With the value of real estate plunging, homes with solar panels installed are at a distinct advantage. They're becoming a valuable selling point for potential homebuyers, who look to the future before buying, taking a home's long-term energy use into consideration.
Electricity costs show no signs of going down. Solar systems are known to offset an average of 15 percent of electrical usage, depending on the size of a home. This can potentially cut large utility bills by hundreds of dollars each month. For first-time homebuyers especially, this means high mortgage costs can be less of a burden.
Solar panels themselves are versatile, benefiting even the more privileged buyer. The panels can be installed on the $200,000 home as well as the multi-million dollar property. They're a popular investment for an increasingly enviro-conscious community, regardless of income. Though they're often installed by owners who have the initial capital available, the investment is viewed as a worthy inheritance, especially since they have a lifespan of decades.
In addition, homes with solar panels installed typically have additional green features built in. This can range from passive solar floors and walls to energy tracking devices to water efficient fixtures. Developers of new homes are catching on, taking advantage of bulk prices to install solar panels on entire tracts. As global warming patterns continue and the environment remains on the forefront of every discerning homeowner's conscious, homes without green building properties may become a thing of the past. And homes without solar panels will an exception rather than the norm.
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