In plain terms
Signal over noise — relative, not absolute.
The deal model is not a price opinion and not investment advice. It is a consistent way to compare listings against the current active market in each town — sales and rentals, residential and commercial — so you spend time on properties that actually stand out, not on everything that happens to be listed.
Scores are calibrated per city. A strong pick in Wilton is judged against Wilton inventory; the same number in Fairfield reflects Fairfield. That keeps rankings fair when absolute prices differ by millions between towns.
On Intelligence, Deal of the Day, and Deal of the Week, every listing receives the same Goldilocks composite (0–100) — a weighted blend of age & condition, finishes, price-per-sqft fit, layout, and schools. Deal of the Day adds extra filters (below town median, no new construction) to crown one value pick, but the underlying score is the same model on the board.
What the model looks at
Value in context
A list price only means something relative to its town, its neighbors, and what else is for sale today. The model compares each listing to local medians and peer inventory — not national averages or stale comps.
Timing & momentum
Days on market and recent price changes are honest signals. Fresh listings and motivated sellers (price cuts) score differently than properties that have sat unchanged for months.
Layout & livability
Bed and bath mix, square footage, and floor-plan quality matter for both resale liquidity and rental demand. The model rewards configurations buyers actually shop for in each market.
Condition & presentation
Age, renovation language, finishes, and photo depth proxy for how move-in ready a property feels — without pretending a listing description is a home inspection.
Place & schools
Town-level baselines and school context adjust the score so a strong pick in Norwalk is measured against Norwalk — not against a trophy address in Westport.
What it is not
- Not a Zestimate or automated valuation — we rank deals, we don't appraise homes.
- Not a substitute for walking the property, reading disclosures, or underwriting your own numbers.
- Not static — when price, status, or competition changes, the ranking changes with the next sync.