There's a moment that happens in almost every home purchase. You've toured the property, fallen in love with it for any number of reasons— usually the location, the aesthetic updates, or the price— and you're ready to make an offer. Then you wonder: "But how much will it cost to heat/cool each month?" "Will the bedrooms upstairs be too hot in the summer?" "How will this home stand up to weather events in my area?"
And... silence.
Maybe the seller shares a few utility bills if you're lucky. But for a decision that costs hundreds of thousands of dollars, you're essentially buying blind when it comes to how that home actually performs.
That changes now.
Why This Award Matters to You (Not Just Us)
We're thrilled to announce that Pearl has won the Inman News Best of Proptech Award in the Sustainability & Climate Resilience category. But here's what that recognition really means: the real estate industry is finally acknowledging that homebuyers deserve better information.
For decades, homebuyers have been expected to make six-figure decisions with almost no data about:
- Energy performance – Will your utility bills be $150/month or $450/month?
- Weather resilience – How will this home handle the heat waves, storms, or wildfires that are becoming more common?
- Indoor health – Is the air quality protecting your family, or quietly compromising their wellbeing?
The information existed all along—buried in utility records or scattered across public records. It just wasn't accessible when you needed it most.
Compare Homes Like Never Before- with the Pearl Home Performance Registry™
Think about how you shop for anything else. A car? You compare fuel efficiency, safety ratings, and reliability scores. A phone? You look at battery life, performance benchmarks, and durability tests.
But homes—the biggest investment most people ever make? You've been left comparing granite countertops and subway tile.
With the newly released Pearl Home Performance Registry™, now you can compare homes based on what actually impacts your daily life and long-term costs. You can see which home will keep your family comfortable during a heat wave. Which one will cost you thousands less per year in energy bills. Which one is built to withstand weather events.
In a previous article, What is Home Performance? The Critical Factor Missing in Homeownership, we discussed why home performance is so critical to consider and some FAQs to help home buyers & homeowners discover or optimize a home's performance.
The Pearl SCORE™ Home Performance Pillars
Safety: Protect Your Family’s Health
A safe home minimizes risks like poor indoor air quality, radon, or carbon monoxide. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 24.7 million Americans suffer from asthma. Even more suffer from allergies or other respiratory problems. often worsened by high humidity levels that can create mold, mildew, and dust mites.. Features like improved air filtration and ventilation systems can reduce these risks, creating a healthier living environment.
Comfort: Enjoy Your Home Year-Round
Ever notice some rooms are freezing while others are too warm? Comfort means consistent temperatures and good air quality throughout your home. Upgrades like better attic insulation and proper air sealing reduce drafts and keep your home cozy, no matter the season.
Operations: Lower Utility Bills and Simplify Home Maintenance
Improving how your home utilizes energy can cut utility bills and decrease environmental impact. The average U.S. household spends $2,200 annually on utilities, per the DOE. A high-performing maximizes energy and water efficiency, lowering the costs of homeownership. A home’s insulation levels and the presence of high-efficiency appliances are essential. Well maintained, high-efficiency systems financially pay back in two ways - lowering monthly energy and water bills, as well as reducing the risk associated with premature failure and subsequent replacement costs. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) notes that well-maintained systems can extend equipment life by 5–10 years, saving you from costly repairs.
Learn more in our article: 6 Smart Ways to Understand a Home’s Energy Use—Before It Hurts Your Wallet
Resilience: Prepare for the Unexpected
With climate risks on the rise, resilience is crucial. The First Street Foundation estimates 70-80% of U.S. homes face flood risk by 2050. Features like proper exterior drainage, appropriate protections for the home’s foundation, impact-resistant windows, or durable, properly installed roofing products protect your home from storms, floods, and other disasters, providing peace of mind and protection for your family.
Energy: Independence from the Grid (and even from the gas station!)
Gone are the days when you must rely solely on the utility companies for all of your power, have no visibility to where your dollars go (beyond the monthly utility bill), and are left in the dark and without heating or cooling when the grid goes down. Energy systems like solar, batteries, smart electrical panels, EV chargers, and other features bring a home into the modern era. The highest performing homes have no monthly energy costs at all - and can even provide the energy for your family’s (electric) vehicles.
What This Means for Your Next Home Search
Whether you're buying next month or next year, you now have access to performance insights that were previously invisible. You can walk into negotiations informed. You can budget accurately. You can choose a home that works for you.
