Buyer’s Scorecard: Compare Rural Homes with the AHO Score
Score up to three homes out of 100 and compare them.
When you are torn between two or three places, a simple score helps you see past the photos. The Buyer’s Scorecard uses the same AHO Score we give every property on the channel: price 25 points, land 20, condition 20, location 15, charm 10 and potential 10.
Score each property with plain-English choices, then see them side by side with their total out of 100 and their band, from “Strong pick” to “High caution”.
Torn between two or three places? Score each one the way we score every property on the channel, with the AHO Score out of 100, and see them side by side.
Not sure about the price score? Check the asking price against farmland values and the homes we have shown.
Check the priceHow the AHO Score works
- Six criteria add up to 100: price 25, land 20, condition 20, location 15, charm 10, potential 10. Each answer gives the middle points of its band. The full rules are on our AHO Score methodology page.
- Bands: 90-100 Exceptional · 80-89 Strong pick · 70-79 Solid rural deal · 60-69 Niche opportunity · under 60 High caution.
- If you are not sure about an answer, pick the lower one. A score is only as good as what you have actually checked.
The AHO Score is an editorial rating to help you compare. It is not an appraisal, an inspection, or investment advice.
Good to know
If you are not sure about an answer, pick the lower one. A score is only as good as what you have actually checked.
This tool is part of the free AHO Buyer’s Toolkit, a set of tools for people buying an affordable home with land in the United States. For the full checklist before you make an offer, get our free Rural Property Buyer’s Field Guide.