Want to add value to your house? Well, look no further than solar panels, which can add tens of thousands of dollars to your home's value, according to a Zillow data study.
SolarReviews assessed listings on the online real estate marketplace and found that homes with solar sell for 6.8% more, which translates to an additional $25,381 for a median-value home.
In order to make sure its data lined up with real-world scenarios, SolarReviews also talked to realtors, who agreed that solar panels increase home values.
🗣️ If you were to install home solar panels, which of these factors would be your primary motivation?
🔘 Energy independence ⚡
🔘 Lower power bills 💰
🔘 Helping the planet 🌎
🔘 No chance I ever go solar 🚫
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
"Many homebuyers are actively looking for homes that already have solar panels installed," Brett Johnson, owner of New Era Home Buyers, told the website. "I have encountered clients who express [a specific] interest in properties with these sustainable features and acknowledge both their immediate and long-term advantages."
Don Wede of Heartland Buys Houses added: "Houses with solar panels are valued favorably in the real estate market. The characteristics of being modern, environmentally friendly, and cheap can appeal to a buyer better."
Meanwhile, a higher selling price isn't the only advantage to adding rooftop solar. For one, Forbes estimates that going solar can save homeowners between $25,500 and $33,000 over the lifetime of the panels. Plus, a study from the University of Texas at Austin found that when people install solar panels, it reduces demand on the grid, bringing down utility costs for everyone.
Not only that, but going solar is also one of the best ways to slash planet-heating pollution, as it helps us reduce our dependence on dirty energy sources such as coal, oil, and natural gas. These three fuels account for more than 75% of all planet-heating pollution, per the United Nations.
Plus, solar and other renewable energy alternatives can help communities build resilience against extreme weather events, which are becoming more frequent and intense as global temperatures rise, according to NASA. For instance, when Hurricane Ian hit Florida in 2022, a community that runs on solar power escaped most of the impacts of the storm, CBS News reported.
If you're ready to make the switch, EnergySage offers free tools to help you get quick solar installation estimates and compare quotes.
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