How we measure whether a property is properly presented
A fully published, objective audit system. So that anyone can verify it.
A listing is debated in terms of taste. And taste cannot be defended.
The Larum Index turns the conversation into 24 criteria with defined levels.
49 of the 100 points are checked directly by looking at the listing. 25 are verified using a published guide. 26 require professional judgement.
It does not measure beauty. It measures presence, completeness, coherence and reach. And it does so in a way that the same property, audited by two different people, produces the same result.
The anatomy of the index. One hundred points distributed with precision.
Four blocks. Twenty-four criteria. One single audit.
A · Impact measures what happens in the first three seconds: cover image, light, composition and coherence with the price.
B · Narrative assesses whether the gallery tells a journey or is just a loose archive.
C · Information and trust verifies what allows a buyer to move forward without calling.
D · Reach and control measures language, consistency across portals, and materials.
The cover image is worth eight points out of one hundred.
The image that opens the listing is the only one every user sees. It is also the only one that decides whether someone clicks.
A corridor or a garage scores zero. A flat façade scores three. An angle showing a view, scale or the main living space scores eight.
The first impression cannot be edited afterwards.
The 24 criteria, one by one. Nothing hidden.
What happens in the first three seconds. The photo that opens the listing, its light, its composition, its coherence with the price. And the cleanliness of what it shows.
The gallery tells a journey, it is not an archive.
Between 22 and 35 images is the range where properties show what they are. Below that, something is missing. Above it, they become saturated.
Order matters as much as quantity: arrival, scale, living spaces, privacy, setting. If the sequence starts with a bathroom, the property loses the thread before it even begins.
What allows a buyer to move forward without calling. The text, the floorplan, the tour, the technical data and the identified agent. Five ways to replace the phone call with a decision.
74% does not depend on taste.
| Type | Criteria | Points | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Automatic | 15 | 49 | Checked by looking at the listing. Not open to discussion. |
| Verifiable with guide | 5 | 25 | Require observation, but the guide is published above. |
| Professional judgement | 4 | 26 | Depend on judgement: A1, A5, B2 and C2. Always scored by the same person. |
What the Larum Index is not.
1. It is not a property valuation or a price recommendation.
2. It is not a comparative market analysis (CMA).
What price should it list at?
It works with prices, square metres and comparables. It supports an asking figure using data from the agency’s own inventory or CRM.
- ✓Support the asking price
- ✕See how it is being communicated
- ✕Detect duplicated material
- ✕Audit the visual journey
Can the market see what it’s worth?
It works on public listings. It measures whether the property is being communicated in a way that supports its published price.
- ✕Recommend an asking price
- ✓Support the execution of the listing
- ✓Detect duplicated material
- ✓Audit the visual journey
3. It does not measure the quality of the property, but the quality of its presentation. An excellent house that is poorly presented scores low — and that is precisely what the Index detects.
The five-band reading scale.
A property is not scored as “good” or “bad”. It falls into one of five bands. And each band implies a different action.
How listings over one million euros are distributed
Percentage distribution of 187 real properties analysed in premium areas. Most fall into the middle band.
- 85–1004%
- 70–8411%
- 55–6948%
- 35–5428%
- 0–349%
The same listing, the same result.
Scoring is carried out on the public listing at the time of review, always in the same order: first the cover image in isolation, then the full gallery without going back, then the text, and finally the technical data.
A criterion’s score is not revised once the next one has been scored. The four professional-judgement criteria are always scored by the same person.
Consistency check
A control is applied in every area study: a random 20% sample of properties is re-scored, without checking previous notes, two days later. A maximum deviation of six points in the total and one level in any individual criterion is accepted.Three ways to apply it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Larum Index?
The Larum Index is an objective audit system with 24 criteria, 4 levels and 100 points to measure whether a property is properly presented in a real estate listing. It is published in full so that anyone can verify it.
How many criteria does the Larum Index have and how are the 100 points distributed?
24 criteria across 4 blocks: A Impact (5 criteria, 30 pts), B Narrative (5 criteria, 25 pts), C Information and trust (6 criteria, 25 pts), D Reach and control (5 criteria, 20 pts). Total: 100 points.
How is each criterion scored?
On four levels: absent (0 points), insufficient, correct and optimal. The exact values depend on the weight of the criterion. There are no intermediate scores.
What part of the score is objective?
74% (49 points) are automatic and verifiable. 21% (25 points) require observation with a published guide. Only 26% (4 professional-judgement criteria) depend on expert judgement, always scored by the same person.
How is it different from a comparative market analysis?
A comparative market analysis (CMA) says how much a property is worth. The Larum Index says whether the market can see it. It measures presentation, not price.
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