How to Use PropertyIQ Scores to Pick a Real Estate Market

Real estate investors face the same problem repeatedly: too many markets, too little framework. How do you compare Austin to Columbus to Rochester without spending hours pulling data from six different sources?

The PropertyIQ Score is designed to answer that question. Here is how to use it.

What the Score Measures

The PropertyIQ Score rates every U.S. metro, county, and ZIP on a 0-100 index, updated monthly. It is a forward-looking prediction of how a market is likely to perform over roughly the next three years relative to its state, read from the market's demand signal:

• Home-value momentum (12-month and 3-month Zillow ZHVI trajectory)
• Median days on market
• Price-reduced share of active listings

Stronger momentum, fewer days on market, and fewer price cuts push the score up.

A score of 50 represents the state average for that geography type. Above 50: the market is expected to outperform its state. Below 50: expected to underperform its state.

Reading the Score in Context

Here is what current scores tell you, using real markets as examples (all as of February 28, 2026):

Score 99 — Rochester, NY: Extreme supply constraint. Homes selling above asking. Values up 8.2% year over year. Near-fair valuation. This is what a fully healthy market looks like in the data.

Score 88 — Cleveland, OH: Strong demand, very low price point ($241K listing), actually undervalued by 29% relative to fundamentals. A high-scoring market that has not attracted the attention — or the price inflation — of other strong markets.

Score 76 — Denver, CO: Strong demand signal. Fast days on market (38 days). But 56% overvalued and Zillow projecting -1% near-term. The score predicts outperformance versus Colorado on the strength of that demand signal; the investor needs to weigh the valuation risk separately.

Score 52 — Indianapolis, IN: Middle of the pack. Affordable market (only 5.1% overvalued), strong employment (2.5% unemployment), but demand metrics are moderate and inventory is growing. Solid, not exceptional.

Score 26 — Nashville, TN: 53.8% overvalued. Demand score 11.4. 8,849 homes competing for buyers. The score predicts significant underperformance versus Tennessee, reflecting a weak demand signal in a market that ran far ahead of fundamentals.

Score 18 — Austin, TX: The correction case. Home values down 8.82% year over year. Inventory up 14.77%. Still 22.8% overvalued. A score this low means the model expects Austin to significantly underperform the typical Texas market over the next few years.

A Framework for Decision-Making

Use the score as a first filter:

• Scores above 80: The model expects strong outperformance versus the market's state. Warrants deeper research.
• Scores 60–80: Expected outperformance with trade-offs. Understand what is driving the score before committing.
• Scores 40–60: Expected to perform about in line with the state. Not a buy or avoid signal — depends on your strategy.
• Scores below 40: Expected to underperform the state, often alongside high inventory, weak demand, or significant overvaluation. Requires a long time horizon or a specific thesis.

The Score Is a Prediction, Not a Guarantee

The PropertyIQ Score is a forward-looking prediction of how a market is likely to perform over roughly the next three years relative to its state. It is not a guarantee. A market scoring 18 might still recover strongly over the next five years. A market scoring 99 might face new supply that changes the picture. The score is a starting point, not a conclusion.

The most useful application: use the score to quickly narrow 400+ markets to a shortlist, then dig into the underlying metrics for the markets that rank highest for your strategy.

PropertyIQ scores as of February 28, 2026. All data for informational purposes only.