Methodology & Data Transparency

How DOMI Score™ Works

DOMI Score™ is a composite property intelligence metric built from six verified data sources. We believe buyers deserve to know exactly how their risk score is calculated.

The DOMI Formula

D
Disaster Risk30%
O
Operational Cost25%
M
Market Intelligence25%
I
Infrastructure20%

// DOMI Score calculation (0–100)

DOMI = Disaster(30%) + Operational(25%)

+ Market(25%) + Infrastructure(20%)

// Crime score adjusts final output ±3 points

DOMI_final = clamp(DOMI_composite + crime_adj, 0, 100)

DOMI Score → Grade Conversion

A+ (90–100)
A (83–89)
A- (77–82)
B+ (70–76)
B (64–69)
B- (58–63)
C+ (52–57)
C (46–51)
C- (40–45)
D (30–39)
F (0–29)

Score Components

D

Disaster Risk

Weight: 30%

Evaluates exposure to natural disasters — primarily flood risk via FEMA NFHL zone classification, historical flood event data, distance to flood sources, and NFIP insurance requirement. Secondary signals include hurricane proximity scores and wildfire interface designation.

Scoring Factors

  • FEMA flood zone designation (X, A, AE, VE, etc.)
  • Historical flood events on parcel
  • Distance to nearest flood source (river, coast)
  • NFIP mandatory insurance requirement
  • Hurricane landfall probability (coastal zones)

Data Sources

  • FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL)
  • NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
  • USGS hazard datasets
O

Operational Cost

Weight: 25%

Quantifies the ongoing financial burden of property ownership beyond the mortgage. Factors include insurance premium as a percentage of home value, effective property tax rate, HOA assessment risk, and deferred maintenance signals from permit history.

Scoring Factors

  • Annual insurance premium / home value ratio
  • Effective property tax rate vs. county average
  • HOA fee and special assessment risk level
  • Deferred maintenance signals (aging systems)
  • Five-year ownership cost projection

Data Sources

  • ATTOM Data Solutions (tax records)
  • State insurance commissioner filings
  • HOA disclosure records
M

Market Intelligence

Weight: 25%

Measures price trajectory and market liquidity using recent comparable sales data. Signals include 1-year and 5-year price appreciation, days-on-market (DOM) velocity, and list-to-sale price ratio — all key indicators of demand strength.

Scoring Factors

  • 1-year price change vs. ZIP code average
  • 5-year appreciation compound rate
  • Average days on market (DOM) for comparables
  • List-to-sale price ratio
  • Current listing inventory levels

Data Sources

  • ATTOM Data Solutions (public deed records)
  • MLS aggregate data via county recorders
  • Zillow Research (supplemental)
I

Infrastructure

Weight: 20%

Assesses the physical condition and system health of the property based on permit history. Open or unfinaled permits are a significant negative signal. System replacement dates for roof, HVAC, electrical, and plumbing are parsed from permit descriptions to estimate remaining useful life.

Scoring Factors

  • Open/unfinaled permit count (−12 pts each)
  • Roof age and replacement documentation
  • HVAC system age and permit history
  • Electrical/plumbing upgrades within 15 years
  • Overall permit activity density (well-maintained signal)

Data Sources

  • County and municipal permit records via BuildZoom API
  • Local planning department records

Data Sources

FEMA NFHL

Federal Dataset

Updated: Quarterly

Official US government flood zone maps. Used to determine flood insurance requirements and parcel-level flood risk.

ATTOM Data

Commercial Data Provider

Updated: Weekly

Deed records, tax assessments, comparable sales, and ownership history for 150M+ US properties.

Crimeometer

Analytics Provider

Updated: Daily

Incident-level crime data normalized to per-100K rates. 12-month trend analysis and category breakdowns.

GreatSchools

Education Data

Updated: Annually

District and school-level ratings based on state assessment data, equity metrics, and academic outcomes.

BuildZoom

Permit Aggregator

Updated: Monthly

Permit records aggregated from 3,000+ US jurisdictions. Covers building, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits.

State Insurance Filings

Regulatory Data

Updated: Annually

Carrier rate filings and risk tier classifications by ZIP code. Used to generate insurance premium estimates.

Data Confidence Scoring

Every BeforeYouBuy Homes report includes a Confidence Score (0–100%) that reflects data availability and freshness. Reports with more complete data receive higher confidence ratings and more granular AI analysis.

+60

Base confidence (always present)

Geocoding + FEMA zone + basic crime

+8

FEMA historical events data

Specific flood event record found

+12

Full permit history (1+ records)

County permit records available

+8

12-month crime trend data

Full Crimeometer monthly breakdown

+7

Last sale date on record

ATTOM deed transfer data confirmed

+5

3+ insurance carrier quotes

Carrier-level pricing available for ZIP

High Confidence (90–98%)
Moderate-High (75–89%)
Moderate (60–74%)
Data Limited (<60%)

AI Analysis Disclaimer

BeforeYouBuy Homes AI narratives are generated from structured property data using a template-based language engine (production: Claude API). They are designed to help buyers understand complex data — not to replace professional judgment.

DOMI Scores and AI recommendations are informational only and do not constitute professional real estate advice, legal advice, financial advice, or insurance advice. Scores reflect publicly available data at the time of report generation and may not reflect conditions at the specific parcel level.

Always consult licensed professionals — a certified home inspector, real estate attorney, licensed insurance agent, and a qualified real estate agent — before making any property purchase decision.

BeforeYouBuy Homes is not affiliated with FEMA, HUD, or any government agency. DOMI Score™ is a proprietary BeforeYouBuy Homes metric and trademark.