A scorecard averages. That is what makes it useful — and what makes it dangerous. A strong margin can lift a deal’s score while a flood zone, thin debt coverage or an unsellable lot price quietly sits in the corner.
Gate, do not average
In Pencl, a deal-killer rated Poor withholds the published score entirely. A killer rated Fair caps the verdict at Conditional. The graded figure is still there for reference, but it never appears where it could be read as the grade.
The verdict word and the published number must never be able to disagree.
What counts as a deal-killer
- Floodway or unmitigable floodplain on the developable area
- Debt coverage below the lender’s floor
- A lot price the market will not support
- Entitlement risk with no credible path
None of these are exotic. They are the questions an experienced partner asks first — which is exactly why the tool asks them before it publishes a number.
