Another Neighborhood Grade ?

[TJ P.]

Trying to be as  specific as possible about one of the most subjective topics in RE investing- Neighborhood Grading. Where most would agree that A is very desirable (and difficult to CF) and D/F are war-zones.

I am devising a spreadsheet (if anybody knows of one that exists; send it my way) that categorizes and weighs a variety of factors and assigns a grade.  For example- Crime, schools, house age, % renters, median price, etc. 

My reasoning for this isn't just for personal use but also as a negotiation tool. What I am finding in talking to vendors (I'm mostly looking to TK currently), is the improper classifications being assigned to their properties. Obviously, I'm referencing what has been discussed ad nauseum here and the importance of due diligence. I'm trying to avoid wasting time and eliminating some of the shadier less than reputable parties out there. Another example- One of the outfits I'm looking at lists "B+" properties. The actual homes seem nice, not centuries old and minimal crime. The schools however, are rated <4 . For what I'm looking at: B/ SFH/ < 80K/ rent 1000ish, schools are extremely important and I don't feel justify a "B+" grade...maybe not even a "B".

So what are your most important criteria to grading properties? Are there any absolutes or deal breakers? If you were constructing a spreadsheet with weighted averages, what would command the most weight?