What does the dashed line on the chart mean?

The dashed horizontal line represents the current value of the metric you’re viewing.  It’s a visual reference point that lets you quickly see how today’s market compares to recent history, without needing to hover over each data point.

How to read it

• The chart (or sparkline) shows a trend over time (for example, the last 13 months).

• The dashed line is fixed at the current period’s value (the month, week, or period you selected).

• Each point on the line chart shows the metric’s value for a past period.

This allows you to instantly see:

• Whether the current value is higher or lower than most recent periods

• Whether you’re near a recent high or low

• How today’s market compares to where it’s been trending

Example

If you’re looking at Median Days on Market:

• The dashed line might be set at 64 days (the current month).

• If most of the historical points fall below the dashed line, it means homes are taking longer to sell now than they have recently.

• If most points are above the dashed line, it means homes are selling faster than they have in recent periods.

Why this is helpful

The dashed line is designed to help you:

• Spot market changes at a glance

• Avoid over-analyzing individual data points

• Tell a clearer story to clients using visual cues instead of numbers alone

You don’t need to hover a mouse over the chart to use it, the reference line does the comparison work for you.

Tip for client conversations

You can point to the dashed line and say:

“This line shows where we are right now. Everything above or below it shows how the market has behaved recently compared to today.”

It’s a simple way to explain trends without diving into technical definitions.