/ 100
- ✓Price momentum has accelerated for three consecutive years, outpacing the metro average by more than 2x.
- ✓Local income growth is outpacing the surrounding metro, tightening affordability pressure that has historically preceded price appreciation.
- ✓Vacancy has declined steadily, signaling tightening rental supply relative to demand.
| Metric | Sample Zip 00000 | Example Metro Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Momentum Score | 87.3 | 61.4 |
| Price momentum (3yr) | +14.6% | +7.2% |
| Income growth (2yr) | +9.8% | +5.1% |
Plain-language guide to every number above.
Every Market Signal Report boils a lot of data down to a handful of numbers. Here's what each one means and why it matters — without the algorithm or exact thresholds behind it.
A single number, 0–100.
The momentum score summarizes how strongly a zip code's price trends, income growth, and other underlying indicators point toward an upcoming appreciation window. The score is a percentile rank: a higher score means the model rates that zip above more of the others we score, as entering — or already in — a period of outperformance relative to its metro. A lower score means the signal is weaker or mixed.
The model behind it is walk-forward validated with a strict outcome embargo — trained only on data available before each prediction point, with outcome labels withheld until their five-year results are fully realized, then tested against real outcomes. Top-decile picks beat their own metro 77% of the time over five years (2014–2021 entry cohorts, replicated across all 10 US regions; figures reflect post-2013 market conditions).
What each tier means.
Every scored zip is classified into one of four tiers based on where its score ranks against every other zip we score.
The strongest signal we identify — the top-ranked zips in the scored universe, where the model reads the underlying trends as furthest along.
A strong, still-building signal. The zip shows clear upward trends across price and income and warrants a closer look.
An early-stage signal. Some positive indicators are appearing, but the trend is less established than Peak or Momentum.
Worth tracking over time. These zips rank in the lower half of the scored universe — the signals are early or mixed rather than clearly established.
The investor ratios, explained.
Every report also includes standard investor metrics, computed for the specific zip so you don't have to.
Cap Rate
Annual rental income as a percentage of purchase price. Higher generally means more cash flow relative to price paid, though it can also reflect higher risk.
GRM (Gross Rent Multiplier)
How many years of gross rent it would take to equal the purchase price. Lower generally means a cheaper entry point relative to rental income.
Price / Income
Median home price relative to median household income in the area. Higher can signal an area becoming less affordable to local wage earners — often a precursor to price pressure.
Rent Burden
The share of median household income a median rent payment would consume. Useful for understanding how stretched local renters already are.
1% Rule
A quick, widely used investor heuristic — whether monthly rent is at least 1% of the purchase price. A rough but common cash-flow screen for rental property.
Supply Constraint
How tight new housing supply is relative to demand in the area. Tighter supply generally supports price appreciation.
Want this for a real zip code?
Same format, your geography, scored on current data.