned styling
- Plain-language labels across reports and the homepage (removed planning jargon such as PC120 and AEP from buyer-facing copy)
- Report map UX polish: collapsible map disclaimer, smarter layer label display on desktop and mobile, and homepage city highlighting synced across Select City, the hero orb, and hazard catalog cards
Hamilton reports, mobile orb layout, and App View
Hamilton joins Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch with full council hazard reports. On phones, the homepage now uses a dedicated orb-and-sheet layout, with an optional switch back to the full marketing site.
- Hamilton region pack: six live layers from Hamilton City Council and Waikato Regional Council: flood hazard, flood extents, overland flow paths, regional river flood, liquefaction potential, and earthquake ground shaking
- Hamilton address search via council geocoder, interactive report map, and hazard catalog cards on the homepage
- Hero orb updated for four cities, with Hamilton on the coverage ring
- Mobile orb layout: on phones, city selection opens a bottom sheet for search address, use my location, or drop a pin on the map
- Back navigation between city picker, address search, and map pin views, with backdrop tap to step back
- App View / Full Site: toggle in the top nav to switch between the focused mobile app experience (orb + sheet) and the full scrollable website
- App View locks background scroll and hides marketing sections so buyers stay focused on checking a property
- Updated homepage disclaimer and multi-city copy for Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Hamilton
Tauranga reports
Tauranga joins Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Hamilton with full council hazard reports for the Bay of Plenty.
- Tauranga region pack: six live layers from Tauranga City Council and Bay of Plenty Regional Council: flooding from rainfall, flood hazard plan area, harbour inundation, tsunami evacuation zone, liquefaction vulnerability, and slope hazard zones
- Interactive Tauranga report map with council-aligned colours and legends for rainfall flood, tsunami evacuation, liquefaction, and slope hazard zones
- Address search via Esri geocoder with Tauranga bounds, plus map pin and Use My Location
- Hero orb updated for five cities, with Tauranga on the coverage ring
- Hazard catalog and city data cards updated for Tauranga sources
Auckland coastal & landslide layers, Hamilton liquefaction removed
Auckland reports now include two additional council hazard layers. Hamilton liquefaction has been removed because the published WRC and HCC data was too unstable for reliable buyer-facing results.
- Auckland: two new layers: coastal erosion & instability (ASCIE) and large-scale (deep-seated) landslide susceptibility, bringing Auckland to 10 live hazard layers
- Dedicated report icons for coastal erosion and large-scale landslide on the map rail, Hazard Guide, and hazard summary cards
- Fast interactive map overlays for both new layers, including optimised large-scale landslide geometry loading
- Homepage hazard catalog, Auckland data card, FAQ, and How iQHOME works updated for the expanded Auckland coverage
- Hamilton: liquefaction potential removed from reports due to unstable regional dataset behaviour; Hamilton now checks 5 hazard layers (flood hazard, flood extents, overland flow paths, regional river flood, and earthquake ground shaking)
- Hamilton homepage data card and FAQ updated to match the five remaining layers
Rotorua reports
Rotorua joins Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton, and Tauranga with full council hazard reports for the Rotorua Lakes district.
- Rotorua region pack: six live layers from Rotorua Lakes Council and Bay of Plenty Regional Council: stormwater flood (1% AEP), Utuhina river flood, lake flood levels, tsunami evacuation zone, liquefaction vulnerability, and landslide susceptibility
- Interactive Rotorua report map with depth-band colours for flood layers, BOPRC tsunami and liquefaction symbology, and landslide susceptibility legend
- Address search via Esri geocoder with Rotorua bounds, plus map pin and Use My Location
- Hero orb updated for six cities, with Rotorua on the coverage ring
- Hazard catalog, homepage data card, FAQ, and How iQHOME works updated for Rotorua sources
Dunedin reports
Dunedin joins Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton, Tauranga, and Rotorua with full council hazard reports for Otago.
- Dunedin region pack: six live layers from Dunedin City Council and Otago Regional Council: 2GP moderate flood, 2GP high flood, 2GP coastal hazard, 1:100 year storm surge, 2GP land instability, and tsunami affected area
- Interactive Dunedin report map with council-aligned colours, distinct icons for each layer, and improved ORC tsunami inundation display near coastal properties
- Address search via Esri geocoder with Dunedin bounds, plus map pin and Use My Location
- Hero orb updated for seven cities, with Dunedin on the coverage ring
- Hazard catalog, homepage data card, FAQ, and How iQHOME works updated for Dunedin sources
Queenstown & Wanaka reports
Queenstown Lakes District joins iQHOME, covering Queenstown, Wanaka, and the wider QLDC area with full council hazard reports for Otago lakes and alpine buyers.
- Queenstown Lakes region pack: five live layers from Queenstown Lakes District Council and Otago Regional Council: ORC flood hazard area (2021), rainfall flooding, damburst flooding, landslide areas, and liquefaction susceptibility
- Interactive Queenstown Lakes report map with QLDC landslide hazard bands, liquefaction categories, and council-aligned flood symbology
- Address search via Esri geocoder with QLDC bounds, plus map pin and Use My Location
- Hero orb updated for eight cities, with Queenstown & Wanaka on the coverage ring as a stacked two-line label
- Tap an active city on the orb again to deselect and return to city picking
- Hazard catalog, homepage data card, FAQ, and How iQHOME works updated for Queenstown Lakes sources
Auckland landslide inventory layer
Auckland reports now include an eleventh hazard layer covering mapped past landslide events, separate from the existing shallow and large-scale susceptibility layers.
- Auckland: new landslide inventory layer from Auckland Council validated polygons (source, debris, runout, and related mapped event areas), bringing Auckland to 11 live hazard layers
- Plain-English summaries distinguish past mapped landslide events from susceptibility modelling (where slides could occur)
- Interactive report map overlay, dedicated layer icon, Hazard Guide entry, and inventory legend aligned with GeoMaps Landslide Inventory (Polygon)
- Homepage hazard catalog, Auckland data card, and FAQ updated for the expanded Auckland coverage
Full release with payments
iQHOME moves from open beta to full release. Property previews stay free with one hazard layer per report; paid plans unlock every layer, map overlay, and summary on the report page.
- Full Property Report ($1.95): unlock all hazard layers for one property via Stripe Checkout on the report paywall
- 30-Day Property Pass ($19.95): unlimited full reports for 30 days, protected with email verification after payment
- Preview mode shows one free flood-related layer per city; remaining layers stay visible but locked until purchase
- Homepage pricing cards remain display-only; checkout runs on the report page after a preview loads
- Launch messaging updated: scheduled maintenance banner and beta-until-August copy removed
- Thanks to everyone who tested and supported iQHOME during the open beta
Preview hazard layers and report build progress overlay
Free preview reports now load more reliably across all live cities, with clearer on-map feedback while council hazard data is fetched for the property.
- Preview layers: improved free preview hazard layer loading for Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton, Tauranga, Rotorua, Dunedin, and Queenstown & Wanaka, with each city’s designated preview layer (such as overland flow paths or liquefaction) loading more consistently on the report map
- Building your report overlay: frosted card on the map during preview load so buyers see progress without losing sight of the property map behind it
- Layer-by-layer checklist shows which council hazard layers are being retrieved, with the active preview layer highlighted while it loads
- Progress meter advances during longer council fetches so the wait feels active, not stuck
- Overlay stays visible until the preview layer finishes loading, then fades out once the map is ready to explore
Invercargill reports
Invercargill joins iQHOME, covering Invercargill City and Bluff with hazard reports from Environment Southland open GIS.
- Invercargill region pack: four live layers from Environment Southland: significant floodplain, tsunami evacuation zone, liquefaction risk, and shaking amplification
- Interactive report map with ES NaturalHazards symbology, liquefaction risk bands, and tsunami Red, Orange, and Purple evacuation zones for coastal Southland
- Address search via Esri geocoder with Southland bounds, plus map pin and Use My Location
- Hero orb updated for ten cities, with Invercargill on the coverage ring
- Hazard catalog, homepage data card, stats band (63 layers across 10 areas), hero city list, and FAQ updated for Environment Southland sources
Napier & Hastings reports
Napier & Hastings joins iQHOME, covering the Heretaunga Plains with full council hazard reports from Napier City Council and Hawke's Bay Regional Council.
- Napier & Hastings region pack: seven live layers from NCC and HBRC: urban stormwater flood (1% AEP), regional flood risk, tsunami evacuation zone, tsunami inundation (2022 model), coastal inundation (2023 model), liquefaction vulnerability, and landslide / earthflow risk
- Interactive report map with HBRC hazard portal symbology, stormwater depth bands for Napier, and coastal and tsunami layers for coastal properties across the plains
- Address search via Esri geocoder with Heretaunga Plains bounds, plus map pin and Use My Location
- Hero orb updated for nine cities, with Napier & Hastings on the coverage ring as a stacked two-line label
- Hazard catalog, homepage data card, stats band, hero city list, and FAQ updated for Napier & Hastings sources
Only user-facing product changes are listed here. Internal refactors, data sync jobs, and minor fixes may not appear unless they affect report output, map display, or buyer-facing workflow.