Learn About ORA®
If you are evaluating apartment communities and want to feel more confident in your decision, this is the place to start. ORA is designed to help renters understand what it is actually like to live at an apartment community, based on real renter feedback.
This Learn hub brings together everything you need to understand how ORA works, how to interpret an ORA Score, and how to compare apartment communities more clearly. Reviews are the raw input. ORA is the standardized monthly interpretation.
Start Here: What Is ORA?
ORA is a tool designed to help renters understand the resident experience at apartment communities. It helps you see patterns across real renter feedback so you can make a more confident apartment rental decision. If you are new to ORA, begin with:
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.
Example
88
A monthly-updated resident experience score based on real renter feedback, designed to help renters compare apartment communities with more confidence.
Strengths:
- Maintenance
- Cleanliness
- Communication
Opportunities:
Parking, Noise
When reviewing rankings, always note the month or year associated with the list. Resident experience can change over time, and rankings reflect the period referenced.
Understand Strengths And Opportunities
The ORA Score is most useful when paired with context. Strengths show where resident experience is performing best right now. Opportunities show patterns worth verifying before signing. Learn more here:
Compare Apartment Communities With Confidence
If you are choosing between two or more apartment communities, ORA gives you a consistent way to compare resident experience signals.
You will learn:
How to compare ORA Scores properly
How to use strengths and opportunities to guide questions
How to verify what matters most
Use The National Average ORA Score For Context
A number alone does not tell the full story. The National Average ORA Score provides a benchmark for comparison during a specific month and year.
Learn how to interpret it here:
A Simple Way To Think About ORA
- Apartment communities can look similar online
- ORA helps you compare what renters actually experience
A strong ORA Score indicates avoidance of sustained negative reviews in critical resident experience categories within the last 6–12 months, suggesting a more predictable resident experience relative to the National Average ORA Score benchmark. Even strong scores can have opportunity areas worth verifying.
ORA does not replace your tour
ORA does not guarantee outcomes
ORA helps you reduce surprises by identifying patterns.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about ORA learn
Is ORA only for certain types of apartment communities?
ORA focuses on apartment communities managed by property management companies. It does not evaluate single-family rental homes.
Is ORA influenced by marketing participation?
No. ORA Scores are calculated independently using a standardized methodology. Property managers and landlords cannot pay to influence their score.
Do I need to read every review?
No. ORA summarizes real renter feedback into a single monthly score and identifies strengths and opportunities, so you do not need to read every individual review.
Where should I start?
If you are new to ORA, begin with: