Question 1

What is Quoll Homes?

Accepted Answer

Quoll Homes is a home search platform that shows you the true cost of owning a home — not just the listing price. Every home on Quoll Homes displays estimated monthly costs including mortgage, insurance, property taxes, and utilities alongside standard listing information like photos and square footage.

Question 2

How is Quoll Homes different from Zillow or Realtor.com?

Accepted Answer

Zillow and Realtor.com are organized around one question: do you like this home? Quoll Homes is organized around a different question: can you actually afford this home once you factor in insurance trends, climate risk, and long-term costs? We show information that other platforms hide or omit — because their revenue comes from agents and sellers who prefer that buyers not see it.

Question 3

Is Quoll Homes a real estate agent or brokerage?

Accepted Answer

No. Quoll Homes is not a brokerage and does not employ real estate agents. We are an information platform. We help you understand a home's true cost before you engage with an agent or make an offer.

Question 4

Does Quoll Homes have real listings?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Quoll Homes shows active for-sale listings across all 50 states with property details including photos, square footage, beds and baths, and price — alongside the financial and climate data we add.

Question 5

Is Quoll Homes free to use?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Quoll Homes is free to use. No account required to browse listings and view climate and cost data.

Question 6

Who is Quoll Homes for?

Accepted Answer

Quoll Homes is built for homebuyers who want to make a financially informed decision — particularly buyers in markets where insurance costs are rising rapidly or climate risk is affecting property values. It is especially useful for first-time buyers who may not know what questions to ask.

Question 7

What does true cost of ownership mean for a home?

Accepted Answer

True cost of ownership is the full monthly cost of owning a home — not just the mortgage payment. It includes principal and interest on the loan plus property taxes, homeowners insurance, and utilities. On many homes in high-risk areas the gap between the mortgage payment and the true monthly cost is substantial.

Question 8

What does the monthly cost estimate on each listing include?

Accepted Answer

The monthly cost estimate includes mortgage principal and interest based on current rates and a 20% down payment, estimated property taxes, estimated homeowners insurance, and estimated electricity costs. It does not include HOA fees at this time.

Question 9

What is Income Needed and how is it calculated?

Accepted Answer

Income Needed is the annual household income required to afford a home without exceeding 30% of gross income on housing costs — the threshold financial advisors generally recommend. It is calculated from the estimated total monthly cost of the home. A home with a $3,500/month true cost implies an Income Needed of approximately $140,000/year.

Question 10

Why is the monthly cost on Quoll Homes different from what my mortgage calculator shows?

Accepted Answer

Most mortgage calculators only show principal and interest — the loan payment itself. Quoll Homes adds property taxes, insurance, and electricity to that figure. Insurance in particular is often dramatically underestimated by buyers. The gap between a mortgage payment and the true monthly cost can be hundreds or even thousands of dollars per month in high-risk areas.

Question 11

Does the monthly cost estimate include HOA fees?

Accepted Answer

Not currently. HOA fee data is inconsistently available across listings. Where we have it we display it separately. We recommend factoring HOA fees into your own budget calculation if the home you are considering is subject to them.

Question 12

How far into the future do the cost projections go?

Accepted Answer

The cost projection charts on listing pages show a 10-year forward view. You can adjust the assumed growth rates for insurance and other cost categories to model different scenarios.

Question 13

Are the cost estimates property-specific or neighborhood averages?

Accepted Answer

The estimates blend both. Mortgage and tax estimates are property-specific. Insurance estimates are based on zip code and county-level data combined with property characteristics where available. We are transparent about the methodology on each listing page.

Question 14

What climate risks does Quoll Homes show for each property?

Accepted Answer

Quoll Homes shows flood risk including FEMA flood zone designation and county-level flood exposure. It also shows wildfire risk where applicable, heat exposure measured in extreme heat days per year, and hurricane or coastal wind risk. FEMA-declared disaster history for the county is also displayed.

Question 15

Where does the climate risk data come from?

Accepted Answer

Climate risk data comes from FEMA, NOAA, and a variety of validated public and private sources. Different data types are updated at different cadences — climate model data is updated when new models are released, housing market data is updated monthly, and listing data is updated continuously.

Question 16

What is a FEMA flood zone and how does it affect a home's cost?

Accepted Answer

FEMA flood zones classify land by its annual flood risk. Homes in high-risk zones — designated with an A or V prefix — are typically required by lenders to carry flood insurance if the mortgage is federally backed. That flood insurance is an additional cost on top of homeowners insurance and can add several thousand dollars per year to the cost of ownership.

Question 17

Does climate risk affect my ability to get a mortgage?

Accepted Answer

Increasingly yes. If a home requires flood insurance or if homeowners insurance is unavailable or extremely expensive in a given area it can affect your debt-to-income ratio and therefore your ability to qualify for a loan at a given purchase price.

Question 18

What is the difference between a home's current flood zone and its future flood risk?

Accepted Answer

A flood zone designation reflects FEMA's current official map which may be years out of date. Future flood risk reflects projected changes in precipitation and sea level. A home can be outside a current flood zone while still carrying meaningful future risk. We show both where data is available.

Question 19

Does Quoll Homes show wildfire risk?

Accepted Answer

Yes where data is available. Wildfire risk is shown on listing and county pages in affected states including California, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, and others.

Question 20

Why did Zillow remove its climate risk scores?

Accepted Answer

Zillow added climate risk scores to listings and then removed them — reportedly after pushback from real estate agents who felt the information hurt their ability to sell homes. This is a revealing episode: the platforms that dominate home search are ultimately designed around the needs of agents and sellers, not buyers. Quoll Homes exists because we think buyers deserve to see this information.

Question 21

Why is home insurance so expensive right now?

Accepted Answer

Homeowners insurance premiums have risen sharply across the US in recent years — averaging 10-15% annual increases in many markets. The primary drivers are rising costs of claims from climate-related disasters like hurricanes, wildfires, and floods combined with inflation in construction and labor costs. Several major insurers have exited high-risk markets entirely pushing more homeowners toward more expensive state-backed plans.

Question 22

Which states have the biggest home insurance problems?

Accepted Answer

Florida, Louisiana, California, and Texas have seen the most significant insurance market disruptions. Florida in particular has seen multiple major insurers exit the private market. California has had insurers exit wildfire-prone areas statewide. In these states the gap between a home's list price and its true monthly cost is often the largest.

Question 23

How does climate risk affect home insurance premiums?

Accepted Answer

Insurers price policies based on the probability and expected cost of claims. Homes in flood zones, wildfire interface areas, or hurricane-exposed coastlines face higher expected claim costs which translates directly to higher premiums. As climate-related disasters become more frequent those pricing adjustments have accelerated.

Question 24

What is a FAIR Plan and when would I need one?

Accepted Answer

A FAIR Plan (Fair Access to Insurance Requirements) is a state-backed insurance program of last resort for homeowners who cannot obtain coverage in the private market. They are more expensive than standard private insurance and typically provide more limited coverage. If a home you are considering is in an area where private insurers have pulled back you may need to rely on a FAIR Plan.

Question 25

How do I find out if I can get private home insurance on a property I'm considering?

Accepted Answer

The most reliable way is to get quotes early in the process — before you are emotionally committed or have made an offer. An independent insurance broker can shop multiple carriers simultaneously. Quoll Homes shows insurance cost trends and state plan information for each listing to help you assess this risk before you engage.

Question 26

How much should I budget for home insurance?

Accepted Answer

The national average for homeowners insurance is roughly $2,000-$2,500 per year but this varies enormously by location and property. In high-risk markets like Florida or coastal Louisiana the annual premium can exceed $10,000. Quoll Homes displays average premiums for the zip code alongside each listing so you can calibrate your expectations.

Question 27

What happens to my insurance rate over 10 years in a high-risk area?

Accepted Answer

Insurance rates in high-risk areas have been increasing significantly in recent years in many markets. The 10-year cost projection on each Quoll Homes listing lets you model what your insurance costs might look like at different growth rates so you can stress-test your budget before committing.

Question 28

Where does the insurance cost data come from?

Accepted Answer

Insurance premium data comes from state regulatory filings and validated public sources. It reflects real premium trends at the zip code level — not national averages applied uniformly. Trend data reflects multi-year changes in average premiums per policy in each geography.

Question 29

Can I search for homes by monthly budget instead of price?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The search page includes a monthly budget filter that estimates which homes fall within your total monthly housing cost target — not just the mortgage payment. This is one of the key differences from standard home search tools which filter only by list price.

Question 30

Can I filter by insurance availability or insurance cost?

Accepted Answer

You can filter by areas with elevated insurance costs or insurance market stress. This surfaces or excludes homes in zip codes where private insurance is difficult to obtain or unusually expensive.

Question 31

Does Quoll Homes cover all 50 states?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Quoll Homes covers active for-sale listings nationwide across all 50 states.

Question 32

How current is the listing data?

Accepted Answer

Listing data is updated continuously. Active listing status, prices, and key facts reflect recent data pulls. If you are making a financial decision always confirm current details directly with the listing agent.

Question 33

Can I search by income required?

Accepted Answer

You can use the monthly budget filter which effectively lets you surface homes by the income level they require. Enter your budget and the results will reflect homes whose estimated true monthly cost falls within that range.

Question 34

Where does Quoll Homes get its listing data?

Accepted Answer

Listing data — photos, prices, addresses, property details — comes from publicly available listing sources updated continuously. Climate and financial data is sourced from FEMA, NOAA, state insurance regulatory filings, and other validated public sources.

Question 35

How accurate are the cost estimates?

Accepted Answer

The monthly cost estimates reflect current mortgage rates, a 20% down payment assumption, property tax rates for the area, and insurance costs based on zip code level data. Your actual costs will depend on your specific loan terms, credit score, and the insurance quote you receive. We display them to help you compare homes and calibrate your expectations — not as a substitute for actual quotes.

Question 36

How often is the data updated?

Accepted Answer

It depends on the data type. Listings are updated continuously. Housing market data is updated monthly. Climate model data is updated when new models and assessments are released — which is less frequent but reflects the most current scientific understanding available. We keep each data type as fresh as its source allows.

Question 37

Does Quoll Homes show climate projections or just current risk?

Accepted Answer

We show both current risk data (today's flood zone designation, today's insurance premium) and forward-looking projections including 10-year cost trajectories and long-term climate exposure trends where data is available.

Question 38

What data sources does Quoll Homes use for climate risk?

Accepted Answer

Primary sources include FEMA's National Risk Index, FEMA flood zone maps, NOAA storm event records, and a variety of validated public and private climate data sources. Insurance data comes from state regulatory filings.

Question 39

Do I need an account to use Quoll Homes?

Accepted Answer

No. You can browse listings and view climate and cost data without creating an account. An account is required to save homes.

Question 40

What do I get by creating a free account?

Accepted Answer

A free account lets you save homes you are interested in so you can compare them and come back to them later.

Question 41

How do I save homes I'm interested in?

Accepted Answer

Click the save icon on any listing card or listing page. You will be prompted to create a free account if you are not already signed in. Saved homes are accessible from your dashboard.

Question 42

Is my data shared with real estate agents?

Accepted Answer

No. Quoll Homes does not sell your browsing data or saved homes to real estate agents.

Question 43

How does Quoll Homes make money?

Accepted Answer

Honestly, we aren't focused on monetization right now. Our goal at this stage is to build something genuinely useful for homebuyers. There are a number of groups — insurers, home improvement providers, and others — who are interested in reaching buyers who care about climate risk and long-term costs. Any future monetization will be designed around making you better offers, not making you the product. We will not sell your data. We will not let advertisers distort what you see.

Question 44

Does Quoll Homes sell my information to real estate agents?

Accepted Answer

No. We do not sell user data to agents or brokers. This is a deliberate choice that reflects our alignment with buyers rather than sellers.

Question 45

Does Quoll Homes take referral fees from agents?

Accepted Answer

No. Quoll Homes does not have referral relationships with real estate agents and is not compensated for connecting buyers with agents. This is the structural difference between Quoll Homes and platforms like Zillow whose primary revenue source is agent advertising.

Question 46

Is Quoll Homes affiliated with any insurance companies?

Accepted Answer

No. Quoll Homes is not affiliated with or owned by any insurance carrier.

Question 47

Why should I trust Quoll Homes's data?

Accepted Answer

Our climate and cost data comes from public sources — FEMA, NOAA, and state insurance regulatory filings. We are transparent about what the estimates include and what they do not. We have no financial incentive to make a home look more or less affordable than it is. Our interest is in giving you an accurate picture, not a flattering one.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Quoll Homes Is

True Cost of Ownership

Climate Risk

Home Insurance

Searching and Filtering

The Data

Accounts and Saved Homes

Business Model and Trust