Solar pays off for heavy electricity users in the right climate, and rarely for anyone else. We have been skeptical of residential solar for most homeowners, and the answer comes down to your usage and your location. In hot climates with a big air-conditioning load or a pool (desert markets, much of Texas and Arizona), solar can genuinely pay for itself. In mild coastal areas where the AC runs a couple of months a year, the math is much weaker. Run your own numbers before a salesperson runs them for you. Google's free Project Sunroof tool (sunroof.withgoogle.com) uses your actual utility history to estimate system size, cost, and payback, and to compare buying, leasing, and a power purchase agreement. Then weigh the payback period against the equipment itself: a system might take around 20 years to pay off while the panels carry roughly a 10-year warranty, and people forget the cost of pulling and reinstalling panels when the roof eventually needs replacing. High-usage homes (an EV, a pool, big monthly bills) recoup faster. Low-usage homes rarely do. Two rules if you move ahead: - Buy the panels, don't lease them. A lease becomes a headache at resale because your buyer has to qualify for and assume it, which can slow or kill the sale. Owned panels on a sensible payback tend to help resale; a lease is what scares buyers off. - Confirm who carries the risk for storm damage and roof leaks before you sign, especially on a leased system. One aside: soft-water systems and similar upgrades are nice to live with but generally add nothing at resale, so buy them for yourself rather than for the appraisal.