Solar mandate

[akkord]

I don't think they have a choice with a new build, and any new builds after 2020 you're stuck with what the builder chooses I assume and there is no opt out.  Basically builders make more $ off solar and the solar companies can upcharge on the builders.  Buyers are screwed. 

Do you guys like paying $15-20k upfront for your electricity at a home you might move out before using all those paid money?

 

[Kings]

I don't think they have a choice with a new build, and any new builds after 2020 you're stuck with what the builder chooses I assume and there is no opt out.  Basically builders make more $ off solar and the solar companies can upcharge on the builders.  Buyers are screwed. 

Do you guys like paying $15-20k upfront for your electricity at a home you might move out before using all those paid money?

CA screwing its own residents? ya don't say... :

 

[Mety]

I don't think they have a choice with a new build, and any new builds after 2020 you're stuck with what the builder chooses I assume and there is no opt out.  Basically builders make more $ off solar and the solar companies can upcharge on the builders.  Buyers are screwed. 

Do you guys like paying $15-20k upfront for your electricity at a home you might move out before using all those paid money?

CA screwing its own residents? ya don't say... :

Man, another reason to buy before 2020 if you're going to buy new build SFR? No wonder people say 2021 will have a recession.

I don't really know much about this solar system, but for me, paying monthly makes more sense than paying everything upfront especially for electricity. JMHO.

 

[eyephone]

I don't think they have a choice with a new build, and any new builds after 2020 you're stuck with what the builder chooses I assume and there is no opt out.  Basically builders make more $ off solar and the solar companies can upcharge on the builders.  Buyers are screwed. 

Do you guys like paying $15-20k upfront for your electricity at a home you might move out before using all those paid money?

CA screwing its own residents? ya don't say... :

Man, another reason to buy before 2020 if you're going to buy new build SFR? No wonder people say 2021 will have a recession.

Nope. Sounds like a sales gimmick.
Regarding world economy look at Argentina and Germany.

 

[jelloe]

Here's an update.  From what I was told today, my "mandatory" solar is because of the CCR (California Code Regulations) title 24 for 2016, which took effect on Jan 1, 2017.  The requirement was for new constructions to be 30% more efficient and KB decided to use solar to meet this efficiency "requirement".  Although, the only major requirements I could find for 2016 CCR title 24 is the requirement for high efficiency lighting such as LED bulbs.  The 2019 CCR title 24 is where the law makes it a requirement to have solar on all new constructions for Jan 1, 2020.  Regardless, the sales office did send me a Solar Addendum that did say solar was "mandatory" and we could either lease or buy.

Mety brings up a good question of why not lease instead and I'll have to do some research into that.  We don't plan on moving until the kids graduate high school which with a newborn is at least another 20yrs so maybe buying is the right choice for us.  I really wish we could have had the option to pick the solar ourselves like how we decided not to use any of their flooring options, but do planning on ripping everything out before we move in and installing our own flooring.

 

[snoozeBuyer]

Here's an update.  From what I was told today, my "mandatory" solar is because of the CCR (California Code Regulations) title 24 for 2016, which took effect on Jan 1, 2017.  The requirement was for new constructions to be 30% more efficient and KB decided to use solar to meet this efficiency "requirement".  Although, the only major requirements I could find for 2016 CCR title 24 is the requirement for high efficiency lighting such as LED bulbs.  The 2019 CCR title 24 is where the law makes it a requirement to have solar on all new constructions for Jan 1, 2020.  Regardless, the sales office did send me a Solar Addendum that did say solar was "mandatory" and we could either lease or buy.

Mety brings up a good question of why not lease instead and I'll have to do some research into that.  We don't plan on moving until the kids graduate high school which with a newborn is at least another 20yrs so maybe buying is the right choice for us.  I really wish we could have had the option to pick the solar ourselves like how we decided not to use any of their flooring options, but do planning on ripping everything out before we move in and installing our own flooring.

Good to know, I am looking to buy for a move in next year, and currently the sales office I am working with hasn't mentioned anything about solar being mandatory. I will double check with them and see if they have an addendum as such.

 

[Cares]

How is the lease structured? Is there a buyout option at after x years? Is there some sort of residual structure like a car lease?

 

[eyephone]

It may get potentially messy when you sell your house if lease panels.

I honestly planning to rent my place out. So it doesn?t make sense for me to get it at all.

 

[akkord]

Buying is the right choice if getting solar vs lease, but getting solar is not the right choice for everyone. 

 

[akkord]

When it comes time to sell, you'll most likely need to buy out the lease, most buyers will not want to take over a lease, so selling a house costs more when getting out. 

 

[eyephone]

When it comes time to sell, you'll most likely need to buy out the lease, most buyers will not want to take over a lease, so selling a house costs more when getting out.

But that?s like giving free money away.

 

[eyephone]

Another option I heard with a lease is that you can request to transfer your solar panels from your old house to new house. But they can deny that request. Lol

 

[akkord]

Exactly why I said most buyers will not want to take over a lease.  The buyer holds the power here especially if its the only offer you got on the house.  Then it's the owners decision whether to gamble on carrying costs of not selling since they don't want to buy out the lease or buying out the lease and selling based on the buyer's demand.  I would imagine the latter happens in most cases. 

I as a buyer would never want to take over a lease and solar to me is not going to make me want to pay more for the house.

Another option I heard with a lease is that you can request to transfer your solar panels from your old house to new house. But they can deny that request. Lol

 

[momopi]

Do you guys like paying $15-20k upfront for your electricity at a home you might move out before using all those paid money? 

Personally, I'm hoping that by the time I need to replace my roof, the price of solar roof would have dropped by large margin.

If the price of roof replacement is $10,000 vs solar roof is $20,000, I'd seriously consider the solar roof option.  But right now the solar roof will cost you $60K.

 

[irvinehomeowner]

Will the offset of electricity costs make up for the lease/purchase?

Seeing how high my bill is and we are conservative with AC use seems to make solar worth it.

 

[akkord]

Will the offset of electricity costs make up for the lease/purchase?

Seeing how high my bill is and we are conservative with AC use seems to make solar worth it.

Short term no, long term yes.  I think most people use a lot more electricity once they get solar, I know I plan to blast my AC. 

 

[irvine buyer]

Here's an update.  From what I was told today, my "mandatory" solar is because of the CCR (California Code Regulations) title 24 for 2016, which took effect on Jan 1, 2017.  The requirement was for new constructions to be 30% more efficient and KB decided to use solar to meet this efficiency "requirement".  Although, the only major requirements I could find for 2016 CCR title 24 is the requirement for high efficiency lighting such as LED bulbs.  The 2019 CCR title 24 is where the law makes it a requirement to have solar on all new constructions for Jan 1, 2020.  Regardless, the sales office did send me a Solar Addendum that did say solar was "mandatory" and we could either lease or buy.

Mety brings up a good question of why not lease instead and I'll have to do some research into that.  We don't plan on moving until the kids graduate high school which with a newborn is at least another 20yrs so maybe buying is the right choice for us.  I really wish we could have had the option to pick the solar ourselves like how we decided not to use any of their flooring options, but do planning on ripping everything out before we move in and installing our own flooring.

Perhaps I don't understand the 2016 updates but I thought it only requires homes to be solar ready.https://ww2.energy.ca.gov/2015publications/CEC-400-2015-032/chapters/chapter_7-Solar_Ready.pdf

 

[eyephone]

Do you guys like paying $15-20k upfront for your electricity at a home you might move out before using all those paid money?

Doesn?t follow the MaxROI philosophy. (come on  )

 

[irvinehomeowner]

Do you guys like paying $15-20k upfront for your electricity at a home you might move out before using all those paid money? 

Devil's advocate... you can say this for any type of upgrade people do... flooring, landscaping, kitchen etc.

It just depends on what you value. Some people like to run their AC all day... or like to be greener. Others prefer their upgraded kitchen cabinets, wood flooring or quartz countertops. But if you don't move out short term, the solar could give you better returns than plantation shutters.

 

[jelloe]

Perhaps I don't understand the 2016 updates but I thought it only requires homes to be solar ready.https://ww2.energy.ca.gov/2015publications/CEC-400-2015-032/chapters/chapter_7-Solar_Ready.pdf

Here's the final update.  My mandatory solar had nothing to do with CCR title 24, which was what I was told by Sunpower.  The builder sales office finally clarified that it was a top management decision to make it mandatory for my building phase.  It had nothing to do with any law or solar mandate.  Seems like the builder can do whatever they want as long as people are buying.  When sales were slow they removed the solar mandate and when it picked up again it was put back in.  I guess the only saving grace is that everyone else in our building phase will have to lease or buy a solar system like I did and everyone after Jan 1, 2020 will have to do the same.