A big change is coming to California’s housing market in 2020.
New homes built in California after Jan. 1 will require solar panels to be installed, causing housing prices to rise but lowering utility bills and helping the environment.
Because of the new law, about 80,000 new homes in the Bay Area are expected to be powered by the sun.
Suvi Sharma, CEO of Fremont-Based Solaria said that for solar companies, the new rule is both good for the environment and the local economy.
“We have dozens of installers who install the panels,” Sharma said. “They have more and more opportunities to install these new panels in the home construction projects than they did before.”
Real estate agent Holly Barr does not think that the cost of installing solar panels will influence people’s ability to build.
“If you can afford to build a new home in California, an extra $20,000 or $30,000 isn’t going to slow you down,” she said.
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On average, the amount that homeowners are able to save with solar is about $80 per month
