More Than Half of U.S. Homebuyers Struggle to Understand a Home’s True Condition and Many Lack Confidence in Judging How a Home Will Perform, New Study Finds

Pearl’s survey reveals a “home performance gap,” with 72% of buyers worried about hidden problems and 45% unsure what to ask about a home’s systems

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., Nov. 10, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- More than half of American homebuyers say it is difficult to understand a home’s true condition, and 45% say they don’t really know what to ask about a home’s systems, according to a new survey commissioned by Pearl, the independent organization behind Pearl SCORE™, a home performance rating.

The survey - The Home Performance Gap - of 833 recent and active U.S. homebuyers found that many homebuyers are not confident judging how well a home will perform, and 72% worry about hidden problems a home tour won’t reveal.

The report calls this disconnect the “home performance gap,” which refers to the fact that buyers want home performance information, but it's not provided to them during the real estate transaction as it exists today.

For instance, 99% of homebuyers surveyed use online listing services and their agents to narrow down their choices to a short list, the survey reports. But beyond that, understanding the lived experience of the home proves much more challenging.

“Buyers are committing to years of ownership with too little information about what that ownership will actually be like,” said Pearl co-founder and CEO Cynthia Adams. “Our research shows that some of the qualities they value most are among those they feel least equipped to assess. The real estate industry needs to make a home’s performance as visible as its price.”

Not all homebuyers surveyed understood the term, “home performance.” Fifty-six percent of respondents said they were very or extremely familiar with the term before taking the survey, yet their definitions varied widely. Safety, health, or air quality appeared in just 6% of definitions, although “safety and health” is the dimension buyers most often rank first when choosing a home.

One potential fix: a single standardized score that could be used to compare homes before purchase. Eight in ten said a score would be valuable, and 91% said it would make them more confident choosing between homes.

“A standardized score gives buyers a consistent way to compare homes, ask better questions, and understand what they’re buying before making an offer,” said Pearl co-founder and President Robin LeBaron. “Lack of standardized home performance information has been a significant market failure. The introduction of home performance information into the market will influence how homes are bought and sold for decades to come.”

The survey was conducted online Feb. 5-27, 2026, among 833 U.S. adults ages 18-60 who bought a single-family home in the prior 12 months or were actively shopping for one. Respondents did not know Pearl sponsored the study and results are weighted to National Association of Realtors benchmarks. In addition, focus groups and interviews were held in Atlanta during the months of June and July 2026.

Pearl SCORE rates every U.S. single-family home across five performance pillars: Safety, Comfort, Operations, Resilience, and Energy. Pearl’s ratings draw on utility costs, climate data, maintenance projections, homeowner input, and home performance benchmarks to give homebuyers a more comprehensive view of what a home is actually like to live in. The ratings are available free to consumers at pearlscore.com.

Click here to view the full Home Performance Gap report, which presents the findings in six parts and includes a research report for the real estate industry, and implications for agents and platforms.

About Pearl

Founded in 2013, Pearl is a ratings and standards company building the national standard for home performance. Pearl SCORE™ rates every single-family home in the U.S. across five key pillars — Safety, Comfort, Operations, Resilience, and Energy — so homebuyers, homeowners, and real estate professionals can understand how a home performs in daily life. As a Certified B Corporation, we're accountable not only to our shareholders, but also to the homeowners and communities we serve. For more information, visit pearlscore.com.

Media Contact:

Bill Atkinson | 443-797-4150 | bill@atkinsonstrategic.com

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Pearl Performance Gap Study

Pearl's Home Performance Gap survey of 833 recent and active U.S. homebuyers found that many homebuyers are not confident judging how well a home will perform, and 72% worry about hidden problems a home tour won’t reveal.

Cynthia Adams, CEO and co-founder of Pearl

"Buyers are committing to years of ownership with too little information about what that ownership will actually be like,” said Pearl co-founder and CEO Cynthia Adams.

Robin LeBaron, President and co-founder Pearl

“A standardized score gives buyers a consistent way to compare homes, ask better questions, and understand what they’re buying before making an offer,” said Pearl co-founder and President Robin LeBaron.