Yes Solar Solutions worked with a client a while back that faced an issue we’ve seen several times when installing residential solar panels. A homeowner in Cary, NC was interested in a solar array for his home but was met with opposition from his Homeowner’s Association group. This wasn’t the first time we’d experienced a skeptical HOA, and we understand the initial hesitancy. An HOA’s job is to ensure the neighborhood maintains alignment with the community’s pre-planned aesthetics, and solar panels are rarely part of that plan. This leads many HOA groups to be concerned about property value, worrying that panels will restrict future appeal of the homes. However, we had data on our side, and it wasn’t long before this Cary, NC homeowner had his residential solar panels and a happy HOA.
So what changed their minds? The truth is that solar panels actually improve home value due to how energy efficient they make the home. We estimate that for every $1 saved in annual electricity costs, homes increase in value around $20. We at Yes Solar were able to provide this HOA group information about solar access laws, sketches of the proposed array, photos of similarly installed systems, and projected energy savings. When the members saw this data, they happily approved the application, now seeing the numerous benefits. We had the green light and installed a beautiful, efficient solar array customized for his home.
Skeptical HOAs are common, but when provided with the extensive data proving the value gained from energy savings for both current and future homeowners, many get on board quickly and actually enjoy following the progress. Yes Solar is happy to work with homeowners to present this data. When this customer was asked why he chose to work with Yes, he cited the help we provided with the HOA application, our technical expertise, our competitive price, and our full range of service, which includes permitting and interconnection. Our collaboration with this homeowner and his HOA was actually so successful that we ended up installing solar panels for two more homes in their Cary, NC neighborhood! For us, this project was about more than installing residential solar panels on another home. It really centered around spreading the word about the many economical and environment benefits to solar energy.
For more information and photos of this project, see our gallery.