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Old 04-24-2015, 02:01 PM
 
47 posts, read 121,485 times
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Does anyone have any experience installing solar panels through Solar City in the Portland area? I know that they have a lease model and they take a share of the tax breaks. Is it worth doing it? Thanks.
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Old 04-24-2015, 02:07 PM
 
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A neighbor did it and likes the model. They like that Solar City did all the leg work and did some minor roof repairs and they weren't out of pocket anything. I think Solar Oregon has a calculator so you can see whether it makes sense for you. If they don't, they do have free seminars where they present the various options. I went to one in Hillsdale.

I thought about it but decided I didn't want to lease. Solar companies will check to see if you have ~10 years left on your roof before installing. I think if it's close, they may go ahead because the new system is much quicker to install and move. I got my roof checked out and turned out I needed a new one so solar is on hold for a bit.
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Old 04-24-2015, 02:11 PM
 
Location: Bend Or.
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A word of caution. I talked to an appraiser and the leases are causing some problems if the house is sold. If the buyer cannot qualify for the lease, it becomes due immediately. Can cause some issues.
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Old 04-24-2015, 09:16 PM
 
241 posts, read 386,713 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by whirnot View Post
A word of caution. I talked to an appraiser and the leases are causing some problems if the house is sold. If the buyer cannot qualify for the lease, it becomes due immediately. Can cause some issues.
Check the Phoenix forum pages about this. Those guys are well educated and have had real world experience with these.
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Old 04-27-2015, 02:47 PM
 
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Thanks for all the responses. Grassfeeder is right, there is a lot of discussion in the Phoenix forum re Solar. As for a new buyer taking over the lease, there isn't much of a lease to take over as I understand it. The contract that I have is as follows: Solar City (SC) installs and maintains the system for free for 20 years. I am contracting to buy the electricity that is generated from SC for 20 years. The rate that I am buying power from SC is a lower rate than PGE and will remain same for 20 years, whereas the PGE rate typically goes up every year (or so SC tells me). In addition to buying the generated power from SC, I have to also pay them a monthly amount for the 1st 4 years. I pay them around $75 a month but I can more than recoup the amount from the $2400 tax rebates that I will get for the 1st 4 years. The tax rebate situation I am not 100% sure about.
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Old 04-27-2015, 05:55 PM
 
Location: Portland, Oregon
10,990 posts, read 20,570,522 times
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I am an advocate of solar power generation but were I you I would have the contract reviewed by a lawyer.

First: most roofs won't last 20 years, asphalt shingles for sure. What happens if you need to re-roof? Who pays for the cost of removal and re-installation of the system?

Suppose a tree drops on your roof or you suffer storm damage and you must deal with the solar system, whose insurance pays? Do you need a rider on your insurance policy to cover the solar system?
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