updated March 2026
Having Solar Panels in your home is very popular in San Diego these days. I often see more and more homeowners in North Park, South Park, and other neighborhoods in San Diego with solar panels on their homes. Before you think about having this done, ask yourself one question. Do you see yourself living in that house for more than ten years? If so, it might make sense to add solar to your house. But, if you don’t think you will be staying in that home for at least that long, this may not be the route to go. There are several things to consider when selling a house with solar panels.
Do Solar Panels Add Value
When making improvements to your home, always think about resale. Will having Solar Panels add value to your house when it comes time to sell your home? This depends; if you were to buy the Solar System, how many years would it take you to break even? If you were to sell your home, the buyer would see value in having a $10.00 electric bill or, sometimes, none. However, even if you buy the system but turn around and decide to sell it in a few years, would you see a return on your investment?
Also, what happens if you were to lease the solar panels? Someone buying your home would have to qualify for a mortgage and would also have to be eligible (qualify) for the lease assignment. With the high home prices in San Diego, this can sometimes be tricky. If the homebuyer is at the absolute top of qualifying for a loan, they may not like having to qualify and take over Solar’s lease.
Financing Solar Panels
There are options for selling a home with solar if you own the system. This depends on how you financed the Solar Panels when you purchased them. If you took out an equity line on your house to pay for the system, the total balance would have to be paid at closing to complete the sale of your house. The Escrow company facilitating the sale would withdraw the funds directly from your proceeds, and a check would be sent to the Solar company. This will need to happen to sell the house with a clear title.
Depending on where you live, selling a house with solar panels can have its own challenges. It all depends on which company installed it and whether you bought or leased the solar system. If you are fortunate enough to have bought your system outright, we have seen that buyers are more likely to pay more for an owned system than for a leased one. With that said, when the system has already been paid for, the selling process will be a whole lot smoother than it would be if your system were leased.
Realtor Experience With Selling Homes With Solar Systems
Let’s say you have solar panels on your home and have decided to sell your house. Ensure the Realtor you are working with knows how to get everything aligned, so the sale goes through without a glitch. The first thing you should do is contact the Solar Company right away. Let them know you will be selling your home and that you need the necessary paperwork sent to you. This would include your original agreement, the transfer agreement, the PUCC (Request for Temporary removal of the document from Title), and the document requesting removal of the UCC (UCC Finance Termination). Once an offer is accepted, all of this paperwork must be filled out immediately and properly. It must be included in your purchase agreement. If this is not done correctly, things could be delayed and/your transaction could fall apart. This would be a bummer.
The next step is to determine whether installing solar panels on your house would be a good investment. I know that it is very popular these days, and many people are doing so. Overall, I think it is because it can potentially increase the value of your house. But this really all depends on your situation. Are you thinking of doing this because it will save on energy costs in the long run? Or, you may think having a Solar System in your house is good for the environment. This is a topic that some may argue.
Are Solar Panels A Waste?
Back in the early 2000s, solar panels were becoming increasingly popular and were installed in many homes. Now, in 2026, most of those solar panels are nearing the end of their lifespans. This creates a problem for this industry because disposing of these panels is not environmentally friendly. Many claim the waste generated by the production of these panels is a greater issue than the current fossil fuel they are looking to replace. Since it is much cheaper to discard the toxic metals in solar cells, landfills are full of them. Those toxic metals leech out and possibly pose a health threat to the community if they get into the groundwater supply.
Solar Company Warranties
If you are thinking of installing a Solar System in your house, do your homework first. How much money will you be saving throughout the years? Does it make sense in your household? Search for different companies and ask about their warranties. Panels typically and should come with a warranty. Ensure that the workmanship is warranted as well, should the installation cause a problem with solar power production. Ask your friends and neighbors, and check the Better Business Bureau and Yelp for reviews of different companies.
Lastly, if you want to sell your home in North Park or the nearby metro area, contact the McT Real Estate Group. We are local experts and well-versed in homes that have Solar systems.