Formal Definition: The ORA® Score
The ORA® Score is a 0–100, monthly-updated, unbiased resident experience metric for an apartment community.
It is based on real renter feedback from 13+ review sites and related sources and evaluated across 22 operational categories renters mention most.
The High Level Methodology
ORA® is designed to be trustworthy and renter-friendly. It provides transparency without turning the process into technical scoring talk.
At a high level, ORA®:
- Weights recent reviews more heavily
- Accounts for review volume, lifetime star ratings, and review content
- Evaluates the rate of complaints and compliments across 22 operational categories renters mention most
- Considers relative performance by review site, including trustability and bias
- Contextualizes performance based on apartment community details
A monthly-updated resident experience score based on real renter feedback, designed to help renters compare apartment communities with more confidence.
Why ORA® Uses Categories
Renters experience apartment living in moments:
- A maintenance request
- A billing question
- A noise concern
- A communication exchange
- A shared space that feels cared for, or ignored
Using categories helps reveal consistency across the resident experience topics that shape day-to-day quality of life.
A simple review average can miss the why. Two apartment communities can have similar star ratings but very different lived experience patterns.
Why The ORA® Score Updates Monthly
Resident experience changes over time.
Monthly updates help ensure the ORA® Score reflects current patterns rather than distant history.
FAQs
- How transparent is ORA® about how the score is created?
- ORA® is transparent about what it uses and what it returns: real renter feedback from 13+ review sites and related sources, 22 operational categories, an updated ORA® Score, and strengths and opportunities for context. The scoring approach is designed to keep the ORA® Score consistent, unbiased, and reliable over time.
- Does ORA® name specific review sites?
- ORA® is based on 13+ review sites and related sources. ORA® is designed to stay renter-friendly and not overload you with source-by-source details. The ORA App previews the most recent review sites that contributed reviews to the current score.
- Does ORA® evaluate every rental type?
- No. ORA® focuses on apartment communities. It does not evaluate single-family rental homes.