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The Five Things Your Clients Can't See in Listing Photos

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Jan 01, 2026
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Real estate training focuses on contracts, negotiations, disclosures, market analysis—the fundamentals of a transaction. What it typically doesn't cover is building science: how the physical structure actually performs.

That wasn't a gap when buyers asked about schools and square footage. But lately, the questions are changing.

What will this cost to heat? Is the air quality okay for my daughter's asthma? What happens when the power goes out?

These aren't questions about aesthetics or location. They're questions about how the house actually works—and they're coming from both sides of the transaction. Buyers want to know what they're getting. Sellers want to showcase what they've invested in. Both need a vocabulary that listings don't currently provide.

That's what this is: a framework built on the same five pillars that power Pearl SCORE™—translated into things you can notice, ask about, and discuss with clients early, before uncertainty peaks.

Safety: What Protects the People Inside

The EPA estimates that indoor air is two to five times more polluted than outdoor air. Older homes often rely on air leakage for ventilation—neither controlled nor efficient. Moisture leads to mold. Combustion appliances can introduce carbon monoxide. Radon seeps up from the ground in many regions.

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My husband and I ran a construction company for years before I got into real estate, so I notice things most agents don’t — how a crawlspace is ventilated, whether bathroom fans actually vent outside, the signs of moisture that lead to bigger problems down the road. You don’t have to be a builder to have these conversations with clients, but you do need a vocabulary for it. That’s what’s been missing.

Phoebe Martin REALTOR®, — Iowa City, IA, Phoebe Martin Real Estate

What to notice: 

Whole-home fresh air systems (such as HRVs or ERVs), bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans properly vented to the exterior, CO detectors and indoor air quality (IAQ) monitors, signs of moisture in basements or crawlspaces.

Questions to surface early: 

When was the HVAC system last inspected? Has radon testing been done? Any known moisture issues? 

Why it matters: 

Health—especially for buyers with children, allergies, or respiratory concerns. For sellers, documented home features that protect indoor air quality are increasingly valued.

Comfort: What Makes It Livable Year-Round

The thermostat says 70°F, but the bedroom is freezing and the upstairs is sweltering. According to NAIMA, 89% of homes are under-insulated. The Department of Energy has found that most HVAC systems have at least one fault—airflow, refrigerant, or duct leakage.

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What to notice: 

Temperature differences between rooms, attic insulation depth, gaps around windows and doors, HVAC age and condition.

Questions to surface early: 

Are there rooms consistently harder to heat or cool? Was insulation added since the home was originally built? Has the duct system been tested?

Why it matters: 

Daily quality of life. Buyers who understand comfort issues going in can plan for them. Sellers who've addressed them have a story to tell.

Operations: How Efficiently the Home Operates

This is where post-purchase surprise hits hardest. The average American homeowner spends over $7,000 per year on utilities—and 81% say costs exceeded expectations after purchase. Efficient homes have lower energy and/or water bills.

Learn more about how to understand a home’s energy use.
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When I work with buyers, one of the first things I ask about is utility history. It sounds simple, but most agents skip it. I came from a background in environmental building products, so I know that what you can’t see — insulation quality, HVAC efficiency, air sealing — is often what determines whether a buyer loves their home or regrets it six months later. Helping clients understand operating costs upfront is one of the most valuable things we can do.

N. Carol Kibbee REALTOR® (NAR GREEN) — Greater Cincinnati, REALTOR® (NAR GREEN), Coldwell Banker Realty

What to notice:   

HVAC efficiency ratings, ENERGY STAR appliances, smart thermostats, documentation of upgrades or maintenance. 

Questions to surface early: 

Can you provide utility bills from the past 12 months? When were major systems last replaced? Is maintenance history available?

Why it matters: 

Budget reality. When clients understand operating costs upfront, you're the agent who prevented the surprise—not the one who delivered it at inspection.

Resilience: What Protects It from the Unexpected

Extreme weather is in the news constantly. Grid reliability has become a real concern. According to First Street Foundation research, nearly 15 million U.S. properties face substantial flood risk today—70% more than FEMA maps indicate—and that number is projected to grow.Climate risk data is already reshaping transactions. As The Wall Street Journal recently reported, disaster risk scores are affecting home sales—and creating friction between buyers who want transparency and sellers concerned about how the data is presented. Meanwhile, CNBC reports that homebuyers are backing out of deals at the fastest pace in nearly a decade, often because concerns surface too late in the process.

Buyers are asking questions that would have seemed unusual a decade ago: Will my home protect me during an extreme weather event? And even if it does, what happens if the power goes out for several days (or even weeks) after the event?

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What to notice: 

Roof age and material, drainage around foundation, sump pump, backup power capability.

Questions to surface early: 

Has this home experienced weather-related damage? Any insurance claims? Is the electrical system set up to accommodate backup power? 

Why it matters: 

Peace of mind—and insurability. Resilience affects both daily comfort during weather events and long-term costs like insurance premiums. In some markets, it's becoming a determining factor.

A Framework for Earlier Conversations

You don't need to become an inspector. But having this framework changes when and how you have conversations about what a home can actually do.

The goal isn't to surface problems—it's to surface information, early enough that both parties can factor it into their decisions. When performance topics come up before the inspection, they can be managed. When they arrive at the last minute, they destabilize negotiations.

Pearl SCORE™ provides performance data for every single-family home in America—92 million properties with profiles that capture safety, comfort, operations, resilience, and energy. It's a starting point for these conversations: neutral, standardized, and available before anyone's on pins and needles waiting for the inspection report.

The agents who understand this framework will be the ones having better conversations with clients—conversations that lead to informed decisions, realistic expectations, and fewer surprises on both sides of the transaction.

Pearl SCORE™ is available today at pearlscore.com for every single-family home in America—92 million properties. Pearl continues to refine data and expand features as the Pearl Home Performance Registry™ remains in public beta.

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Want to go deeper?

Apply to join the Pearl Early Access Program to earn a professional badge recognized by partners like NAR and the U.S. Department of Energy, priority pricing on Pearl Home Listing Packages for your clients, and shape the tools we're building. Be among the first agents in your market bringing home performance into your practice.


Pearl SCORE™ is the national standard for rating home performance—helping buyers, sellers, and agents surface performance conversations early, keeping transactions on rails.