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Do Solar Panels Increase Home Value?  Energy efficiency is a growing concern among homeowners, and solar panels are a well-known resource in improving efficiency and helping the environment. The amount of money a homeowner can save by using solar power is attractive enough, but how do solar panels affect property value? Solar Adoption is Growing Two years ago, the U.S. had hit 2 million solar installations and the researchers at Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables expected “…solar installations to double by 2023.” In fact, Pew Research found that 46% of U.S. homeowners are considering residential solar panels. High demand can lead to a faster sale and/or a higher sales price, but there are still a few other factors that will impact the value of your home on paper. Location Considerations According to a 2019 Zillow Economic Research report, “During the past year, homes with solar-energy systems sold for 4.1% more on average than comparable homes without solar power. For the median-valued home, that translates to an additional $9,274,” The report finds, however, that the increase in home value varies, sometimes substantially, by region. If solar panels are popular in your area, they may provide a bigger boost to your home value than in less popular areas. Owned or Leased? When you sell your home to a buyer who will need financing to purchase it, the appraiser has the final say in what the home is worth. Whether the solar array on your roof increases the appraised value will depend largely on whether or not you own the system. The most common solar panel ownership scenarios, according to the appraiser guidelines at fanniemae.com, include: The panels are owned. Owned panels may be included in the appraised value of the property. The panels are leased or covered by a Power Purchase Agreement. Leased panels may not be included in the appraised value of the property. The panels are financed as personal property. If the solar panels are financed as personal property (and therefore serve as collateral for the loan), they will do nothing to increase the value of the home. Sellers will have to assume the responsibility of finished payments at the closing table or so. This is typically what both sides agree on. If you decide to purchase solar panels, you might likely be able to someday recoup the money you spent on them, especially if you stay in your home – not moving out shortly after installation. If you are located in an area where solar power is popular, your system may just help you to sell the home quicker. |
| Home Tips to Help Banish the Winter Blues Interesting fact: Benjamin Franklin, in 1784, when he proposed it in a satirical essay. according to scholars at The Franklin Institute : “He merely suggested Parisians change their sleep schedules to save money on candles and lamp oil.” Regardless of the tongue-in-cheek nature of the suggestion, the idea of “daylight-saving” was kicked around for more than a century until New Zealander George Hudson took it and ran with it. Fitting more daylight into our days is typically welcome, but the sudden switch to darkness when we “fall back” in Autumn causes trouble for some folks. Fortunately, there are some simple tricks to help us get through it. Let Lighting Do the Heavy Lifting Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD for short, “…is a type of depression that’s related to changes in seasons,” according to the professionals at MayoClinic.org. “Symptoms start in the fall and continue into the winter months…” One of the treatments for SAD is a bright, light-emitting box. But you do not have to suffer from seasonal affective disorder to benefit from increased lighting in your home this winter. Open heavy drapes when you are home during the daytime. Ensure windows and screens are clean to allow maximum levels of natural light to flood the home. You can also add more lamps and other lighting to the home to banish the darkness and gloom. For an added punch, increase the number of mirrors on the walls. They really help reflecting existing light. I personally witnessed this as a great idea in households and would highly recommend using mirrors, especially in darker areas. Bring the Outdoors in The houseplant trend has been going on for years, and the pandemic put it on steroids. If you have not already joined the plant party, this winter might be a great time to give it a try. “Indoor plants have drawn the attention of the scientific community because of their various benefits,” according to Min-sun Lee, Juyoung Lee, Bum-Jin Park, and Yoshifumi Miyazaki, authors of a study published in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology. These benefits include: Stress reduction Improved mood Enhancement of cognitive health Interaction with your plants is key to receiving these benefits, so go plant shopping, then vow to transplant, water, and generally hover over your leaf babies all winter. For an added boost in mood, add some colorful, flowering plants to your shopping cart as well. Think Orchids or broad leaf plants that simply captivate your imagination. Its simply and super effective remedy and a beautiful natural décor for your household. |
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Plants and Beyond 
Great article/post. I’ve been wondering about solar panels. And yes light definitely helps with winter blues!
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