Intelligence6 min read

PropIQ™ Explained: The Market Intelligence Score Zillow Won't Show You

We fuse 15+ data sources into a single 0-100 score. Here's exactly how it works — and why it matters more than a Zestimate.

Folio Intelligence·March 20, 2026

Every real estate portal shows you the same thing: a list of homes, sorted by price, with a Zestimate slapped on each one. What none of them show you is where the market is going — not where it's been.

That's the gap PropIQ™ fills. It's a 0-100 market intelligence score that fuses 40+ signals from 15+ data sources into a single number updated monthly for every ZIP code we track.

What Goes Into PropIQ™

PropIQ™ is built from five core signal categories, each weighted based on their predictive power over 12-month price appreciation.

Signal 1

Price Momentum (30%)

Year-over-year price change velocity. Not just the number — the rate of change. A market going from +2% to +4% YoY is more bullish than one holding steady at +6%.

Signal 2

DOM Velocity (25%)

How fast listings are being absorbed. Under 14 days average DOM means buyers are competing. Over 45 days means inventory is sitting. This is the most real-time signal we track.

Signal 3

Sold Above List % (20%)

The percentage of homes selling above asking price. When this crosses 40%, it's a strong indicator of a supply-constrained market with sustained demand.

Signal 4

Price Drop Frequency (15%)

The inverse signal. When more than 20% of active listings show a price reduction, it means sellers are chasing the market down. A leading indicator of softening before it shows in median prices.

Signal 5

Inventory Health (10%)

The ratio of active inventory to new listings. When absorption rate drops below 1.5 months of supply, competition intensifies. Above 6 months signals a buyer's market.

How to Read a PropIQ™ Score

The score runs from 0 to 100. Here's what each range means in plain English.

85-100

Strong Buy

Multiple signals aligned positively. Market is appreciating with strong demand fundamentals. Act before conditions tighten further.

70-84

Neutral Watch

Market is stable but not surging. Good time to research specific ZIPs. Look for pockets of strength within the broader market.

0-69

Caution

One or more negative signals detected. Price drops increasing, DOM extending, or inventory building. Not a buy signal — monitor for inflection.

Why Not Just Use the Zestimate?

The Zestimate tells you what a home is worth today based on comparable sales. PropIQ™ tells you what the market is doing — which direction it's heading, how fast it's moving, and whether now is the right time to act.

They answer different questions. The Zestimate answers: 'What is this home worth?' PropIQ™ answers: 'Is this a good market to be buying in right now?' Both matter. Only one of them is free, transparent, and updated monthly.

The Data Sources Behind the Score

PropIQ™ currently fuses data from Redfin's MLS market tracker (updated monthly), with school trajectory data from NCES and permit activity from local county records coming in Q2 2026. The score updates automatically when new Redfin data drops each month.

We publish our methodology. We show our signal breakdown on every ZIP page. You can see exactly why a market scored 88 or 54 — not just that it did. That's the transparency Zillow will never offer you, because their business model depends on you not knowing.