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“That’s actually a pretty good deal with the right player.”
Photo Credit: iStock
A San Diego homeowner who said they could afford to pay cash for rooftop solar turned to the r/solar subreddit after an installer appeared to push a lease instead.
The homeowner also said household electricity demand is expected to grow because they plan to add both an electric vehicle and a hot tub.
Posting in a Reddit thread, the homeowner said the installer recommended a lease and claimed tax credits had expired, even though the homeowner said paying upfront was financially feasible.
According to the post, the home uses about 1,300 kilowatt-hours during its highest-use months.
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Because the household expects to add an EV and a hot tub, current consumption may not fully capture the size of the system it will eventually need.
Responses in the thread urged caution about the pitch. Some commenters brought up prepaid-lease depreciation structures, while others warned that kickbacks can be part of the sales channel.
“Prepaid lease and paying cash allows for an investor to use the accelerated depreciation, and the tax credit value which they typically pay in to effectively reduce your out of pocket,” a user wrote. “That’s actually a pretty good deal with the right player.”
Going solar is one of the best ways to save money on energy bills, just as the original poster’s instincts dictated. Using EnergySage to get free solar installation estimates and compare quotes can make it easier to see whether a sales pitch matches the numbers.
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Want to go solar but not sure who to trust? EnergySage has your back with free and transparent quotes from fully vetted providers that can help you save as much as $10k on installation.
To get started, just answer a few questions about your home — no phone number required. Within a day or two, EnergySage will email you the best local options for your needs, and their expert advisers can help you compare quotes and pick a winner.
They also said they may not stay in the home beyond seven years. That kind of timeline can make contract terms especially important, because someone who may move sooner could value flexibility differently than a homeowner planning to stay for decades.
With peak-month usage already near 1,300 kWh and additional demand likely from an EV and hot tub, a proposal should focus on where the home’s energy use is headed, not just where it is now.
One practical step is to collect multiple bids using the same assumptions of around 1,300 kWh in high-use months, an EV and hot tub, and the possibility of moving within seven years.
Comparing those proposals can make it easier to spot when a salesperson may be tailoring the recommendation around sales-channel incentives instead of the household’s actual needs.
💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
“Prepaid lease,” a user advised. “You’re going to want that 25 year warranty on the batteries given how much they degrade over time.”
With EnergySage’s help, the average person can save up to $10,000 on solar purchases and installations. For context, EnergySage’s solar map shows the average cost of a home solar panel system by state, along with details on solar panel incentives for each state. Together, those resources can help homeowners get the best price for rooftop solar panels and access available incentives. That makes it a useful check against a single company’s pitch.
Adding battery storage to a solar setup is one of the best ways to protect your home during outages, save on energy costs, and go off-grid. Homeowners who want to pair storage with panels can explore EnergySage for information about home battery storage options, including competitive installation estimates.
Other customers have shared similar confusion around solar tax credits and lease-driven sales pitches. 
• A homeowner learned they could still claim thousands off a rooftop solar bill.
• A homebuyer discovered a 20-year solar lease can complicate finances long after closing.
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© 2025 THE COOL DOWN COMPANY. All Rights Reserved. Do not sell or share my personal information. Reach us at hello@thecooldown.com.

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