The Challenge
LINZ does not classify properties as commercial or residential — that classification lives in council and QV rating data elsewhere. Analysts and researchers who need property type information face a fundamental data gap when working exclusively with LINZ records.
Filling this gap requires either custom logic built on available LINZ fields (like estate descriptions), cross-referencing external datasets, or running raw queries against specific geospatial layers. None of these approaches are straightforward without programmatic access to LINZ data.
- LINZ property classification doesn’t align with common commercial/residential categories
- Estate descriptions require interpretation to infer property type
- Raw geospatial layer queries require technical WFS knowledge to execute correctly
- Cross-referencing LINZ data with council or QV rating datasets requires flexible data access
The Autohive Solution
Autohive agents provide two complementary mechanisms for accessing non-standard property data from LINZ: the query_layer action for raw web feature service queries, and estate_description fields within title records for classification inference.
Raw WFS Layer Queries
The query_layer action enables agents to run raw web feature service requests against any permitted LINZ geospatial or land table. This provides direct access to data that falls outside standard parcel and title search parameters — including non-standard property classifications and custom geographic datasets.
Estate Description Analysis
Title records include estate_description fields that provide context about property tenure and type. Agents can extract and analyse these fields at scale to build inference-based classification logic without requiring external data sources.
External Dataset Cross-Referencing
By combining raw LINZ layer data with external datasets (council rating data, QV classifications), agents can build hybrid property classification models that fill the gaps LINZ’s taxonomy leaves open.
Benefits
- Classification flexibility - Build custom property type logic without being constrained by LINZ’s taxonomy
- Raw data access - Query any permitted LINZ geospatial layer without needing WFS expertise
- Estate description insights - Extract and analyse tenure and property context fields at scale
- Cross-referencing capability - Combine LINZ data with external sources for richer classification models
- Analyst-ready outputs - Structured query results ready for integration into custom analysis pipelines
How It Works
- Identify data requirements - Determine what classification data is needed and which LINZ layers or fields can provide it
- Agent queries target layers - The query_layer action runs raw WFS requests against specified LINZ data tables
- Estate descriptions extracted - Title records are queried for estate_description fields to enable classification inference
- Classification logic applied - Agent applies custom or rule-based logic to categorise properties based on available fields
- Enriched dataset delivered - Classified property data is packaged for integration with external datasets or analytical pipelines
Getting Started
- Sign up at app.autohive.com
- Connect the Land Information New Zealand integration from the marketplace
- Configure your agent with target LINZ layers and classification parameters
- Define your custom classification logic or cross-referencing requirements
- Deploy your agent to automate non-standard property data extraction
