Solar With Sandra
This is Solar With Sandra, my new blogsite to give some solar help to real estate professionals, including agents, appraisers, loan officers, escrow and title. Solar Homebuyers and sellers, or anyone interested in the practical side of electric generation using rooftop solar, can find help, here, too.
I’m new to blogging on my own site, so please don’t hesitate to offer suggestions. Even better, please offer contributions of your own expertise! I welcome editorial comment and questions, as well.
The solar electricity industry is continually responding to consumer demand for new features and solutions. The competitive environment between equipment manufacturers and financial institutions for our business, are also drivers of change.
And let’s not forget the “monthly reminders” about the rising cost of electricity that the utility sends out!
That’s why next year, 2019, promises to show us lots of exciting developments.
Upcoming Topics and Tools
These are some of the topics and tools that Solar With Sandra will cover:
- How to deal with different financing and third-party solar providers, and their documents, including leases, PPA’s, and purchase agreements, before and during escrow
- HERO programs, pros and cons
- For buyers, comparing the pros and cons of buying a house with existing solar vs. buying a house and adding solar
- Explaining utility bills, MCE (and other CCA’s), to landlords, tenants, and solar home buyers
- Checklists of features and benefits of existing rooftop solar installations for you to include in listings assure that buyers and appraisers see value
- Lists of “solar friendly” lenders (who, for example, don’t include solar payments in debt-to-income ratios for homebuyers)
- Guides to evaluate existing financing or other solar payments before listing a home for sale to help you avoid problems in escrow
Limitations and Cautions
Blog posts are based on my experiences with rooftop solar in the area of California served by PG&E, and nearby in the San Francisco Bay Area. However, I have solar connections all over California, and in other states, and much of the information will be generally informative. I will also aggregate useful resources and blog posts from other experts.
Please be cautious about relying on these posts. California handles real estate matters differently than other states. The types of financing, the costs of installing solar panels and utility rates, vary significantly. That’s in addition to the usual calculations one makes for the local weather!
What that means is that each situation is comprised of a unique combination of variables, and my blog posts are the not meant to replace trusted advice from an expert familiar with all the details.
Customized Advice on Solar Electricity
Use the Contact form to get a referral from me to an expert in solar real estate transactions. I can also hook you up to get a custom analysis of your household’s suitability for rooftop solar. Contact me to get an evaluation of an existing solar installation.
On the form, specify where the house is located, and whether you are interested in an existing installation or a new one (or an add-on), along with your contact information, as well. If I can refer you, I will.
Please bookmark and check back for new developments. I’m just getting started! Otherwise, sign up for occasional updates by subscribing to my newsletter.
