Affordability and Tax Efficiency Explained
Affordability carries 14% of the composite and uses modeled monthly ownership cost. Tax carries 5% and uses the property-tax-to-value ratio when tax data is supplied.
Affordability: modeled monthly cost
Affordability is weighted at 14%. It ranks modeled monthly ownership cost within the scoring cohort, with lower modeled cost receiving a stronger score. The model uses estimated value, a tax amount when supplied or a fallback estimate, and HOA when available.
This is a relative cost proxy, not a personal affordability decision. It does not account for each buyer's income, financing, insurance, or other expenses.
Tax: a supplied-data ratio
Tax carries 5% of the composite. Its signal is property taxes divided by estimated value when tax data is supplied. The score compares that ratio within the cohort and does not evaluate tax rules, tax benefits, or the total cost of ownership.
If tax data is missing, the scoring signal is treated neutrally. The tax category does not assess improvements such as solar panels.
Why these are secondary factors
Affordability and tax have different weights and limited inputs. Read them as cohort-relative signals, not as a personalized budget or a complete tax comparison.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between value and affordability?
Value uses inverse price per square foot. Affordability uses modeled monthly ownership cost, including estimated value, tax amount or fallback, and HOA when available. Neither determines what an individual buyer can afford.
What does the tax score measure?
It uses the property-tax-to-value ratio when tax data is supplied. It is not a complete measure of taxes or ownership cost, and missing tax data is treated neutrally.
Are these tax figures advice I can rely on?
No. Tax efficiency is an informational estimate for comparison only. Consult a tax professional for any decision involving property taxes or your personal tax situation.