Investor Sentiment Survey Design

RCN Capital, in partnership with CJ Patrick Company, developed the Investor Sentiment Survey to track residential real estate investor outlook across the U.S. Published quarterly, the survey captures investor views on current and future markets, expected price changes, investment volume, and the factors shaping sentiment—from financing challenges to shifts in strategy between flipping and renting.

More than just a research tool, the survey positions RCN as a thought leader in the private lending space, reinforcing its reputation as one of the top private real estate lenders in the country.

Designing the Investor Sentiment Survey is more than plugging numbers into templates. Each quarter brings new questions, fresh data, and evolving narratives about the state of the market. My job is to take raw data (usually in the form of excel sheets) and transform them into a visual story that's both analytically rigorous and easy to digest.

This requires thinking critically about the results—not just how to display them, but how to order them so the information flows logically. Every edition demands a balance of big-picture thinking (restructuring sections, incorporating new data points) and granular attention to detail (ensuring every chart, callout, and caption is clear and polished).

As lead designer, I work closely with RCN's CMO to identify key callouts and translate complex data into cohesive visualizations. I designed the initial survey framework and continue to evolve it with each quarterly release, adapting the structure to accommodate new questions while maintaining visual consistency across editions.

The goal is always clarity: making dense information accessible to both industry insiders and casual observers, without sacrificing the depth that makes the survey valuable.

The Investor Sentiment Survey is published quarterly to significant industry attention, accompanied by multiple press releases and media coverage. It has become a cornerstone of RCN's thought leadership strategy, reinforcing the company's authority in the private lending space.

The survey was also recognized with an award from Graphic Design USA—a testament to the impact that thoughtful, well-executed data design can have.