Pearl SCORE

09/02/2026

We get asked this all the time: what's the difference between Zillow, Redfin, and Pearl?

Zillow and Redfin are great for finding a home and scheduling a tour — that's what they're built for. Pearl SCORE™ picks up from there. It doesn't tell you what a home is worth. It gives you a read on how the home is set up to perform on things like comfort, running costs, and how it holds up over time. So you know what to ask about before you even walk through the door.

Here's a simple guide to using all three together, in the order that makes sense.

Zillow vs. Redfin vs. Pearl: What First-Time Buyers Should Use Each One For https://bit.ly/4qG8Ow5

09/01/2026

If you think you need 20% down to buy your first home, you're not alone — but it's not true. The median first-time buyer put down about 10% in 2025 (Realtors).

Buying your first home has more steps than most people expect, but each one is manageable once you know what's next.

We broke the whole process down into 8 steps, from budget and credit to closing day, so you know what's coming before you start.

How to Buy Your First House: An 8-Step Guide for First-Time Buyers https://bit.ly/4qHIAsZ

08/31/2026

When it comes to building homes and assessing , we need to consider how common extreme heat is becoming. We have to prepare accordingly.

How to build homes that can survive extreme heat https://bit.ly/3T817BW via Grist.org and Vox

As heat waves strain the power grid, passive cooling can help homes stay safer when the air goes out.

08/27/2026

"This doesn’t mean buyers don’t care about climate change. People cannot compare information they never receive in the first place."

Homebuyers are choosing homes with much higher carbon footprints than they realize https://bit.ly/4zv5hVc via The Conversation US with insights from writers at Carleton University (Official) and CanmetÉnergie / CanmetEnergy-Varennes

Clearer information about energy costs could help home buyers make lower-carbon choices without requiring them to compromise on affordability, space or location.

08/26/2026

If your electric bill has been creeping up, unplugging your phone charger probably won't fix it.

The real culprits tend to be the big systems: heating and cooling alone make up about 52% of a home's total energy use. Refrigerators and water heaters add a good chunk more.

This Realtor.com piece walks through which appliances actually drive up a bill, plus a simple way to tell if it's time to repair or replace one.

Your Electricity Bill Is Skyrocketing. These Are The ‘Energy Hogs’ Driving Up Your Costs https://bit.ly/4wAtdUt

Unplugging your phone charger won't save much energy. The big power drains are coming from every level of your house.

08/25/2026

If your electric bill has felt higher than usual, you're not imagining it — the average household paid 9.6% more in 2025 than the year before (via U.S. Energy Information Administration).

But rate hikes aren't the only reason. One thing alone can account for close to half of a home's total energy use — more than appliances, lighting, and everyday habits combined.

We ranked the top 10 reasons electric bills run high in 2026, with a typical dollar range for each, so you know what's actually driving the number on your bill.

Why Is My Electric Bill So High: 2026 Analysis https://bit.ly/4goOqus

08/24/2026

Pearl is ! We are looking for a Technical Product Manager to own Pearl's backend, API product surface. You will work directly with backend engineering teams - both onshore and offshore - to shape, plan, and deliver the systems that power Pearl's platform.

The benefits of working at Pearl include:

• 100% remote environment
• Medical, vision and dental coverage provided at no cost for employees and their families (with an option to purchase upgraded coverage at a minimal cost to employee)
• FSA, HSA, and dependent care accounts
• Life insurance coverage
• Stock options
• 15 vacation days during the calendar year, plus holidays (including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day), a floating holiday for your birthday, sick days, and paid parental leave
• Working in a mission-driven Certified B Corp company

Learn more and apply: https://bit.ly/4zsRIpn

08/20/2026

Between maintenance and utility bills, many new don't know the true cost of their homes until it's too late: “While I budgeted down to the penny for the mortgage, property taxes and insurance, I am in actual shock at our electric bills."

5 expensive surprises new homeowners face — and how to avoid them https://www.marketwatch.com/story/5-expensive-surprises-new-homeowners-face-and-how-to-avoid-them-5bf2a8b0 via MarketWatch

Buying a house is a serious undertaking, but the cost of owning one is a different ballgame.

08/19/2026

If you're buying your first home later in life, you're not out of the ordinary — according to National Association of REALTORS® the median first-time buyer is now 40 years old, the oldest on record.

Buyers this age tend to ask more questions before they commit — about what a home actually costs to run and how well it holds up over time.

We broke down what's changed about the way people buy homes now, and what's worth asking about before you fall in love with a listing.

The Home Buying Conversation Is Changing. This Is How You Get Ahead of It. https://bit.ly/4fWLkz0

08/18/2026

Replacing a home's heating and cooling system can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $28,000 in 2026 — and where you live can change that price by 25 to 30% for the exact same job.

A few other things can move the price too: the size of the home, the age of the ductwork, and a new rule about refrigerants that started this year.

We put together a simple guide to what actually drives HVAC costs in 2026, so you know what questions to ask before you get a quote.

Average HVAC Replacement Cost: 2026 Data, Cost Factors, and What Your Investment Does for Your Home https://bit.ly/4xMRSX3