Methodology

How we reach our conclusions

Second Look is built to be transparent. You should always be able to see what a conclusion is based on, how confident we are, and what would change it. Here is exactly how the analysis works.

The process

  1. You provide the property and terms

    Paste a listing link or enter an address, then confirm your asking price, intended offer, down payment, rate, and carrying costs. Your assumptions drive every calculation.

  2. We assemble the available facts

    Verified public records, listing estimates, and the figures you supply are combined into a single picture. Every data point is tagged with where it came from and how confident we are.

  3. Each perspective is analyzed independently

    The property, its location, price, and true monthly cost are computed as four separate jobs, then synthesized into a verdict. If one is slow or fails, the others still complete — and you can retry just the part that broke.

  4. You get an evidence-linked second opinion

    Conclusions come with the assumptions and sources behind them, plus the specific questions and inspections to pursue with your professionals.

What each report covers

Property insights
The home itself — size, layout, age, condition signals, and the major systems worth verifying.
Location insights
Neighborhood, schools, commute, climate, and quality-of-life measured against your priorities.
Price & market position
Asking price vs. estimated value, comps, and a suggested offer range.
Monthly true cost
All-in monthly cost broken into lender payment and upkeep, plus income to qualify, cash needed to close, and a five-year projection.

How we label sources

Every figure in a report is tagged so you know how much weight to give it. We never present an estimate as a verified fact.

  • Public recordSourced from official public records such as tax assessments and recorded sales.
  • Listing estimateDerived from listing data and comparable sales; directionally reliable but not authoritative.
  • Model estimateProduced by our models where hard data is unavailable. Treat as a starting point to verify.
  • You providedFigures you entered. We use them exactly as given and recompute if you change them.
  • Not availableData we couldn't obtain. We say so plainly rather than guessing.

What this tool is — and isn't

Second Look is an independent, educational second opinion. It is designed to help you ask better questions and spot issues early. It is not an appraisal, a home inspection, financial advice, or a substitute for a licensed real-estate agent, lender, attorney, or inspector. Estimates can be wrong or incomplete. Always verify important facts and consult qualified professionals before making an offer or signing anything.