Do solar panels increase home value?
Owned panels have sold for more. Leased panels are a different story. Here's the evidence and its limits.
In the largest US study, buyers paid about $4 more per watt of solar for homes with owned systems, about $15,000 for a typical system in the sample. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory analyzed almost 22,000 home sales, almost 4,000 of them with solar, in eight states from 1999 to 2013 (Berkeley Lab). The finding covers host-owned systems, not leases, and the data is more than a decade old.
What the study does and doesn't tell you
- Owned systems only. The premium was measured on homes whose owners owned the panels.
- The premium shrinks with age. The researchers saw a sharp depreciation of the premium as systems got older.
- Old prices. Sales ran from 1999 to 2013, and system prices have changed a lot since. Don't expect $4 a watt back on a system you buy for less than that today.
- Your market may differ. Eight states, not fifty. A local agent or appraiser who has sold solar homes knows more about your street than a national average.
Leased panels and selling the house
With a lease or PPA, a company owns the system on your roof. When you sell, the buyer usually has to qualify for and take over the contract, or you buy it out. Read the transfer and buyout terms before you sign: lease vs buy.
How many systems are leased, by city
The premium in the study applies to owned systems only. Share of home systems that were leased or under a PPA in the utility records I collected:
| City | Years covered | Leased or PPA |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix, AZ | 2022–2023 | 11% |
| Austin, TX | 2022–2024 | 0% |
| San Diego, CA | 2022–2023 | 18% |
| Fresno, CA | 2022–2023 | 29% |
| Chandler, AZ | 2022–2023 | 4% |
| Scottsdale, AZ | 2022–2023 | 8% |
| Gilbert, AZ | 2022–2023 | 2% |
| Glendale, AZ | 2022–2023 | 4% |
| Tempe, AZ | 2022–2023 | 0% |
| Peoria, AZ | 2022–2023 | 10% |
| Surprise, AZ | 2022–2023 | 29% |
| San Jose, CA | 2022–2023 | 18% |
| Bakersfield, CA | 2022–2023 | 24% |
| Clovis, CA | 2022–2023 | 28% |
| Chula Vista, CA | 2022–2023 | 31% |
| Oceanside, CA | 2022–2023 | 26% |
| Carlsbad, CA | 2022–2023 | 13% |
| Toms River, NJ | 2022–2023 | 47% |
| New York, NY | 2022–2024 | 43% |
| Elizabeth, NJ | 2022–2023 | 56% |
| Yonkers, NY | 2022–2024 | 38% |
LBNL Tracking the Sun. Cities where the utility does not report ownership are left out.
Property tax
Whether added value raises your property tax depends on the state. Arizona, California and Texas each have a rule for solar; the details and conditions are on the state pages: Arizona, California, Texas.
Run your own numbers
Resale value is a bonus, not the payback. Enter your ZIP and bill to see what the system saves on its own.
Keep reading
- How much solar panels cost in 2026 — Average price per watt by state and city, and what a 5, 7 or 10 kW system costs before incentives.
- Is solar worth it in 2026? — Payback without the federal credit in the cities I cover, and when solar is a weak deal.
- Solar lease vs buying — Cash, loan, lease or PPA: who owns the panels, who gets the credits, and what escalators cost.
Installer records by city: solar companies in Phoenix, solar companies in Tucson, solar companies in San Antonio, solar companies in Austin, solar companies in San Diego, solar companies in Fresno, solar companies in Chandler, solar companies in Scottsdale, solar companies in Gilbert, solar companies in Glendale, solar companies in Tempe, solar companies in Peoria, solar companies in Surprise, solar companies in San Jose, solar companies in Bakersfield, solar companies in Clovis, solar companies in Chula Vista, solar companies in Oceanside, solar companies in Carlsbad, solar companies in Toms River, solar companies in New York, solar companies in Elizabeth, solar companies in Yonkers.
Updated 2026-09-21.