Beyond the Buildings

In the second episode of Beyond the Buildings' three-part sustainability series with Cotality Australia, guest host Eliza Owen delves into this often-overlooked but increasingly pressing issue: energy efficiency in Australian homes.  

But why is energy efficiency coming into the public conversation now? And what’s driving this shift?  

To unpack these questions, Owen is joined by two industry leaders shaping the future of energy-smart housing. Cecille Weldon, founder of WeldonCo Advisory & Future Agent and creator of the award-winning Livability Real Estate Framework, and Tim Lawless, Research Director at Cotality Australia, are breaking down which energy-efficient investments are beneficial for homeowners and why these upgrades will influence the direction of Australian housing.

In this episode: 

2:55 – Why is energy efficiency becoming a critical factor in the property market?

5:30 – What are some of the key energy efficiency features that buyers and renters should look out for when trying to find a home?

7:12 – How can renters and buyers make their homes more energy efficient?

9:30 – What are some common misconceptions about energy efficiency?

15:29 – How will the role of energy efficiency evolve in the property industry over the next decade?

19:05 – What or who has the greatest potential to drive widespread energy efficiency in the residential market?

21:40 – Erika Stanley looks at the numbers in the housing market in The Sip. 

23:45 – What key findings about energy efficiency reveal about the evolution of Australia’s housing stock?

32:02 – How is technology changing the way we assess and understand energy resilience across the market?

Find out more at Cotality.com/insights

The ripple effects of unaffordable—or unavailable—insurance reaches beyond individual households and is distorting entire housing markets.

— In the U.S. and Australia, increasing natural disasters are putting pressure on governments and homeowners to find safe and affordable housing solutions.

—Data is providing key insights to help identify and prioritize mitigation measures for particularly vulnerable communities.

—Environmental pressures have altered natural disaster response over the past decade, and there are a few things the U.S. could learn from Australia's approach.

In this episode:

2:37 – How have recent natural disaster events in the U.S. and Australia shifted how we understand environmental risk?

5:47 – How has natural disaster response changed in the last 10 years, and what role does data play in disaster response?

9:53 – How is the property industry keeping up with the increasing severity of natural disasters?

14:31 – Where are the biggest opportunities to build smarter, safer communities?

17:45 – Erika Stanley goes over the numbers in property market in The Sip.

18:50 – Why is it becoming more difficult to insure high-risk homes?

20:56 – How can better data and insights help insurers mitigate risk rather than exit the market.

25:22 – What is one change that could effectively help insurers prepare for environmental risk?

This episode of Beyond the Buildings host Maiclaire Bolton Smith and Cotality’s Assistant Vice President of Product Marketing Tom Larsen explore the escalating crisis in homeowners insurance, revealing why premiums are rising and what it means for homeowners and insurers nationwide.

Discover why some states are hit harder than others, how government insurance programs can remain sustainable, and what new innovations might offer hope for homeowners.

- Insurance costs are climbing non-coastal states like Oklahoma and Texas, pressuring the long-term affordability of homeownership.

- Billion-dollar natural disasters, shifting risk tolerance, and more expensive reinsurance is transforming how insurers are pricing — and providing — policies.

- Explore why this routine homeownership policy has become a barrier to homeownership.

Most federal land is west of the Rocky Mountains, but not all of it is primed for residential development. Explore how the right parcels of federal land could be a powerful lever in addressing America’s housing shortage.

- Untapped federal land seems like endless possibilities, but without infrastructure, development costs could negate efforts to create more affordability.

- The growing bipartisan interest in land-use reform has made federal land a potential solution. Cotality identified areas where development potential and need for housing intersect.

- Zoning and local politics will influence whether this solution is unlocked or blocked.

Learn more about what's happening in the housing market at cotality.com/insights.

Florida’s proposal to eliminate property taxes sounds like a radical affordability solution — but what would it actually cost? In this episode, Maiclaire Bolton Smith and Chay Halbert unpack the financial, political, and social tradeoffs behind this bold move.

• Eliminating property taxes would gut funding for schools and public services, forcing states to consider more inconsistent funding alternatives like sales tax hikes.

• Florida’s affordability crisis is already pushing people out of major cities like Miami, and this proposal could deepen inequality.

• Replacing lost revenue isn’t as simple as it sounds — and may create more complex issues than it solves

Florida on the Brink: https://www.cotality.com/insights/articles/florida-on-the-brink

Meet Cotality: https://www.cotality.com

CoreLogic rebranded as Cotality, and the company’s CEO Patrick Dodd explains why now was the right time to make the change.

- The transition from CoreLogic to Cotality wasn’t just a rebrand, it was transformation with purpose.

- What happens when a legacy powerhouse hits refresh? Beyond better serving client needs and adapt to changing market dynamics, this rebrand better showcases what this company has become.

- Cotality is setting a new standard by pushing the boundaries of insight, collaboration, and impact to lead the property industry forward.

In this episode of Beyond the Buildings, Patrick Dodd sits down with host Maiclaire Bolton Smith to explain what drove the change, why now was the right time, and how this new identity honors the past while boldly stepping into the future. From the collaborative naming process to the careful crafting of the mission, vision, and values statements, he gives us an inside look at how Cotality came to be and where it’s heading next.

In this episode:

• 2:31 – Who is Cotality?

• 5:38 – Why was the CoreLogic brand changed now?

• 9:30 – What have been the reactions to the rebrand?

• 13:19 – How was the name “Cotality” selected and what does it mean?

• 20:37 – Where will the Cotality brand take the company?

• 24:31 – Erika Stanley looks at the numbers in the housing market in The Sip.

• 25:25 – Why is it important to be people-centric?

• 29:17 – Patrick Dodd explains when he will feel like Cotality has achieved its mission.

Gen Z is entering the housing market and encountering challenges both familiar and unfamiliar to previous generations.

- High mortgage rates and home prices are forcing many to explore alternative markets and creative strategies like house hacking.

- Tech tools and digital platforms are central to how Gen Z researches, finances, and navigates homebuying decisions.

- This generation is redefining ownership to embrace shared purchases, multi-use properties, and nontraditional paths to affordability.

In this episode of Beyond the Buildings, host Maiclaire Bolton Smith and Cotality economist Molly Boesel explore the trends shaping Gen Z’s path to property ownership — what’s driving them, what’s holding them back, and how their creativity is changing the landscape of housing for everyone.

In this episode:

2:00 – How big of a presence is Gen Z in the housing market? Are they having an easier or more difficult time buying homes than previous generations?

3:29 – What sort of homes are Gen Z buyers looking for?

6:14 – Are Gen Z buyers spending more than the recommended amount when they purchase homes? Is homeownership out of reach for much of this generation?

10:49 – Erika Stanley looks at the numbers in the housing market in The Sip.

11:57 – Is house hacking a possible path to homeownership for this generation?

15:12 – How are affordability issues propelling Gen Z buyers to look into creative financing options?

18:00 – Is AI changing how Gen Z buyers shop for homes?

CoreLogic rebranded as Cotality, and our CEO Patrick Dodd explains why now was the right time to make the change.

• The transition from CoreLogic to Cotality wasn’t just a rebrand, it was transformation with purpose.
• What happens when a legacy powerhouse hits refresh? Beyond better serving client needs and adapt to changing market dynamics, this rebrand better showcases what this company has become.
• Cotality is setting a new standard by pushing the boundaries of insight, collaboration, and impact to lead the property industry forward.

In this episode of Beyond the Buildings, Patrick Dodd, CEO of Cotality, shares a candid conversation with host Maiclaire Bolton Smith about how a name change isn’t just cosmetic—it’s a signal. A signal that something fundamental has shifted.

In this episode:

• 2:31 – Who is Cotality?
• 5:38 – Why was the CoreLogic brand changed now?
• 9:30 – What have been the reactions to the rebrand?
• 13:19 – How was the name “Cotality” selected and what does it mean?
• 20:37 – Where will the Cotality brand take the company?
• 24:31 – Erika Stanley looks at the numbers in the housing market in The Sip.
• 25:25 – Why is it important right now to be people-centric?
• 29:17 – Patrick Dodd explains when he will feel like Cotality has achieved its mission.

Links:

• Will tariffs harm affordability?
• Read Cotality Insights
• Explore Cotality Data

Find full episodes with all our guests in our podcast archive here: https://clgx.co/3HFslXD5 Copyright 2025 Cotality

Gen Z is entering the housing market and encountering challenges both familiar and unfamiliar to previous generations.

• High mortgage rates and home prices are forcing many to explore alternative markets and creative strategies like house hacking.
• Tech tools and digital platforms are central to how Gen Z researches, finances, and navigates homebuying decisions.
• This generation is redefining ownership—embracing shared purchases, multi-use properties, and nontraditional paths to affordability.

In this episode of Beyond the Buildings, host Maiclaire Bolton Smith and Cotality economist Molly Boesel explore the trends shaping Gen Z’s path to property ownership — what’s driving them, what’s holding them back, and how their creativity is changing the landscape of housing for everyone.

In this episode:

• 2:00 – How big of a presence is Gen Z in the housing market? Are they having an easier or more difficult time buying homes than previous generations?
• 3:29 – What sort of homes are Gen Z buyers looking for?
• 6:14 – Are Gen Z buyers spending more than the recommended amount when they purchase homes? Is homeownership out of reach for much of this generation?
• 10:49 – Erika Stanley looks at the numbers in the housing market in The Sip.
• 11:57 – Is house hacking a possible path to homeownership for this generation?
• 15:12 – How are affordability issues propelling Gen Z buyers to look into creative financing options?
• 18:00 – Is AI changing how Gen Z buyers shop for homes?

Links:

• Read Cotality Insights
• Explore Cotality Data

Find full episodes with all our guests in our podcast archive here: https://clgx.co/3HFslXD5 Copyright 2025 Cotality

For years homeowners’ insurance was just there. It was a safety net in the background, ready to catch someone when disaster struck. But now, that net is fraying, and homeowners are scrambling to understand why coverage is becoming so expensive — or in some areas, nearly impossible to obtain.

Homeowners across the country — especially in wildfire-prone states like California — are seeing their premiums skyrocket, their policies canceled, or, in some cases, they are left without any options at all. Insurers too are feeling the pressure. For years, they relied on traditional risk models to calculate premiums, issue policies, and assume predictable loss patterns. But the landscape is changing. Rising claims, extreme weather events, and economic pressures are pushing the industry to a breaking point.

At the center of this crisis is a fundamental question: how does the industry adapt to a world with accelerating natural hazard risk? On this episode of Core Conversations, host Maiclaire Bolton Smith sits down with the co-founder of Wows Insurance to talk about this issue and what can be done to address this ongoing crisis.

In This Episode

2:46 – Why are insurers paying out more than they are taking in?

4:48 – What will happen to the housing market if insurance becomes too expensive or impossible to get?

6:52 – Are there alternative paths to providing insurance beyond the traditional avenues?

9:51 – How can governmental policy development and homeowner participation help improve insurance accessibility?

14:08 – Is it possible for insurance to remain a profitable business long-term?

17:10 – Erika Stanley does the numbers in the housing market in The Sip.

18:12 – How do you insure the value of a home long-term as the market continues to drive up prices?

22:26 – Comparing the 2024 and 2025 California wildfire season.

24:27 – In which other states is wildfire risk increasing dramatically?

26:43 – What does the future landscape of wildfire insurance look like?

Up Next: The Homes the LA Wildfires Left: A Hidden Insurance Crisis?

Links:

• Will Trump Tariffs Harm Home Affordability?
• What Is the Real Price of LA’s Wildfire Disaster?
• What Will a Second Trump Presidency Mean for U.S. Housing?
• Explore CoreLogic Data
• Read CoreLogic Intelligence

5 Copyright 2025 Cotality