Homes with Solar Panels

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Benefits of Owning a Solar Home

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People

Cleaner Air, Easier Breathing, Healthier Living

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Planet

Emission-Free Generation & Non-Toxic By-Products

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Profits

Power Bill Savings & Energy independence

Does Solar Add Value?

The question every homeowner wants know…”Can solar add value to my home?”.  The good news is, the answer is often, Yes!  In order to realize the value of solar when selling or refinancing, you need to be aware of two factors: leased vs owned, and utilizing green-competent real estate professionals. 

While owned solar panels are an asset and increase home value, leased solar panels do not add value, and are often a burden at time of sale.  Luckily, leased solar panels on homes are not common in Georgia.  If you have owned solar panels, you will also need to utilize green-competent real estate agents, appraisers, and possibly lenders, to obtain value from your solar array. 

A green-competent real estate agent will not only understand the value of your solar array, they have been trained and educated to effectively market and position homes with solar.  Likewise, green-competent appraisers have completed training courses to understand and calculate the value of solar arrays and will substantiate the corresponding value for your system.  A green-competent appraiser has to be requested.  If selling or buying a home with solar, your green-competent real estate agent should ensure a green-competent appraiser is required for the transaction.  If refinancing, you will have to advocate for yourself, to your lender to utilize a green-competent appraiser.  If the lender refuses, choose another lender.

“While owned solar panels are an asset and increase home value, leased solar panels do not add value, and are often a burden at time of sale.”

Georgia Solar Statistics

Top 10

Georgia ranks in the top 10 states that create solar energy

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10 Years

On average, it takes between 10-11 years for residential payback for equipment

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2900

The state of Georgia receives approximately 2900 hours of average anual sunlight

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Battery Backup + Solar

The emerging game changer

Thanks to rapid advances in lithium batteries, solar battery backup has recently emerged and has taken solar generation to the next level.  New lithium batteries tie in to your solar array and/or the grid to store power for use during times when it’s needed, such as during the night when your solar panels are not producing or during outages. 

A key benefit of battery + solar is the ability to power your home with solar power when the grid goes down. This resiliency is likely to become a must-have home feature over the next decade.

In Atlanta, batteries are attractive for resiliency and to maximize the value of your solar production. Atlanta is no stranger to strong weather from thunderstorms to ice and the city’s abundant tree canopy can frequently take out power lines. With little to no net-metering offered in the state, some solar owners elect to install batteries to store their excess solar production during the day for use at night, maximizing the value of each kWh.

Looking for a local solar installer? Check out our Local Resources page.