Editorial Policy

Last updated: July 5, 2026

SmarterSquares (operated by Focalplex Inc.) publishes guides and calculators about home value, renovation, and interior design. This page explains how that content is researched, sourced, fact-checked, and kept current — and what our tools are and are not.

Where our numbers come from

Market figures across the site are built on public, verifiable datasets rather than opinion:

  • Home values & price per square foot: local median listing price per square foot from Realtor.com's public research data and typical home values from Zillow's Home Value Index (ZHVI), covering roughly 29,000 U.S. ZIP codes. Canadian figures use average MLS® prices from CREA and local real-estate boards.
  • Renovation returns: typical national cost-vs-value recoup rates from published remodeling industry benchmarks, applied to the budget you enter.
  • Costs and ranges in guides: representative national ranges, cross-checked against multiple published sources and clearly framed as ranges, not quotes.

How content is produced and fact-checked

  • Every calculator's method is described in plain language on its own page, with the key assumptions visible.
  • Rankings and data pages (for example, our most-expensive-ZIP-codes study) are cross-checked against independent authoritative rankings before publication, and the methodology is published alongside the results.
  • Guides are reviewed for consistency with the calculators so the numbers you read match the numbers the tools produce.

How often data is updated

ZIP-level market data is refreshed on a regular cycle from the source datasets (which update monthly). Year-labeled pages are reviewed when the year changes. When a data refresh materially changes a page, its "last updated" date reflects that.

What our tools are — and aren't

Estimates, not advice. Every calculator output on this site is a directional estimate for orientation and planning. Nothing here is an appraisal, a comparative market analysis, an offer, or financial, legal, tax, or construction advice. For decisions with real money on the line, confirm with a licensed professional — an appraiser, a real-estate agent, or a contractor with eyes on your actual home.

Independence & advertising

SmarterSquares does not sell leads, accept payment for rankings, or let any third party influence what our calculators say. If the site displays advertising in the future, ads will be clearly distinguishable from content and will never change an estimate, a ranking, or a recommendation.

Corrections

If you spot an error — a number that looks wrong, a broken tool, an outdated claim — email hello@smartersquares.com. We review correction reports promptly, fix verified errors, and update the affected page's date.

See also our About page, Privacy Policy, and Terms of Use.