For quite a while, we at LifeStyle Homes have promoted the idea that adding a solar system to your home’s rooftop will not only increase its value, but help it sell quicker if and when you decide to move. And new research recently released by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California is supporting this claim.
The research, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), found that home buyers were willing to pay a $15,000 premium for homes with an average 3.6 KW solar system when compared to similar homes with no solar system. These findings were concluded by examining sales data of 23,000 homes in eight states from 2002-2013. Of these 23,000, about 4,000 were solar-powered homes.
And while that’s no doubt great news for solar homeowners, the study released even more promising data. Specifically, it concluded that solar-powered homes will sell 20% faster than non-solar-powered homes!
It’s no secret that the American public is becoming more educated on the numerous benefits of living in a solar-powered home, Not to mention, the prices of solar panels continue to decrease and solar technology continues to increase, all making these types of residences much more enticing to new and used home buyers.
For those of you who are thinking of building a solar-powered home, now is the ideal time to do so. The U.S. government is still issuing the Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit equal to 30% of the solar system’s retail price. In other words, that means if you purchase a solar system before the end of 2016, the federal government will allow you to claim a credit of 30% of the solar system’s cost on your taxes.
To read the full study conducted by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, click here.
And for more information on living in a LifeStyle solar-powered home like the one pictured above, click here, or give us a call at (321) 727-8188.