Population within five kilometres is a weak proxy. Commute time and competing supply tell you far more.
A five-kilometre radius drawn on a map ignores the river, the toll road and the mall that already sits between your site and half of those households.
Drive-time isochrones, competing floorspace and payer or income mix produce a far more sober view of realistic demand.
The exercise takes a week and routinely removes the most enthusiastic site from the shortlist — which is exactly its value.
