Quick answer
First find out whether the seller owns, financed or leases the system. An owned system transfers with the house; a lease or PPA means you take over the payments after the company approves you. A big plus in Illinois: a system that had full retail net metering before 2025 keeps it after the sale. Ask for the contract, a year of bills and the warranty details.
What should I ask first about a house with solar?
| The seller | What happens at sale | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Owns it outright | Panels transfer with the house | Lower bills with no payment; the system is part of the home's value |
| Financed it with a loan | Loan is usually paid off at closing | You get the system free and clear, or the lender may let you assume the loan |
| Leases it or has a PPA | You take over the agreement, or the seller buys it out | Monthly payments to the solar company; the company owns the panels |
Illinois Shines' homeowner handbook for buyers suggests asking for the installation contract and recent utility bills before you make an offer. Sellers can find the other side of this in selling a home with solar.
Does the net metering stay with the house?
Yes, and it can be valuable. Illinois Shines says systems that were already receiving full retail net metering before January 1, 2025 keep it even when ownership changes, because net metering stays with the system. Those older systems earn credit for exported power at nearly the full retail rate, while newer systems earn only the supply rate.
Ask the seller when the system was connected, and ask your agent to check whether anything since then, such as a major expansion, changed its status. See Illinois net metering.
What happens to the Illinois Shines contract when I buy?
Most Illinois systems were built with Illinois Shines incentives, which pay for the system's renewable energy credits over a 15-year contract held by the installer. The program's handbook says a new owner may be asked to sign a contract to keep the project in the program, so ask the seller or installer about it before closing. See Illinois Shines explained.
How do I take over a solar lease?
The solar company has to approve the transfer. Sunrun, for example, runs a soft credit check that doesn't affect your credit score, and offers the seller a way to prepay the rest of the lease if you'd rather not take it on. Tesla asks sellers to start the transfer in their Tesla account well before closing.
Ask for the lease itself and read the monthly payment, any yearly increase, the years left and the buyout terms. If the payment looks high for the power it makes, negotiate a seller buyout or a price reduction. Mortgage lenders also treat leased panels differently: Fannie Mae's rules exclude leased systems from the appraised value. See solar lease vs. buy.
What should I check before closing?
- 1
Hire an inspector who knows solar
Have them check the roof under the panels, the inverter and the electrical panel.
- 2
Get the warranty details
Call the installer about transferring workmanship and equipment warranties; some makers require a change-of-ownership form after the sale.
- 3
Ask for monitoring access
A year of production data shows whether the system works as promised. See why solar can produce less than expected.
- 4
Check for filings
A loan or lease may have a UCC-1 notice recorded with the county that has to be released or transferred at closing.
- 5
Find out who services it
If the system came from an installer that's gone out of business, such as SunPower, ask who handles service and the lease now.
Does solar make a house worth more?
Owned systems tend to add value: Berkeley Lab research found buyers paid a premium for homes with owned solar. Leased systems are different; Berkeley Lab found no clear evidence that buyers pay more or less for homes with third-party-owned systems, and a later Fannie Mae and Berkeley Lab study found they don't apparently add value. Price the house on what you'd pay without the panels, then add what an owned system's savings are worth to you.
Sources
- Illinois Shines: Homeowner handbook, buying a home with a solar system (Oct. 2025)
- Illinois Shines: Consumer FAQs
- Sunrun: Moving made easy (service transfers)
- Tesla: Transferring ownership of solar panels
- Fannie Mae: Selling Guide update on properties with solar panels (SEL-2020-04)
- EnergySage: SunPower is bankrupt, what now?
- Berkeley Lab: Selling into the Sun, sale prices of homes with owned solar (2015)
- Berkeley Lab: Homes with leased solar sell for the same as non-solar homes (2017)
- Fannie Mae: Solar home premiums analysis
This guide is general information, not tax, legal or financial advice. Incentive programs change, so confirm current terms with your installer, your utility and a tax professional.