SEPTEMBER 2026

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Are solar panels a good idea?

A past client asked me recently what I thought about putting solar panels on his house.

My answer was pretty simple: I’m not a fan.

That doesn’t mean solar never makes sense. I’m sure there are homeowners and circumstances where the numbers work. But from what I’ve seen in real estate, I think there are some questions worth asking before assuming solar is automatically a good investment.

The first is the math.

Solar is usually sold around the idea of what you’ll save on electricity over time. But the important question isn’t simply how much you’ll save each month. It’s how long it will take those savings to recover what you’ve spent on the system. If that break-even point is many years down the road, you have to ask yourself a very practical question: Am I actually going to own this house long enough to get there?

Then there’s resale.

In my experience, I haven’t found solar panels to be something most buyers are actively looking for. Depending on how the system was purchased or financed, they can actually introduce another issue that has to be understood during a sale. Rather than seeing the panels as added value, some buyers may see another system—and potentially another obligation—they’re inheriting with the house.

And the panels themselves won’t last forever without attention. Like every other component of a home, solar equipment can eventually need service, repair, or replacement. The roof underneath it will eventually need attention too.

None of that means you shouldn’t install solar panels. It’s your house, and the decision should be based on your circumstances.

But I wouldn’t make the decision based solely on a sales presentation showing how much money you might save on your electric bill. I’d want to know the total cost, the realistic break-even point, how long I expect to own the house, what happens if I sell before then, and what responsibilities I’m taking on along the way.

For me, when I put all of those things together, I remain skeptical that solar makes sense for most of the homeowners I work with.

And that’s what I told my client.

With gratitude,