Posted August 3, 2026
Solar energy adds value to a home, a fact proven by several real estate analyses. Buyers and sellers recognize that a solar PV system means a self-sufficient, low energy-cost home. The solar home transfer between buyer and seller is simple; however, there are a few steps in the process. StraightUp Solar is here to help.
Because home buying is time-sensitive, buyers should direct any immediate questions to the seller. Please note that StraightUp Solar requires written permission from the seller before we can disclose any details about the solar system. Additionally, we are happy to assist with solar inspections and can provide an inspection report to both the buyer and seller. We can check the inverter functions and identify any performance issues. Please give our Service Department a call at 314-218-2663 x 703 or complete our Service Request form.
When looking to buy a solar-powered home, ask first, is the solar PV system owned or leased by the homeowner? The ownership status of the system will determine the transfer process.
Selling a Home With Solar
If you are a seller of a solar home and own your system, here are steps to make your home ready for the marketplace and transfer of ownership.
- Share your low electricity bills with potential buyers. The electric bill proves that solar locks in low energy costs for your home. The bill can also explain net metering and how you can save even more money by exporting energy to the grid.
- Pull out your contract to explain the different components of the solar PV system (modules, racking, inverters) and their warranties.
- If your system was installed by StraightUp Solar, contact our Service Department at 314-218-2663 x 703 and we will provide your system’s details.
- If you received or are eligible for Illinois Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SRECs) payments, you will need to transfer the SREC contract from your name to the new owner, before the home is sold. Please contact your Illinois Shines program Approved Vendor (StraightUp Solar REC Solutions or Carbon Solutions Group) to learn more and to confirm your eligibility.
- Please contact StraightUp Solar that your home is on the real estate market. Advanced notice will help us prepare all the materials for the new homeowner. After the home is sold, we will coordinate directly with the buyer to complete the warranty transfer process. Please note the warranty transfer does not occur until after the sale is complete, and we require confirmation of your home sale. Proof of confirmation can include a copy of the electric bill, phone bill or similar utility information.
Once you sell your home, StraightUp Solar will mail an introductory letter to the new homeowner to begin the warranty transfer process and share system details.
Selling your home with a leased solar PV system
StraightUp Solar offers a solar lease through the Lightreach Power Purchase Agreements. These 25-year leases with performance and service warranties are easily transferred to the new owner, but require communication with the system owner, Palmetto Solar.
Palmetto Solar requires the seller to provide written notice of the home’s transfer at least 15 days prior to the closing date. Palmetto recommends notification as soon as the home goes under contract. This allows their transfer department enough time to review the buyer’s credit check, draft the contract assignment and coordinate with the closing company.
The seller, the approved buyer and Palmetto will sign a clear written transfer agreement that releases the seller from all future obligations. During the title search, the escrow officer or closing attorney will see a UCC-1 fixture filing and reach out to Palmetto for the assignment documentation. Note the fixture filing is not a lien, only a claim to the solar equipment not the real estate property.
If you have a leased system, you have three options to prepare your system for transfer to the new homeowner.
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- Option A: Seamless PPA Transfer: The home buyer simply takes over the contract and the predictable monthly payments. The new homeowner will receive the same energy rate as the original lease. The buyer only needs to pass LightReach’s credit underwriting check and sign a standard transfer agreement. In most cases, if the buyer passed the mortgage credit check, they will clear the LightReach credit check.
- Option B: Prepayment & Transfer of System Use: If a buyer doesn’t qualify for the credit check or prefers not to take over the monthly payments, the seller can choose to prepay the remaining balance of the PPA term (at a 5% prepayment discount). The seller can factor that value into the home’s listing price, allowing the new buyer to enjoy the full use of the solar energy completely free of any monthly PPA payments.
- Option C: Purchase the system from Palmetto after year 5 of the lease: The solar PV system becomes property of the home, like HVAC equipment. The system can be priced into the sale of the home and placed as a fixture in your sales contract. Your new homeowner will have free energy for the entire life of their ownership! Please contact StraightUp Solar when you purchase the system, so we can update our service records.
Buying a Home with Solar
Congratulations! You made the right decision for your family and the planet. Here are the steps to take full ownership of your solar PV system:
If the system was installed by StraightUp Solar, please contact us to welcome you to clean energy production! Our warranty transfer process, explaining StraightUp Solar’s and the manufacturer warranties, occurs after the home sale is finalized. There is no rush to contact us, so take a week or two to settle in before starting our warranty transfer.
We will provide you with helpful resources about their solar PV system including:
- how to read your utility bill with solar
- basic troubleshooting steps
- how to contact StraightUp Solar or the system manufacturer’s support.
- setting up your system’s monitoring portal
- sharing the system’s equipment details.
We can help you transfer our workmanship and performance warranties, the system’s manufacturer warranties, your utility service and net metering agreement. We can also explain the Illinois Shines Renewable Energy Credits and your responsibilities as a new solar homeowner.
After contacting StraightUp Solar, the next steps are to contact your utility, the Illinois Shines program (for Illinois residents) and check your system.
- Contact your utility and tell them your new house has a solar PV system
- Ask to transfer the Net Metering Agreement to your account.
For most utilities, you should not have to complete a new Net Metering Agreement or application. The utility will transfer the existing agreement to the new owner’s name. Please let us know if the utility requires additional forms or documentation.
- Contact the Illinois Shines program Approved Vendor to transfer the Solar Renewable Energy Contract (SREC) to you. If your system was built by StraightUp Solar, we can connect you to StraightUp Solar REC Solutions or Carbon Solutions Group, our Approved Vendors for many projects. The Approved Vendor may need access to the energy monitoring device of your solar PV system.
- Check the communication signals from the system. It is very common for a system to go offline after a change in internet providers or setup. New owners often don’t notice until they are setting up their solar PV system monitoring portal. If your system is offline, it is most likely still producing power; however, it’s not transmitting live data to the portal. As soon as we confirm your warranty transfer, we’ll be happy to walk you through reconnecting it.. We can also send a technician to your home to get it back online and walk you through your system in person!
- If the system is not functioning, give our Service Department a call. We can address many issues remotely (see our Troubleshooting page), but if necessary, we can make a site visit to establish a baseline for the system at the time of transfer.
Still have questions? Contact our Service Department or call us at 314-218-2663 x 703 or send us a note at service@straightupsolar.com.
Additional resources from Illinois Shines
