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1. What is the Genie Score?
The Genie Score is a patent-pending personalized investment scoring system developed by Property Genie. Unlike generic “best places to invest” lists, the Genie Score adapts to your investment priorities — ranking 750+ US rental markets and individual properties based on what matters most to you.
Every investor is different. Some prioritize monthly cash flow, others want long-term appreciation, and many care about safety, school quality, or job growth. The Genie Score acknowledges this by letting you set your own weighting preferences, then computing a composite score that reflects your unique strategy.
The result is a single, easy-to-understand score (0–100) for each market and property — higher is better for your specific goals.
2. How the Genie Score Works
The scoring process involves three stages: data collection, factor normalization, and personalized weighting.
1
Data Collection
We aggregate data from multiple reputable public and private sources covering economic indicators, property market metrics, and quality-of-life factors for every tracked market. Data is refreshed regularly to ensure accuracy.
2
Factor Normalization
Raw data points (e.g., median home price $250,000 vs. job growth 3.2%) exist on different scales. We normalize each factor to a 0–100 scale using percentile-based ranking across all markets.
3
Personalized Weighting
You set how much each category matters to you. The Genie Score computes a weighted average across all factor categories using your preferences. Markets re-rank dynamically every time you adjust priorities.
3. Scoring Factors
The Genie Score evaluates markets across multiple factor categories. Each category contains several underlying data points:
| Category | Key Metrics Included |
|---|---|
| Cash Flow & ROI | Monthly cash flow (LTR & STR), Net ROI %, Cash on Cash Return, Cap Rate |
| Appreciation | 1-year, 5-year, and 10-year historical price appreciation; 1-year forecast |
| Rental Demand | Occupancy rate, rental demand score, rental count, days on market |
| Economic Health | Job growth %, median household income, income growth rate, population growth |
| Affordability | Median home price, price-to-rent ratio, cost of living grade |
| Quality of Life | Public school grade, crime rate, commute grade, outdoor activities grade |
| Regulations | Short-term rental regulations and licensing requirements |
Each category is scored independently before being combined using your personalized weights. This modular approach means the Genie Score is transparent — you can always see which factors drive a market's ranking up or down.
4. Long-Term Rental (LTR) vs. Short-Term Rental (STR) Scores
Property Genie generates two separate Genie Scores for each market:
LTR Genie Score
Optimized for traditional long-term rental strategies. Emphasizes monthly cash flow stability, tenant demand, and price-to-rent ratio.
STR Genie Score
Optimized for short-term (Airbnb-style) rental strategies. Emphasizes occupancy rates, nightly revenue potential, tourism demand, and regulatory friendliness.
This dual-score approach ensures investors pursuing different rental strategies get relevant, actionable rankings rather than a one-size-fits-all number.
5. How the Genie Score Helps You Invest
Finding Cities
- Set your preferences — Indicate how much you care about cash flow vs. appreciation vs. quality of life.
- View personalized rankings — Market Explorer re-sorts all markets by your Genie Score.
- Filter and compare — Narrow down by state, price range, or population.
- Dive into Market Insight — See full data, trends, grades, and property listings.
Finding Properties
- Property-level scoring — Each property gets a Genie Score based on projected cash flow, ROI, and alignment with your criteria.
- Recommended properties — Top-scoring properties surfaced within each Market Insight page.
- Property Insight analysis — Analyze any US address for estimated rent, cash flow, Net ROI, and Cash on Cash Return.
6. Data Sources & Freshness
The Genie Score draws from a combination of public and proprietary data sources:
US Census Bureau
Population, income, demographics
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Employment, job growth
Zillow & Public MLS
Home prices, appreciation
AirDNA & STR Data
Short-term rental metrics
Local Government
Crime statistics, school ratings
Property Genie Models
Rent estimates, ROI projections
Data refresh frequency varies by source: economic indicators are updated quarterly, rental metrics monthly, and property listings in near real-time. See our Editorial Policy for full details.
Curious how our methodology compares to other platforms? See how Property Genie compares to Mashvisor, Roofstock, and others.
7. Limitations & Disclaimers
- Historical data — Past trends do not guarantee future results. Markets can change due to economic shifts, policy changes, or unforeseen events.
- Model assumptions — Scoring relies on statistical models that make simplifying assumptions. Edge cases and local nuances may not be fully captured.
- Data lag — Some data sources publish with a delay. The score reflects the most recent available data, but may not capture very recent market movements.
- Not financial advice — Property Genie provides information for educational purposes. Always conduct your own due diligence and consult qualified professionals before making investment decisions.
8. Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Genie Score the same for every user?
No. The Genie Score is personalized based on your investment preferences. Two investors looking at the same market will see different scores if their priorities differ (e.g., one values cash flow, the other values appreciation).
How often is the Genie Score updated?
Scores are recalculated whenever underlying data is refreshed — typically monthly for rental metrics and quarterly for economic indicators. Your score also updates instantly if you change your preference weights.
Can I see which factors are driving a market’s score?
Yes. Each Market Insight page breaks down the individual category grades (cash flow, appreciation, economic health, etc.) so you can see exactly what contributes to the overall score.
What score range is considered good?
A score of 90–100 is Excellent, 75–89 is Strong, 60–74 is Moderate, and below 60 indicates higher risk or weak alignment with your goals. However, context matters — a lower-scoring market might still have individual properties worth exploring.
Is the Genie Score available for free?
A default (non-personalized) Genie Score is available to all users. Full personalization with custom weights requires a Pro membership.